- A
person with a brain injury is a person first
- No
two brain injuries are exactly the same
- The
effects of a brain injury are complex and can vary
greatly from person to person
- The
effects of a brain injury depend on many factors,
including cause, location, and severity, age of
the person, etc.
|
| |
|
A
Healthy Brain |
- Before
we can understand what happens when a brain is injured,
we must realize what a healthy brain is made of and
what it does. The brain is enclosed inside the skull.
The skull acts as a protective covering for the soft
brain. The brain is made of neurons (nerve cells).
The neurons form tracts that route throughout the
brain. These nerve tracts carry messages to various
parts of the brain. The brain uses these messages
to perform functions. The functions include our thought
processes, physical movements, personality changes,
behavioral changes, and sensing and interpreting
our environment. Each part of the brain serves a
specific function and links with other parts of the
brain to form more complex functions.
top |
Functions
of the Brain: Frontal,
Temporal, Parietal, Occipital, Brain Stem |
- The
brain is divided into main functional sections, called
lobes. These sections or brain lobes are called the
Frontal Lobe, Temporal Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Occipital
Lobe, The Cerebellum, and the Brain Stem. Each has
a specific function, as described below.
|
top |
| Frontal
Lobe |
- Initiation
- Problem
Solving
- Judgement
- Inhibition
of behavior
- Planning
and anticipation
- Self-monitoring
- Motor
Planning
- Personality
- Emotions
- Awareness
of abilities and limitations
- Organization
- Attention
and concentration
- Mental
flexibility
- Speaking
(expressive language)
top |
| |
|
Temporal
Lobe |
- Memory
- Hearing
- Understanding
language (receptive language)
- Organization
- Sequencing
|
| |
|
Parietal
Lobe |
- Sense
of touch
- Differentiation
(identification) of size, shapes, and colors
- Spatial
perception
- Visual
perception
top |
| |
|
Occipital
Lobe |
|
| |
|
Cerebellum |
- Balance
- Coordination
- Skilled
motor activity
top |
| |
|
Brain
Stem |
- Breathing
- Heart
rate
- Arousal
and consciousness
- Sleep
and wake cycles
- Attention
and concentration
|
|
An
Injured Brain |
When
a brain injury occurs, the functions of the neurons,
nerve tracts, or sections of the brain can be effected.
If the neurons and nerve tracts are effected, they
can be unable or have difficulty carrying the messages
that tell the brain what to do. This can result
in Thinking Changes, Physical Changes,
and Personality and Behavioral Changes.
These changes can be temporary or permanent. They
may cause impairment or a complete inability to
perform a function. Some possible changes are described
below.
top
|
|
- Memory
- Decision
making
- Planning
- Sequencing
- Judgement
- Attention
- Communication
- Reading
and writing skills
- Thought
processing speed
- Problem
solving skills
- Organization
- Self-perception
- Perception
- Thought
flexibility
- Safety
awareness
- New
learning
top |
Physical
Changes |
- Muscle
movement
- Muscle
coordination
- Sleep
- Hearing
- Vision
- Taste
- Smell
- Touch
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Balance
- Speech
- seizures
- Sexual
Functioning
top |
- Personality
and Behavioral Changes
|
- Social
skills
- Emotional
control and mood swings
- Appropriateness
of behavior
- Reduced
self-esteem
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Stress
- Denial
- Self-centeredness
- Anger
management
- Coping
skills
- Self-monitoring
remarks or actions
- Motivation
- Irritability
or agitation
- Excessive
laughing or crying
top |
| |
Right or Left Brain |
The
functional sections or lobes of the brain are also
divided into right and left sides. The right side
and the left side of the brain are responsible for
different functions. General patterns of dysfunction
can occur if an injury is on the right or left side
of the brain.
|
Injuries
of the Right Side of Brain can cause: |
- Visual-spatial
impairment
- Visual
memory deficits
- Left
neglect (inattention to the left side of the
body)
- Decreased
awareness of deficits
- Altered
creativity and music perception
- Loss
of “the big picture” type of
thinking
- Decreased
control over left-sided body movements
top
|
Left
Side of the Brain |
- Difficulties
in understanding language (receptive language)
- Difficulties
in speaking or verbal output (expressive language)
- Catastrophic
reactions (depression, anxiety)
- Verbal
memory deficits
- Impaired
logic
- Sequencing
difficulties
- Decreased
control over right-sided body movements
|
Diffuse
Brain Injury (The
injuries are scattered throughout both sides of
the brain) |
- Reduced
thinking speed
- Confusion
- Reduced
attention and concentration
- Fatigue
- Impaired
cognitive (thinking) skills in all areas
**More
information about deficit areas can be found under
the Consequences heading.
top |
