The frontal lobes are located at the front of each cerebral hemisphere of the human brain. They are considered to be the emotional control center and are involved with a wide range of functions. Damage to the frontal lobes can cause many symptoms. There are exercises that may help to improve some functions after frontal lobe injury.
Functions
The frontal lobes are involved with language, memory, motor function, problem solving, judgment, impulse control as well as social and sexual behavior. The right frontal lobe is mainly involved with linguistic abilities, while the left deals with non-verbal functions. This area of the brain is also involved with the body's spatial orientation.
Injury
The human skull is only one quarter inch thick. Despite this, it extremely hard, and when the head receives a blow either to the front or back, the brain may jolt forwards or backwards, hitting the skull and damaging the soft tissue. This is one type of injury that can cause frontal lobe damage. Others include gun shot wounds, brain disease and stroke.
Damage
Because of their location at the forefront of the skull, the frontal lobes are vulnerable to injury. One of the most common effects of damage to the frontal lobes is difficulty using external cues to guide behavior. This can lead to impulsiveness, inability to follow rules and repeated or prolonged thoughts or actions. Frontal lobe injuries can also cause changes in motor functions, such as a reduction of spontaneous facial expressions and loss of fine movements of the fingers, hands and arms.
Exercises
Often, after a frontal lobe injury, the brain's ability to process environmental feedback and interpret and react to external events is impaired. A 2011 study by Brian Levine et al., from the Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, indicated that this group of problems, known as "executive functioning deficits," may in some cases be improved with exercises in goal management training. There are five steps to goal management training. They include focusing on a task, setting a goal, creating a list of steps toward the goal, remembering the steps and self-monitoring.
References
- Center for Neuro Skills: Frontal Lobes; 2011
- "Frontiers of Human Neuroscience." Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning in patients with Frontal Lobe Brain Damage With Goal Management Training; B. Levine et al; February 17, 2011
- University of Nebraska: Goal Management Training
- Brain and Spinal Cord: Frontal Lobe Injury; 2011
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