大象传媒

Waking in his hotel room Eric Sinclair was paralysed down his left side, his mouth dry and his tongue heavy. He called for help, but all he could do was make a small squeaking sound. He knew very little about stroke until that day, but he was one of the 15,000 people a year who suffer a stroke.

Stroke is the third commonest cause of death in Scotland and the most common cause of severe physical disability among adults. Of 100 people going into hospital alive, over a quarter won't survive the first year. Of those who do, many will be permanently disabled. Stroke doesn't just affect the elderly, it is unpredictable and can affect all ages.

So what is it like to actually experience a stroke? What is happening inside the brain and body of a stroke patient as this attack on the brain unfolds and where has science got to in terms of explaining stroke, its prevention and the long path to recovery?