Frontal Lobes
The frontal lobes are considered our emotional control centre and home to our personality. There is no other part of the brain where lesions can cause such a wide variety of symptoms (Kolb & Wishaw, 1990). There are important asymmetrical differences in the frontal lobes. The left frontal lobe is involved in controlling language related movement, whereas the right frontal lobe plays a role in non-verbal abilities. Some researchers emphasize that this rule is not absolute and that with many people, both lobes are involved in nearly all behaviour.
Location
Most anterior, right behind the forehead
Functions:
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Voluntary movement
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How we know what we are doing within our environment (Consciousness).
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How we initiate activity in response to our environment.
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Makes judgements about what occurs in our daily activities.
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Controls our emotional response.
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Controls our expressive language.
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Assigns meaning to the words we choose.
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Involves word associations.
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Memory for habits and motor activities.
Observed Problems:
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Loss of simple movement of various body parts (Paralysis).
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Inability to plan a sequence of complex movements needed to complete multi-stepped tasks, such as making coffee (Sequencing).
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Loss of spontaneity in interacting with others.
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Loss of flexibility in thinking.
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Persistence of a single thought (Perseveration).
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Inability to focus on task (Attending).
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Mood changes (Emotionally Labile).
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Changes in social behaviour.
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Changes in personality.
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Difficulty with problem solving.
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Inability to express language (Broca's Aphasia).
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