This allows a person to perform physical activities like walking and holding a pencil. In the next section, you will see how these functions can change after the frontal lobe sustains damage from a traumatic brain injury. Every brain injury is different, and therefore every survivor experiences different effects. Furthermore, the frontal lobe encompasses a large portion of the brain resulting in a wide variety of potential secondary effects that a brain injury survivor may experience.
An individual with damage to the frontal lobe may experience one or more of these secondary effects :. When an individual experiences a traumatic brain injury, one or both hemispheres may become damaged. Even if the trauma made impact on the left side, the right side can sustain damage as the brain rebounds from the initial impact.
This is known as a coup-contrecoup injury. Many of the secondary effects of frontal lobe damage depend upon which hemisphere sustained damage. For example, left neglect occurs when the right frontal lobe sustains damage; and language difficulties usually occur if the left frontal lobe sustains damage. Every brain injury is unique, and therefore every person will experience different secondary effects and recovery outcomes. Many regions of the brain work together to carry out a variety of functions.
As a result, many of the effects of frontal lobe damage can be recovered by utilizing neuroplasticity. The most effective way to promote neuroplasticity is to stimulate the brain through repetitive practice of affected functions. For example, an individual with aphasia may promote neuroplasticity by practicing language-related exercises to help encourage the brain to improve the function of language.
The brain likes to be efficient and understands when there is demand for a functions and adapts to make that function smoother.
Individuals can learn effective ways to stimulate the brain by participating in rehabilitative therapies that target the effects of their specific frontal lobe brain injury. This will allow frontal lobe brain injury survivors to promote neuroplasticity and regain as much function as possible. Treatment for frontal lobe damage focuses on identifying the functions that have been affected by the brain injury and practicing those functions. When this occurs, it can be challenging for frontal lobe brain injury survivors to participate in a rehabilitation program.
For this reason, cognitive rehabilitation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy may need to be prioritized so that the individual can find long-term motivation to pursue other therapies.
We will discuss these first. Cognitive rehabilitation involves practicing cognitive skills such as memory, critical thinking, and problem-solving. When individuals practice these functions, it helps rewire the brain and improve cognitive skills. They understand how to identify problem areas and target those functions with specific exercises. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps individuals better understand their negative thoughts and behaviors and suggests more effective ways of coping with them.
This can be especially helpful for frontal lobe brain injury survivors who struggle with personality changes, social interactions, and other cognitive deficits. After frontal lobe damage, individuals may experience weakness hemiparesis or paralysis hemiplegia on one side of their body. Generally, this loss of voluntary motor control in the body is caused by damage to the opposite side of the brain.
For example, damage to the left side of the frontal cortex may affect movements on the right side of the body. This may affect balance and walking ability. Physical therapy can help individuals address hemiparesis or hemiplegia through the practice of targeted exercises. Physical therapists will encourage individuals with frontal lobe damage to continuously practice using their affected side to promote neuroplasticity and strengthen those functions. Click here to download our free TBI Rehab Exercise ebook now link opens a pop up for uninterrupted reading.
Occupational therapy focuses on helping individuals become as functional as possible. Especially if you experience weakness or paralysis after frontal lobe damage, it may be difficult to perform everyday activities and care for yourself.
An occupational therapist will help you practice self-care tasks or teach you compensatory tactics to make up for limited motor control. Additionally, an occupational therapist can help suggest tips to help you go about your everyday life such as setting reminders on your phone, following a routine, and becoming familiar with potential complications that may arise as a result of your brain injury. Speech therapy can help individuals who experience language difficulties or cognitive deficits after frontal lobe injury.
Speech therapy can teach individuals with aphasia develop their vocabulary and speak in coherent sentences. Additionally, a speech therapist can help individuals with cognitive deficits such as memory problems, attention deficits, or poor planning skills practice activities to improve them. Treating the effects of frontal lobe damage can be challenging and take time, but with consistent practice, it is possible. The following section will address what to expect when living with someone with frontal lobe damage.
Our experts have collected everything in one place to help you learn more about your injury, locate doctors and treatment centers, find financial support, and get assistance navigating your next move. The brain is divided into several lobes, including the: Frontal; Parietal; Occipital; and Limbic lobes.
Recovery May Take a Long Time. Rehabilitation May Not Be Easy. You May Experience Unusual Impulses. Lots of Visits with Specialized Doctors. Get Support for Recovering from Frontal Lobe Damage If a loved one suffers a frontal lobe injury, you can expect a lot of things about them to be different.
Learn more about our team of authors including a brief biography that explains how they impact the SCI and TBI community. Spinal Cord Injury. Brain Injury. Finding Treatment. Legal Options. About Us. Learn More About SpinalCord. Contact Us. Copyright All Rights Reserved. Spinal Cord, Inc. Sponsored by Swope, Rodante P. Your frontal lobe controls a number of vital functions, including coordination, reasoning, brain processing, language interpretation, expression of emotions and elements of your personality.
As we noted above, not everyone will experience the same symptoms after a frontal lobe TBI injury. The key is for both the patient and their family to have patience. Full recovery can take weeks, months, years or may never occur, so you need to be patient and take pride in the progress being made.
It also may not be easy. For individuals with minor injuries, rest may be the best option, but for individuals with severe front lobe injuries, they may need to relearn a number of social skills. If you or someone you know has suffered a front lobe injury or another type of head injury, consider setting up an appointment with a neurologist.
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