Step 1: Identify the vessel. The posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is usually a branch of the vertebral artery and supplies the lateral part of the medulla oblongata. Step 2: Occlusion of this vessel produces the lateral medullary syndrome, also called Wallenberg syndrome or the PICA syndrome. The damage lies in the lateral segment of the medulla, posterior to the inferior olivary nucleus, and is the most typical posterior circulation ischemic stroke in clinical practice. Step 3: It is most often caused by atherothrombotic occlusion of the vertebral artery, then the PICA itself; hypertension is the commonest risk factor, followed by smoking and diabetes. Step 4: The distractors are syndromes of the MEDIAL medulla. Medial medullary syndrome (also termed inferior alternating syndrome and Dejerine syndrome) results from occlusion of the anterior spinal artery, not the PICA, so options b, c and d are wrong.