about the brain
Some interesting facts
What is a brain injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a blow to the head. Examples of this are road traffic incidents, sports injuries, work accidents, trips, slips, falls, flying objects and assault.
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is from a medical cause, such as a stroke, meningitis, hypoxia, brain tumour, brain bleeds, carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning and other issues.
What might happen?
Damage from a brain injury can result in physical, emotional, psychological and practical problems. Suddenly, a person’s whole life expectations may be different. Career prospects, relationships with family and friends, personal goals and ambitions may change in an instant.
A brain injury is not always obvious, but it may leave a person struggling to cope with everyday tasks. It can also change a person’s personality, behaviour pattern, ability to make decisions and motivation. The simple pleasures in life may be harder - going for a walk, reading a book, going out with friends, even just saying 'Hello'. These problems may not just affect the person with the brain injury but also the lives of their families and friends.
About the brain – facts
The largest part of the brain is known as the cerebral cortex and is shaped like a large, wrinkled walnut. It is divided into two halves and joined by a bridge in the middle. The two halves are known as the right and left cerebral hemispheres. It is known that the right side controls the left side of our body, and the left side controls the right side of our body. Damage only to the right side may affect movement in the left arm and leg or hearing in the left ear for example.
There is also evidence that for most people the left hemisphere contains the language centres involving speech, while the right hemisphere tends to control non-language, spatial skills such as drawing or musical ability. If a person received injuries only to the left side of the brain, by for example having a stroke, it is likely that speech would be affected, as would the ability to move the right side of the body. Strokes tend to affect a specific area, whereas a head injury due to a road traffic accident usually involves more general damage.
The Cerebral cortex
Apart from dividing into a left and right hemisphere, the cerebral cortex can be further divided into several areas known as lobes.
The frontal lobe is the area behind the forehead and is heavily involved in intellectual activities such as planning and organising, as well as being involved in personality and the control of emotions and behaviour.
Just behind and below the frontal lobe are the temporal lobes, nestled behind the ears. This area holds the bulk of memories, and the ability to understand things and speak.
At the back of the brain above the ears sit the parietal lobes, which have an important role to play in our ability to understand spatial relationships and to read and write.
Between the frontal and parietal lobes are areas which control movement and sensation.
At the very back of the head are the occipital lobes, which are responsible for sight. Injury to this area can cause complete or partial blindness.
Hidden in the middle of this walnut-like cerebral cortex are a number of small white nerve centres, collectively known as the diencephalon. In this area lies the small pea-sized hypothalamus, which controls appetite regulation, sexual arousal, thirst and temperature control, and some aspects of memory.
Close to this area is another important set of nuclei, referred to as the limbic system. Damage to this area can play havoc with emotions, leaving the individual with dramatic and sudden mood swings.
