How do anterior cerebral artery strokes affect the leg differently from the arm?

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In the context of stroke pathology, an infarction of the anterior cerebral artery results in weakness and sensory changes on the side of the body opposite to the blockage.1

Unlike strokes involving the middle cerebral artery—which typically cause more pronounced weakness in the face and arm—an anterior cerebral artery stroke affects the leg more severely than the arm. This specific distribution occurs because the anterior cerebral artery supplies the portion of the brain responsible for motor and sensory function of the lower extremities.1