A patient exhibiting contralateral hemiparesis, gaze palsy, and sensory deficits is likely experiencing what condition?

A patient showing contralateral hemiparesis, gaze palsy, and sensory deficits is most likely experiencing a middle cerebral artery infarction.

The middle cerebral artery (MCA) supplies a significant portion of the lateral surface of the cerebral hemispheres, which includes critical areas responsible for motor and sensory functions of the upper limbs and face. When an infarction occurs in this artery, it often leads to motor deficits affecting the side of the body opposite to the stroke, which is known as contralateral hemiparesis. Additionally, the MCA supplies areas involved in eye movement control, leading to gaze palsy, where the patient has difficulty directing their gaze towards the side of the hemiparesis. Sensory deficits can also occur due to the involvement of the thalamus and somatosensory cortex in the same territory.

In contrast, other arterial infarctions, while they may also present with varying neurological deficits, typically do not combine these specific symptoms in the same way. For instance, basilar artery infarction often leads to more severe brainstem symptoms, anterior cerebral artery infarction primarily affects the lower limb, and posterior cerebral artery infarction tends to impact visual deficits more significantly rather than the motor and sensory functions observed in the