Brain Anatomy & Function Information

Brain Anatomy and Function — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes

Frontal Lobe

Frontal Lobe — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
awareness inability to focus on task
attention & concentration impaired recent memory
memory difficulty learning new information
cognition problem solving difficulty
motivation inability to plan sequence of tasks
judgment changes in social behavior
voluntary movement loss of simple movement
expressive language inability to express language (Broca’s Aphasia)
memory for habits & motor activities loss of flexibility in thinking
emotional control & impulse control mood changes (emotional lability)
word associations persistence of a single thought (perseveration)
ability to follow instructions
decision making
personality changes in personality
assigns meanings to words we choose loss of spontaneity

Parietal lobes

Parietal lobes — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
visual attention inability to focus on visual attention
awareness of spatial relationships
touch inability to name an object Anomia)
recognition of faces difficulty in distinguishing right from left
goal-directed voluntary movements inability to locate the words for writing (Agraphia)
manipulation of objects problems with reading (Alexia)
integration of different senses that allows for understanding a single concept difficulty with drawing objects
difficulty in doing mathematics (Dyscalculia)
lack of awareness of certain body parts and/or surrounding space (Apraxia)
inability to attend to more than one object at a time
difficulties with eye and hand coordination

Occipital lobe

Occipital lobe — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
visual perception defects in vision
visual input difficulty with locating objects in environment
difficulty with identifying colors (Color Agnosia)
production of hallucinations
inaccurately seeing objects
reading (perception & recognition of words) inability to recognize words
difficulties with reading and writing
movement of eyes inability to recognize the movement of an object (Movement Agnosia)
difficulty in recognizing drawn objects

Temporal lobes

Temporal lobes — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
hearing, music, & receptive language difficulty in understanding spoken words (Wernicke’s Aphasia)
comprehension of language
memory acquisition short-term memory loss
memory for non-verbal events disturbance with selective attention to what we hear & see
information retrieval interference with long term memory
some visual perceptions difficulty with identification of and visualization about objects
categorizations of objects inability to categorize objects
expressed behavior increased aggressive behavior, agitation, irritability & childish behavior
increase or decrease in sexual behavior
difficulty in recognizing faces (Prosopagnosia)
right lobe damage can cause persistent talking

Cerebral cortex

Cerebral cortex — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
higher cortical functions

Limbic system

Limbic system — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
emotions loss of emotional control
learning loss of recent memory
sense of smell loss of sense of smell

Diencephalon

Diencephalon — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes

Thalamus

Thalamus — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
processing center of the cerebral cortex altered level of consciousness
sensory relay–coordinates & regulates all functional activity of the cortex by integrating all nerve inputs (except smell) to the cortex loss of perception
contributes to affectual expression

Hypothalamus

Hypothalamus — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
integrates the Autonomic Nervous System (body temperature & endocrine function) hormonal imbalances
parasympathetic function inability to control temperature
sympathetic function (flight or fight) diabetes insipidus
physical expressions of behavior
feeding center
pleasure center

Internal capsule

Internal capsule — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
motor tracts paralysis on the opposite side of the body

Reticular activating system

Reticular activating system — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
attention, eating, wakefulness, & arousal from sleep altered level of consciousness

Brain Stem

Function Observed problems
breathing decreased vital capacity in breathing
heart rate swallowing food & water (Dysphagia)
swallowing difficulty with organization & perception of environment
reflexes to seeing & hearing (startle reflex) problems with balance and movement
controls sweating, blood pressure, digestion, temperature (Autonomic Nervous System) dizziness & nausea
affects level of alertness sleeping difficulties (insomnia, sleep apnea)
ability to sleep
sense of balance (vestibular function)

Midbrain

Function Observed problems
nerve pathways of cerebral hemispheres
auditory & visual reflex centers
oculomotor nerve (III) eye movement
trochlear nerve (IV) controls muscle that rotates eye down & out

Pons

Pons — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function
respiratory center
trigemenal nerve (V)–facial skin, tongue, teeth, mastication
abducens nerve (VI) controls muscle that rotate eye outward
facial nerve (VII) controls muscles of expression
acoustic nerve (VIII) hearing & balance

Medulla oblongata

Medulla oblongata — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function
crossing of motor tracts
cardiac center
respiratory center
vasomotor (nerves that control muscles of walls of blood vessels)
cough, gag, swallow, & vomit
glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) (pharynx & tongue)
vagus (X) pharynx, larynx, heart, lungs & stomach
accessory nerve (XI) rotation of head and shoulder
hypoglossal (XII) intrinsic muscles of the tongue

Cerebellum

Cerebellum — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function Observed problems
coordination of voluntary movement loss of ability to coordinate fine movements
balance & equilibrium loss of ability to walk
some memory for reflex motor acts inability to reach out and grab objects
tremors
dizziness (vertigo)
slurred speech
inability to make rapid movements
nystagmus

Right hemisphere

Right hemisphere — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function
holistic processing of multi-sensory input
visual spatial skills
memory stored in auditory, visual, & spatial modes
remembering non-verbal material
color discrimination

Left hemisphere

Left hemisphere — Omaha, NE — Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes
Function
analytic & sequential thinking
language
mathematics
abstraction & reasoning
ability to name objects & their attributes
memory stored in language format

When you need a brain injury attorney, call the Law Office of Stephen L. Gerdes in Omaha, NE, at (402) 393-1435.