In the News Brain Injury Awareness – Part I

Every March in the United States, we recognize Brain Injury Awareness. Brain injuries are unpredictable in its consequences and change everything about a person in a matter of seconds.

Here we look at some aspects, causes, and treatments of brain injuries and remind those that have either personally suffered a brain injury or are caring for a loved one with a brain injury, that you are not alone.

Understanding the brain.

The brain is divided into sections called lobes. Each lobe has an important and specific function. The lobes and some of their functions are:

Frontal Lobe: attention, concentration, organization, problem solving.

Temporal Lobe: memory, receptive language, hearing.

Parietal Lobe: sense of touch, depth perception, identification of shapes, sizes, colors.

Occipital Lobe: vision.

Cerebellum: balance and coordination.

Brain Stem: breathing, heart rate, sleep and wake cycles.

Damage to specific lobes.

An injury to the frontal lobes may affect an individual’s ability to control emotions, impulses, and behavior or may cause difficulty recalling events or speaking.

An injury to the temporal lobes may lead individuals to demonstrate difficulty with communication or memory.

Individuals who have injured their parietal lobes may have trouble with their five primary senses.

An injury to one’s occipital lobes may lead to trouble seeing or perceiving the size and shape of objects. 

An injury to the cerebellum may affect balance, movement, and coordination. 

The brain stem controls the body’s involuntary functions that are essential for survival, such as breathing and heart rate.

(Continued in Part II…)