A 65-year-old man presents to the emergency department with sudden-onset weakness in his right arm and face. His wife reports that he was unable to speak coherently and appeared confused before arriving at the hospital. He has a history of hypertension and atrial fibrillation. On examination, he has right-sided hemiparesis (arm and face more affected than leg), right-sided sensory loss, and non-fluent speech. A CT scan of the head shows an infarction in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. Question: Which of the following best explains the patient’s inability to speak?
