The effects depend on what part of the brain is affected, but every stroke is different. For some people, the effects of a stroke are mild and last a short time. Another stroke can cause more severe or longer-lasting disability. The effects of a stroke will depend on which part of your brain has been damaged; how serious is the injury; and your general health when the stroke occurs. The right half of the brain controls the left side of the body and vice versa. For example, weakness or paralysis in the left arm may result from a stroke on the right side of the brain. For most people, the left side of the brain controls the following languages: (1) speaking, (2) reading, (3) writing, and (4) understanding. The right side controls perceptual abilities, including (1) making sense of what you see, (2) hearing, and (3) touching. The right side also controls spatial skills: (1) judging size, (2) speed, (3) distance, and (4) position (What Causes Stroke,