Frontal Lobe Brain Injury

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Introduction

In evolutionary terms the frontal cortex has been the most recent to evolve, and the frontal lobes are the area of brain which has developed greatly in humans, differentiating us from other mammals. These lobes integrate the other brain areas, and are particularly responsible for higher level thinking and cognitive skills such as planning, evaluating likely outcomes, multitasking, performing risk assessment and the niceties of social interaction; it is the area of brain which deals in abstract concepts.

Anatomy

The Frontal Lobes account for approximately one third of human brain mass.

Each frontal lobe (left and right) is generally considered to have 4 distinct divisions:

• Motor and premotor cortex
• Prefrontal cortex
• Orbital [AKA orbitofrontal) cortex
• Broca's Area

Function

Author Mesulam suggests that the frontal lobe is the part of the brain which modifies and imposes constraints on reflexive behaviours, and this control develops as the infant brain grows and the frontal lobes become larger and more active.

Pathology/Injury

It has been found that in traumatic brain injury contusions typically occur on the poles and the inferior aspects of the frontal lobes.

References

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