Terms

A Healthy Brain
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.

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.

Frontal Lobe
o Initiation
o Problem Solving
o Judgement
o Inhibition of behavior
o Planning and anticipation
o Self-monitoring
o Motor Planning
o Personality
o Emotions
o Awareness of abilities and limitations
o Organization
o Attention and concentration
o Mental flexibility
o Speaking (expressive language)

Temporal Lobe
o Memory
o Hearing
o Understanding language (receptive language)
o Organization
o Sequencing

Parietal Lobe
o Sense of touch
o Differentiation (identification) of size, shapes, and colors
o Spatial perception
o Visual perception

Occipital Lobe
o Vision

Cerebellum
o Balance
o Coordination
o Skilled motor activity

Brain Stem
o Breathing
o Heart rate
o Arousal and consciousness
o Sleep and wake cycles
o 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.
Thinking Changes
o Memory
o Decision making
o Planning
o Sequencing
o Judgement
o Attention
o Communication
o Reading and writing skills
o Thought processing speed
o Problem solving skills
o Organization
o Self-perception
o Perception
o Thought flexibility
o Safety awareness
o New learning
Physical Changes
o Muscle movement
o Muscle coordination
o Sleep
o Hearing
o Vision
o Taste
o Smell
o Touch
o Fatigue
o Weakness
o Balance
o Speech
o seizures
o Sexual Functioning
Personality and Behavioral Changes
o Social skills
o Emotional control and mood swings
o Appropriateness of behavior
o Reduced self-esteem
o Depression
o Anxiety
o Frustration
o Stress
o Denial
o Self-centeredness
o Anger management
o Coping skills
o Self-monitoring remarks or actions
o Motivation
o Irritability or agitation
o Excessive laughing or crying

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:
o Visual-spatial impairment
o Visual memory deficits
o Left neglect (inattention to the left side of the body)
o Decreased awareness of deficits
o Altered creativity and music perception
o Loss of “the big picture” type of thinking
o Decreased control over left-sided body movements
Left Side of the Brain
o Difficulties in understanding language (receptive language)
o Difficulties in speaking or verbal output (expressive language)
o Catastrophic reactions (depression, anxiety)
o Verbal memory deficits
o Impaired logic
o Sequencing difficulties
o Decreased control over right-sided body movements
Diffuse Brain Injury (The injuries are scattered throughout both sides of the brain)
o Reduced thinking speed
o Confusion
o Reduced attention and concentration
o Fatigue
o Impaired cognitive (thinking) skills in all areas.