| |
|
|
A simple way to understand the complex brain.
It helps to understand how the brain works if you think of the brain as a company. The company runs at peak efficiency when all the parts are working.
Up at the front of the company (frontal temporary lobes), are the vice presidents, and there are several of them. They make the plans for the company. They decide who is going to do what and when. As things get underway, they get feedback or information as to how well things are going and they judge if that looks good or not so good, and then they make further decisions - change that, keep this - and show appreciation and annoyance. SO UP AT THE FRONT YOU HAVE ORGANISATION, PLANNING, DECISION-MAKING, JUDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION.
In the middle (parietal association cortex), are the managers and each manager runs his own department. On the left side of the brain is the speech department (move the tongue and lips and throat muscles); a language department (find the words that you want, know what the words mean); and a motor department (move the right arm and right leg).
On the right side is another motor department (find your way around the building, know where you are when driving a car and right down to the basics like getting your arm through the sleeve and - of course - move the left arm and left leg). Also over there in the parietal cortex is a music department and a few other incidentals. SO THE RIGHT PARIETAL CORTEX IS THE PICTURE SIDE AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PARIETAL CORTEX IS THE TALKING SIDE.
Now, the managers in the parietal areas know what the plan is from the vice president up at the front of the company (frontal temporal lobes) and they make sure the plan gets carried out. In order to do this the vice presidents and the managers communicate frequently with each other sending messages back and forth.
At the bottom (limbic region, amygdale, and basal ganglia) are the workers. They don't know what the plan is from the vice presidents, but they know their job and they do the same job day in and day out. THINGS LIKE APPETITE CONTROL, NEED FOR WATER, STAYING ALERT AND AWARE OR GOING TO SLEEP, AND BASIC RESPONSES SUCH AS TURN ON THE TEARS, MAKE THE FACE RED, RUN AWAY OR STAY AND FIGHT, INCREASE THE HEART RATE.
Basically, in brain injury, some one gets tired. It can be a vice president, a manager or a worker depending on injury and where the injury located in the brain. You can also have some of the company members go on leave of absence. This occurs, for instance, when there is a temporary swelling or loss of blood supply that is returned, however, in a short time. The result of the injury is the reduction of the company's efficiently. Messages get sent but are not picked up. The vice presidents get annoyed, the managers get fatigued and the emotional workers get overwrought. Confusion reigns. One of the main purposes of rehabilitation is to find out who got fired and who is still on the job so that messages can be re-routed and the company can become gradually more efficient again.
|
|
|
|
