Head injury victims often manifest symptoms in unusual and unexpected ways, simply due to the mysterious nature of the brain and how it works.
However, some symptoms are more common or expected than others simply due to the location at which the injury occurs.
What the frontal lobe manages
According to Physiopedia, frontal lobe injuries have distinct manifestations. This area of the brain holds the prefrontal cortex, several different cortexes related to motor control, Broca’s Area and the frontal eye fields.
These parts of the brain together control several crucial functions of both the body and brain. This includes voluntary control over muscles, scanning movements of the eye, motor control of speech, abstract thinking, impulse control, executive function and more.
The manifestation of injuries
In accordance with these areas it controls, damage to the frontal lobe will often show its impact through muscle, memory and personality changes.
Regarding memory, many people struggle to retain new information and have trouble processing short-term memories into long-term ones. This can significantly interrupt a person’s life, and they may have to restructure the way they work and live to accommodate this memory loss.
Many of these victims will also experience a shift in personality especially related to their change in executive function and impulse control. In the aftermath of a head injury, many victims may display unusual aggression and seem easier to irritate than before. They may even lash out at their loved ones despite not having a history of doing this.
These impacts serve as a painful struggle not only for the victim, but their loved ones as well. Knowing what to expect can help everyone prepare for the road to recovery a little better.