What do frontal lobes do

Your brain produces five different types of brain waves that move at a different speeds. Gamma waves are the fastest brain waves.

Your brain tends to…. Your medulla oblongata plays an essential role in passing messages between your spinal cord and brain. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M. Your lobes include the: frontal lobe front section parietal lobe center section temporal lobe side section occipital lobe back section Your frontal lobes are located right behind your forehead and are responsible for many functions that are vital for performing your daily activities.

Interesting facts about your frontal lobe. What does your frontal lobe do? What can happen if your frontal lobe is damaged? What can cause damage to the frontal lobe? Rehabilitation and treatment. Treatment for frontal lobe damage is often varied, requiring ongoing care and continual re-evaluation of the treatment strategy. It may include speech and occupational therapists, doctors, psychotherapists, neurologists, imaging specialists, and other professionals.

Recovering from a frontal lobe injury is often a long process. Progress can come suddenly or infrequently and is impossible to fully predict. Recovery is closely tied to supportive care, regular cognitive challenges, and a lifestyle that supports good health.

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Can music help them to…. Stroke blocks the blood supply to the brain and can be life threatening. Learn more about strokes, including the types, symptoms, and how treat and…. New research investigates the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury on children, as well as the importance of family in aiding recovery.

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Learn about symptoms, stages, and…. What does the frontal lobe do? Medically reviewed by Seunggu Han, M. What is the frontal lobe? Functions of the frontal lobe Effects of damage to the frontal lobe Treatment for damage to the frontal lobe The frontal lobe of the brain is vital to our consciousness, as well as functions that appear uniquely human, such as spoken language. This idea is supported by the famous case study of Phineas Gage, whose personality changed after losing a part of his prefrontal cortex after an iron rod impaled his head.

The frontal cortex has also shown to be activated when an experience becomes conscious. Different ideas and perceptions are bound together in this region, both of which are necessary for conscious experience.

Cognitive disorders that have shown to be linked to this region are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD , Autism, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.

The prefrontal cortex can be further divided into the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. The motor cortex is critical for initiating motor movements, as well as coordinating motor movements, hence why it is called the motor cortex. Each area of the motor cortex corresponds precisely with specific body parts. For instance, there is an area which controls the left and the right foot.

The premotor cortex is associated with planning and executing motor movements. Within this area, voluntary movement is rehearsed, distinguishing these movements from unconscious reactions.

The premotor cortex has also shown to be important for imitation learning through the use of mirror neurons. These neurons essentially allow us to reflect the body language, facial expressions, and emotions of others. Furthermore, the prefrontal cortex can support cognitive functions of a social kind, such as showing empathy. As being able to imitate social language and being empathetic as considered to be lacking in those with Autism, it could be suggested that they may have differences in their motor cortices or within their mirror neuron function.

This region is associated with the production of speech and written language, as well as with the processing and comprehension of language. The name is taken from the French scientist Paul Broca, whose work with language-impaired patients led him to conclude that we speak with our left brains.

As the frontal lobes are situated at the front of the brain and are large in size, this makes them more susceptible to damage. This area is the most common for traumatic brain injuries, with damage to this region causing a variety of symptoms. Below is a list of symptoms that may occur if an individual has experienced damage within their frontal lobe:. One of the most famous case studies associated with frontal lobe damage is the case of Phineas Gage. He was a railway construction worker who suffered an unfortunate accident when a metal rod impaled his brain in the frontal region.

Gage survived this accident but was said to have experienced some personality changes because of the trauma. After his accident, he was described as being child-like in his intellectual capacities and had a loss of social inhibition behaving in ways which were considered socially inappropriate.

This case study implies that the frontal lobes are essential to our personalities, intelligence, and social skills. Strokes can also damage the frontal lobe. When blood flow to the frontal lobe is interrupted, it causes a loss of function in that part of the brain. This can also happen as a result of bleeding in the brain. Vascular dementia can happen after multiple small strokes. This is the most common cause of frontal lobe impairment. Vascular dementia has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative disorders of the brain.

Other conditions may cause damage or injury to the frontal lobe, including:. Healthcare providers can diagnose frontal lobe strokes and infections with diagnostic scans. An MRI creates a two or three dimensional image of the brain using a magnetic field and radio waves. A CT scan creates a 3D image from multiple X-rays. Some causes, like dementia or a traumatic brain injury, may appear on a scan as atrophy, or brain tissue loss. The scan may also show nothing. MRI and CT scans are both effective tools for diagnosing vascular dementia.

A complete neuropsychological evaluation or a concussion test can help a healthcare provider assess damage to the frontal lobe. These tests look at:. Strategies for treating frontal lobe damage are different depending on the cause. For example, an infection can be treated with antibiotics.

Brain tumors can be surgically removed or treated with chemotherapy or radiation. There is currently no cure for degenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and dementia.

Medication and lifestyle changes can help improve symptoms. Motor weakness caused by frontal lobe damage can be treated with rehabilitation.

This involves strengthening and optimizing remaining motor skills. Rehabilitation can be difficult for cognitive and social problems caused by frontal lobe damage.

Therapy that helps patients regulate emotions and curb impulsive behavior can be helpful. The frontal lobe of the brain controls a number of important functions, including emotions, self-control, movement, language, and rational thought.

Frontal lobe damage may affect any of these functions. Frontal lobe damage can have many causes, including dementia and other degenerative brain diseases, stroke, infections, or brain tumors. Frontal lobe damage can sometimes be diagnosed with imaging scans.

In other cases, a neuropsychological evaluation may be necessary. Treatment for frontal lobe damage can include medication, surgery, rehabilitation, or therapy. Brain damage is a challenging condition. If you or a loved one has damage to the frontal lobe, it may be helpful to know that some recovery may be possible, depending on the cause.

Behavioral and cognitive problems can be stressful and interfere with healthy relationships. Understanding the symptoms can help you manage your expectations.