Where is the frontal lobe? Symptoms indicating damage to the LD. What are shares?

Thinking, character, habits, and perception of events differ between men and women, and between people with a dominant right hemisphere of the brain and those with a more developed left hemisphere. Some diseases, abnormalities, injuries, factors that contribute to the activity of certain parts of the brain are relevant to a person’s life, whether he feels healthy and happy. How does increased activity in the temporal lobe of the brain affect a person’s state of mind?

Location

The superior lateral parts of the hemisphere belong to the parietal lobe. In front and from the side, the parietal lobe is limited by the frontal zone, from below - by the temporal zone, from the occipital part - by an imaginary line running from above from the parieto-occipital zone and reaching the lower edge of the hemisphere. The temporal lobe is located in the lower lateral parts of the brain and is emphasized by a pronounced lateral groove.

The anterior part represents a certain temporal pole. The lateral surface of the temporal lobe displays the superior and inferior lobes. The convolutions are located along the furrows. The superior temporal gyrus is located in the area between the lateral groove above and the superior temporal groove below.

On the verso layer of this area, located in the hidden part of the lateral sulcus, there are two or three gyri belonging to the temporal lobe. The inferior and superior temporal gyri are separated by the middle. In the lower lateral edge (temporal lobe of the brain) the inferior temporal gyrus is localized, which is limited by the groove of the same name at the top. The posterior part of this gyrus continues in the occipital zone.

Functions

The functions of the temporal lobe are connected with visual, auditory, taste perception, smell, analysis and synthesis of speech. Its main functional center is located in the upper lateral part of the temporal lobe. The auditory center, the gnostic center, and the speech center are localized here.

The temporal lobes take part in complex mental processes. One of their functions is processing visual information. The temporal lobe has several visual centers, convolutions, one of which is responsible for recognizing faces. The so-called Mayer's loop passes through this temporal lobe, damage to which can cost the loss of the upper part of vision.

The functions of the brain regions are used depending on the dominant hemisphere.

The temporal lobe of the dominant hemisphere of the brain is responsible for:

  • word recognition;
  • operates with long-term and medium-term memory;
  • is responsible for assimilation of information while listening;
  • analysis of auditory information and partially visual images (in this case, perception combines the visible and audible into a single whole);
  • has a complex memory that combines the perception of touch, hearing and vision, while inside a person there is a synthesis of all signals and their correlation with the object;
  • responsible for balancing emotional manifestations.

The temporal lobe of the non-dominant hemisphere is responsible for:

  • facial expression recognition;
  • analyzes speech intonation;
  • regulates the perception of rhythm;
  • responsible for the perception of music;
  • promotes visual learning.

Left temporal lobe and its damage

The left lobe, usually the dominant lobe, is responsible for logical processes and contributes to understanding about language processing. She is assigned the role of controlling character, remembering words, and is associated with short-term and long-term memory.

If a disease or damage is localized in the temporal lobe of the brain of the dominant hemisphere, this is fraught with consequences such as:

  • self-aggression;
  • the development of melancholy, which manifests itself in endless pessimism, thoughts of meaninglessness and negativity;
  • paranoia;
  • difficulties in composing phrases during speech, choosing words;
  • difficulties in analyzing incoming sounds (inability to distinguish crackling from thunder, etc.);
  • reading problems;
  • emotional imbalance.

Activity rate

As you know, the temporal lobe is located at the level of the imaginary arch of glasses - that is, on a line below the level of the ears. The temporal lobes, combined with the activity of the limbic system, make life emotionally rich. Their unity allows us to talk about the emotional brain, which is known for passionate desires and sublime experiences. These experiences make us feel the peak of pleasure or leave us in deep despair.

Normally, with balanced activity of the temporal lobes and limbic system, a person has full self-awareness, relies on personal experience, experiences a variety of uniform emotions, is inclined to experience spiritual experience, and is aware of everything. Otherwise, all of the listed activities of the human brain will be disrupted, and, therefore, problems in communication and everyday life will not be avoided.

Damage to the non-dominant hemisphere

The peculiarity of the location of the temporal lobes is the reason why this part of the brain is so vulnerable.

Emotional intelligence makes life meaningful and colorful, but once it gets out of control, cruelty, pessimism and oppression emerge from the depths of consciousness, threatening us and others. Emotional intelligence is an essential element of the operating system of our Self. In psychiatry, illnesses associated with these areas of the brain are called temporal lobe epilepsy, but in addition, a disorder in the activity of these areas of the brain can explain many irrational manifestations of personality and, unfortunately, religious experience.

If the non-dominant hemisphere of the temporal lobe of the brain is damaged, emotional speech is perceived incorrectly, music is not recognized, the sense of rhythm is lost, and there is no memory for people’s facial expressions.

The explanation for the so-called extrasensory abilities may well lie in non-convulsive seizures when the functions of the temporal lobes of the brain are impaired.

Manifestations:

  • déjà vu - the feeling of having already seen something before;
  • perception of the unseen;
  • a state like transcendental or sleep;
  • inexplicable states of internal experiences that can be regarded as a merger with another consciousness;
  • states characterized as travel to the astral plane;
  • hypergraphia, which can manifest itself as an uncontrollable desire to write (usually meaningless texts);
  • recurring dreams;
  • problems with speech, when the ability to express thoughts disappears;
  • sudden influxes of depressive irritation with thoughts about the negativity of everything around.

Brain disorders

Unlike epileptic conditions, which are caused by dysfunction of the right temporal lobe of the brain, the feelings of an ordinary person manifest themselves systematically, and not in fits and starts.

As a result of voluntary subjects, it was revealed that forced activation of the temporal lobes of the brain is felt by a person as supernatural experiences, sensations of the presence of a non-existent object, angels, aliens, and a feeling of transition beyond the limits of life and approaching death was also recorded.

Awareness of a double or “other self” arises due to a mismatch between the hemispheres of the brain, according to experts. If emotional perception is stimulated, extraordinary, so-called spiritual experiences arise.

The passive temporal lobe hides intuition; it is activated when you have the feeling that someone you know is not feeling well, although you cannot see them.

Among patients suffering from an illness of the medial areas of the temporal lobe, there were cases of extreme emotionality, as a result of which highly ethical behavioral manifestations developed. The behavior of patients with hyperactive gyri of the temporal lobe was monitored by rapid and coherent speaking, and at the same time, a relative decrease in sexual activity was noticeable. Unlike other patients with a similar type of disease, these patients showed signs of depression and bouts of irritability, which contrasted with their friendly attitude towards themselves.

Prerequisites for increased activity

Various events can act as a stimulus to the temporal lobe region. Increased activity (temporal lobe convolutions) is possible due to events associated with an accident, lack of oxygen at high altitude, damage during surgery, a jump in sugar levels, prolonged insomnia, drugs, actual manifestations of the temporal lobe, an altered state of consciousness after meditation, ritual actions.

Limbic cortex

Deep in the lateral sulcus in the temporal lobe is the so-called limbic cortex, which resembles an insula. A circular groove separates it from adjacent nearby areas on the side. The anterior and posterior parts are visible on the surface of the island; localized in it The inner and lower parts of the hemispheres are combined into the limbic cortex, including the amygdala nucleus, olfactory tract, areas of the cortex

The limbic cortex is a single functional system, the properties of which consist not only in providing communication with the outside, but also in regulating the tone of the cortex, the activity of internal organs, and behavioral reactions. Another important role of the limbic system is the formation of motivation. Internal motivation includes instinctive and emotional components, regulation of sleep and activity.

Limbic system

The limbic system models the emotional impulse: negative or positive emotions are its derivatives. Thanks to its influence, a person has a certain emotional mood. If its activity is reduced, optimism and positive feelings prevail, and vice versa. The limbic system serves as an indicator for assessing current events.

These areas of the brain have a strong charge of negative or positive memories entered into the register of the limbic system. Their importance is that when looking at events through the prism of emotional memory, the ability to survive is stimulated, the resulting impulse stimulates action when it concerns starting a relationship with the opposite sex, or avoiding a dysfunctional boyfriend who is recorded in memory as having brought pain.

Negative or positive, it is created by the sum of emotional memories that affect stability in the present, views, and behavior. The deep structures of the limbic system are responsible for building social connections and personal relationships. Based on the results of the experiments, the damaged limbic system of rodents did not allow mothers to show tenderness to their offspring.

The limbic system functions like a mental switch, instantly activating emotions or rational thinking. When the limbic system is calm, the frontal cortex becomes dominant, and when it is dominant, emotions drive behavior. In people with depression, the limbic system is usually more active and the cerebral cortex is depressed.

Diseases

Many researchers have found a decrease in neuronal density in the large temporal lobes of patients who have been diagnosed with schizophrenic diseases. According to research results, the right temporal lobe was larger in size compared to the left. As the disease progresses, the temporal part of the brain decreases in volume. In this case, there is increased activity in the right temporal lobe and disruption of connections between neurons of the temporal and cephalic cortex.

This activity is observed in patients with auditory hallucinations who perceive their thoughts as third-party voices. It was noted that the stronger the hallucinations, the weaker the connection between the temporal lobe and the frontal cortex. In addition to visual and auditory abnormalities, disorders of thinking and speech are added. The superior temporal gyrus in people with schizophrenia is significantly smaller than in the same region of the brain in healthy people.

Prevention of hemispheric health

To prevent full perception, the brain needs training in the form of music, dancing, declaring poetry, and playing rhythmic melodies. Movement to the beat of music, singing to the playing of musical instruments improves and harmonizes the functions of the emotional part of the brain when the temporal lobe is activated.

A person is a complex organism, consisting of many organs united into a single network, the work of which is regulated precisely and impeccably. The main function of regulating the functioning of the body is performed by the central nervous system (CNS). This is a complex system, including several organs and peripheral nerve endings and receptors. The most important organ of this system is the brain - a complex computing center responsible for the proper functioning of the entire organism.

General information about the structure of the brain

They have been trying to study it for a long time, but for all this time scientists have not been able to accurately and unambiguously answer the question 100% of what it is and how this organ works. Many functions have been studied, for some there are only guesses.

Visually, it can be divided into three main parts: the cerebellum and the cerebral hemispheres. However, this division does not reflect the full versatility of the functioning of this organ. In more detail, these parts are divided into departments responsible for certain functions of the body.

Oblong section

The human central nervous system is an inextricable mechanism. A smooth transitional element from the spinal segment of the central nervous system is the medulla oblongata. Visually, it can be represented in the form of a truncated cone with the base at the top or a small onion head with thickenings diverging from it - connecting to the intermediate section.

There are three different functions of the department - sensory, reflex and conductive. Its tasks include controlling the basic protective (gag reflex, sneezing, coughing) and unconscious reflexes (heartbeat, breathing, blinking, salivation, secretion of gastric juice, swallowing, metabolism). In addition, the medulla oblongata is responsible for such senses as balance and coordination of movements.

Midbrain

The next department responsible for communication with the spinal cord is the middle one. But the main function of this department is to process nerve impulses and adjust the performance of the hearing aid and the human visual center. After processing the received information, this formation sends impulse signals to respond to stimuli: turning the head towards the sound, changing body position in case of danger. Additional functions include regulation of body temperature, muscle tone, and arousal.

The human midbrain is responsible for such an important ability of the body as sleep.

The middle section has a complex structure. There are 4 clusters of nerve cells - tubercles, two of which are responsible for visual perception, the other two for hearing. Nerve clusters are connected to each other and to other parts of the brain and spinal cord by the same nerve-conducting tissue, visually similar to legs. The total size of the segment does not exceed 2 cm in an adult.

Diencephalon

The department is even more complex in structure and functions. Anatomically, the diencephalon is divided into several parts: Pituitary gland. This is a small appendage of the brain that is responsible for the secretion of necessary hormones and regulation of the body's endocrine system.

Conventionally divided into several parts, each of which performs its own function:

  • The adenohypophysis is a regulator of peripheral endocrine glands.
  • The neurohypophysis is connected to the hypothalamus and accumulates the hormones it produces.

Hypothalamus

A small area of ​​the brain whose most important function is to control heart rate and blood pressure in blood vessels. Additionally, the hypothalamus is responsible for some of the emotional manifestations by producing the necessary hormones to suppress stressful situations. Another important function is the control of hunger, satiety and thirst. To top it off, the hypothalamus is the center of sexual activity and pleasure.

Epithalamus

The main task of this department is to regulate the daily biological rhythm. With the help of produced hormones, it influences the duration of sleep at night and normal wakefulness during the day. It is the epithalamus that adapts our body to the conditions of “daylight” and divides people into “night owls” and “larks”. Another task of the epithalamus is to regulate the body’s metabolism.

Thalamus

This formation is very important for a correct understanding of the world around us. It is the thalamus that is responsible for processing and interpreting impulses coming from peripheral receptors. This information processing center brings together data from the visual nerves, hearing aid, temperature receptors of the body, olfactory receptors and pain points.

Posterior

Like previous sections, the hindbrain includes subsections. The main part is the cerebellum, the second is the pons, which is a small cushion of nerve tissue that connects the cerebellum with other parts and the blood vessels that supply the brain.

Cerebellum

In its shape, the cerebellum resembles the cerebral hemispheres; it consists of two parts, connected by a “worm” - a complex of conducting nervous tissue. The main hemispheres consist of nerve cell nuclei, or “gray matter,” folded together to increase surface area and volume. This part is located in the occipital part of the skull and completely occupies its entire posterior fossa.

The main function of this department is the coordination of motor functions. However, the cerebellum does not initiate movements of the arms or legs - it only controls accuracy and clarity, the order of movements, motor skills and posture.

The second important task is the regulation of cognitive functions. These include: attention, understanding, awareness of language, regulation of the feeling of fear, sense of time, awareness of the nature of pleasure.

Large hemispheres of the brain

The bulk and volume of the brain is located in the terminal section or cerebral hemispheres. There are two hemispheres: the left - mostly responsible for analytical thinking and speech functions of the body, and the right - whose main task is abstract thinking and all processes associated with creativity and interaction with the outside world.

Structure of the telencephalon

The cerebral hemispheres are the main “processing unit” of the central nervous system. Despite their different “specializations,” these segments complement each other.

The cerebral hemispheres are a complex system of interaction between the nuclei of nerve cells and nerve-conducting tissues connecting the main areas of the brain. The upper surface, called the cortex, consists of a huge number of nerve cells. It is called gray matter. In the light of general evolutionary development, the cortex is the youngest and most developed formation of the central nervous system and has reached its highest development in humans. It is she who is responsible for the formation of higher neuropsychic functions and complex forms of human behavior. To increase the usable area, the surface of the hemispheres is assembled into folds or convolutions. The inner surface of the cerebral hemispheres consists of white matter - processes of nerve cells responsible for conducting nerve impulses and communicating with the rest of the segments of the central nervous system.

In turn, each of the hemispheres is conventionally divided into 4 parts or lobes: occipital, parietal, temporal and frontal.

Occipital lobes

The main function of this conditional part is the processing of neural signals coming from the visual centers. It is here that the usual concepts of color, volume and other three-dimensional properties of a visible object are formed from light stimuli.

Parietal lobes

This segment is responsible for the occurrence of pain and processing signals from the body's thermal receptors. This is where their common work ends.

The parietal lobe of the left hemisphere is responsible for structuring information packages, allowing you to operate with logical operators, count and read. Also, this area forms awareness of the holistic structure of the human body, determination of the right and left parts, coordination of individual movements into a single whole.

The right one is engaged in generalizing information flows that are generated by the occipital lobes and the left parietal lobe. In this area, a general three-dimensional picture of the perception of the environment, spatial position and orientation, and calculation of perspective are formed.

Temporal lobes

This segment can be compared to a computer’s “hard drive” – a long-term storage of information. This is where all the memories and knowledge of a person collected over a lifetime are stored. The right temporal lobe is responsible for visual memory - image memory. Left - all concepts and descriptions of individual objects are stored here, interpretation and comparison of images, their names and characteristics takes place.

As for speech recognition, both temporal lobes are involved in this procedure. However, their functions are different. If the left lobe is called upon to recognize the semantic load of the words heard, then the right lobe interprets the intonation coloring and compares it with the speaker’s facial expressions. Another function of this part of the brain is the perception and decoding of neural impulses coming from the olfactory receptors of the nose.

Frontal lobes

This part is responsible for such properties of our consciousness as critical self-esteem, adequacy of behavior, awareness of the degree of meaninglessness of actions, and mood. General human behavior also depends on the proper functioning of the frontal lobes of the brain; violations lead to inappropriate and antisocial behavior. The process of learning, mastering skills, and acquiring conditioned reflexes depends on the proper functioning of this part of the brain. This also applies to the degree of activity and curiosity of a person, his initiative and awareness of decisions.

To systematize the functions of the GM, they are presented in the table:

Brain department Functions
Medulla Control of basic protective reflexes.

Control of unconscious reflexes.

Control of balance and coordination of movements.

Midbrain Processing of nerve impulses, visual and auditory centers, response to them.

Regulation of body temperature, muscle tone, arousal, sleep.

Diencephalon

Hypothalamus

Epithalamus

Secretion of hormones and regulation of the body's endocrine system.

Awareness of the surrounding world, processing and interpretation of impulses coming from peripheral receptors.

Processing information from peripheral receptors

Monitoring heart rate and blood pressure. Hormone production. Monitoring the state of hunger, thirst, satiety.

Regulation of the daily biological rhythm, regulation of the body's metabolism.

hindbrain

Cerebellum

Coordination of motor functions.

Regulation of cognitive functions: attention, understanding, awareness of language, regulation of the feeling of fear, sense of time, awareness of the nature of pleasure.

Large hemispheres of the brain

Occipital lobes

Parietal lobes

Temporal lobes

Frontal lobes.

Processing of neural signals coming from the eyes.

Interpretation of pain and heat sensations, responsibility for the ability to read and write, logical and analytical thinking ability.

Long-term storage of information. Interpretation and comparison of information, recognition of speech and facial expressions, decoding of neural impulses coming from olfactory receptors.

Critical self-esteem, adequacy of behavior, mood. The process of learning, mastering skills, acquiring conditioned reflexes.

Interaction of brain parts

In addition to the fact that each part of the brain has its own tasks, the holistic structure determines consciousness, character, temperament and other psychological characteristics of behavior. The formation of certain types is determined by varying degrees of influence and activity of one or another segment of the brain.

The first psychotype or choleric. The formation of this type of temperament occurs under the dominant influence of the frontal lobes of the cortex and one of the subsections of the diencephalon - the hypothalamus. The first generates determination and desire, the second section reinforces these emotions with the necessary hormones.

The characteristic interaction of the departments that determines the second type of temperament - sanguine - is the joint work of the hypothalamus and hippocampus (the lower part of the temporal lobes). The main function of the hippocampus is to maintain short-term memory and convert acquired knowledge into long-term memory. The result of such interaction is an open, inquisitive and interested type of human behavior.

Melancholic people are the third type of temperamental behavior. This variant is formed due to increased interaction between the hippocampus and another formation of the cerebral hemispheres - the amygdala. At the same time, the activity of the cortex and hypothalamus is reduced. The amygdala takes on the entire “blow” of exciting signals. But since the perception of the main areas of the brain is inhibited, the reaction to excitement is low, which in turn affects behavior.

In turn, by forming strong connections, the frontal lobe is able to set an active pattern of behavior. When the cortex of this area interacts with the tonsils, the central nervous system generates only highly significant impulses, while ignoring unimportant events. All this leads to the formation of a Phlegmatic model of behavior - a strong, purposeful person with an awareness of priority goals.

Scientists distinguish three main parts of the human brain: the hindbrain, the midbrain and the forebrain. All three are clearly visible already in a four-week embryo in the form of “brain bubbles.” Historically, the hindbrain and midbrain are considered more ancient. They are responsible for vital internal functions of the body: maintaining blood flow, breathing. The forebrain is responsible for human forms of communication with the outside world (thinking, memory, speech), which will interest us primarily in the light of the problems discussed in this book.

To understand why each disease affects the patient's behavior differently, you need to know the basic principles of brain organization.

  1. The first principle is division of functions by hemispheres - lateralization. The brain is physically divided into two hemispheres: left and right. Despite their external similarity and active interaction provided by a large number of special fibers, functional asymmetry in the functioning of the brain can be seen quite clearly. Copes with some functions better right hemisphere (for most people it is responsible for imaginative and creative work), and with others left (associated with abstract thinking, symbolic activity and rationality).
  2. The second principle is also related to the distribution of functions across different areas of the brain. Although this organ works as a single whole and many higher human functions are ensured by the coordinated work of different parts, the “division of labor” between the lobes of the cerebral cortex can be seen quite clearly.

In the cerebral cortex it is possible to distinguish four lobes: occipital, parietal, temporal and frontal. In accordance with the first principle - the principle of lateralization - each lobe has its own pair.

The frontal lobes can be called the command post of the brain. Here are centers that are not so much responsible for a separate action, but rather provide such qualities as independence and initiative of a person, his ability for critical self-evaluation. Damage to the frontal lobes causes carelessness, meaningless aspirations, fickleness and a tendency to make inappropriate jokes. With the loss of motivation due to atrophy of the frontal lobes, a person becomes passive, loses interest in what is happening, and remains in bed for hours. Often others mistake this behavior for laziness, not suspecting that changes in behavior are a direct consequence of the death of nerve cells in this area of ​​the cerebral cortex

According to modern science, Alzheimer's disease, one of the most common causes of dementia, is caused by the formation of protein deposits around (and inside) neurons, which prevent these neurons from communicating with other cells and lead to their death. Since scientists have not found effective ways to prevent the formation of protein plaques, the main method of drug control against Alzheimer's disease remains the impact on the work of mediators that ensure communication between neurons. In particular, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors affect acetylcholine, and memantine drugs affect glutamate. Others mistake this behavior for laziness, not suspecting that changes in behavior are a direct consequence of the death of nerve cells in this area of ​​the cerebral cortex.

An important function of the frontal lobes is control and behavior management. It is from this part of the brain that the command comes, preventing the performance of socially undesirable actions (for example, the grasping reflex or unseemly behavior towards others). When this zone is affected in dementia patients, it is as if their internal limiter is turned off, which previously prevented them from expressing obscenities and using obscene words.

The frontal lobes are responsible for arbitrary actions, for their organization and planning, as well as mastering skills. It is thanks to them that gradually work that initially seemed complex and difficult to complete becomes automatic and does not require much effort. If the frontal lobes are damaged, a person is doomed to do his work every time as if for the first time: for example, his ability to cook, go to the store, etc. falls apart. Another variant of disorders associated with the frontal lobes is the patient’s “fixation” on the action being performed, or perseveration. Perseveration can manifest itself both in speech (repetition of the same word or whole phrase) and in other actions (for example, aimlessly moving objects from place to place).

The dominant (usually left) frontal lobe has many areas responsible for different aspects of speech person, his attention and abstract thinking.

Let us finally note the participation of the frontal lobes in maintaining an upright body position. When they are affected, the patient develops a shallow mincing gait and a bent posture.

The temporal lobes in the upper regions process auditory sensations, turning them into sound images. Since hearing is the channel through which speech sounds are transmitted to humans, the temporal lobes (especially the dominant left) play a critical role in facilitating speech communication. It is in this part of the brain that the recognition and filling with meaning words addressed to a person, as well as the selection of language units to express their own meanings. The non-dominant lobe (right in right-handed people) is involved in recognizing intonation patterns and facial expressions.

The anterior and medial portions of the temporal lobes are associated with the sense of smell. Today it has been proven that the appearance of problems with the sense of smell in an elderly patient may be a signal of developing, but not yet identified, Alzheimer's disease.

A small, seahorse-shaped area on the inner surface of the temporal lobes (the hippocampus) controls human long-term memory. It is the temporal lobes that store our memories. The dominant (usually left) temporal lobe deals with verbal memory and object names, the non-dominant is used for visual memory.

Simultaneous damage to both temporal lobes leads to serenity, loss of visual recognition and hypersexuality.

The functions performed by the parietal lobes differ for the dominant and non-dominant sides.

The dominant side (usually the left) is responsible for the ability to understand the structure of the whole through the correlation of its parts (their order, structure) and for our the ability to put parts together into a whole. This applies to a variety of things. For example, to read you need to be able to put letters into words and words into phrases. Same with numbers and figures. The same share allows you to master a sequence of related movements necessary to achieve a certain result (a disorder of this function is called apraxia). For example, the inability to dress independently, often noted in patients with Alzheimer's disease, is not caused by impaired coordination, but by forgetting the movements necessary to achieve a specific goal.

The dominant side is also responsible for feeling of your body: for distinguishing its right and left parts, for knowledge of the relationship of a separate part to the whole.

The non-dominant side (usually the right) is the center that, by combining information coming from the occipital lobes, provides three-dimensional perception of the surrounding world. Violation of this area of ​​the cortex leads to visual agnosia - the inability to recognize objects, faces, or the surrounding landscape. Because visual information is processed in the brain separately from information coming from other senses, the patient in some cases has the opportunity to compensate for problems in visual recognition. For example, a patient who does not recognize a loved one by sight can recognize him by his voice during a conversation. This side is also involved in the spatial orientation of the individual: the dominant parietal lobe is responsible for the internal space of the body, and the non-dominant one is responsible for recognizing objects in external space and for determining the distance to these objects and between them.

Both parietal lobes are involved in the perception of heat, cold and pain.

The occipital lobes are responsible for processing of visual information. In fact, everything that we see, we do not see with our eyes, which only record the irritation of the light acting on them and translate it into electrical impulses. We “see” with the occipital lobes, which interpret signals from the eyes. Knowing this, it is necessary to distinguish between weakened visual acuity in an elderly person and problems associated with his ability to perceive objects. Visual acuity (the ability to see small objects) depends on the work of the eyes, perception is a product of the work of the occipital and parietal lobes of the brain. Information about color, shape, and motion is processed separately in the occipital lobe of the cortex before being received in the parietal lobe to be converted into a three-dimensional representation. When communicating with dementia patients, it is important to take into account that their failure to recognize surrounding objects may be caused by the inability of normal signal processing in the brain and has nothing to do with visual acuity.

Concluding a short story about the brain, it is necessary to say a few words about its blood supply, since problems in its vascular system are one of the most common (and in Russia, perhaps the most common) causes of dementia.

For neurons to function normally, they need constant energy supply, which they receive thanks to three arteries supplying blood to the brain: two internal carotid arteries and the basilar artery. They connect to each other and form an arterial (Willisian) circle, which allows you to nourish all parts of the brain. When, for some reason (for example, a stroke), the blood supply to certain parts of the brain is weakened or completely stopped, neurons die and dementia develops.

Often in science fiction novels (and in popular science publications) the work of the brain is compared to the work of a computer. This is not true for many reasons. Firstly, unlike a man-made machine, the brain was formed as a result of a natural process of self-organization and does not require any external program. Hence the radical differences in the principles of its operation from the functioning of an inorganic and non-autonomous device with an embedded program. Secondly (and for our problem this is very important), the various fragments of the nervous system are not connected in a rigid way, like computer blocks and cables stretched between them. The connection between cells is incomparably more subtle, dynamic, responding to many different factors. This is the power of our brain, allowing it to sensitively respond to the slightest failures in the system and compensate for them. And this is also its weakness, since not a single one of these failures goes away without a trace, and over time their combination reduces the potential of the system, its ability to perform compensatory processes. Then changes begin in a person’s condition (and then in his behavior), which scientists call cognitive disorders and which over time lead to a disease such as.

Scientists consider the frontal cortex as a set of formations that, from an early age, exhibit pronounced individuality in their anatomical structure. Among these formations there are those that are new, “ human” fields that develop later in life. These include field 46.

Field 46 is a “human field”, because it is an evolutionary neoplasm that differentiates late. Field 46 is the last to mature and reaches 630% of its original size. Because this field is inhibitory, you can notice that children do not control their movements and grab everything that is not lying well. This behavior is typical of monkeys.

General

It is impossible to specifically develop the frontal lobes of the brain in children. There is a misconception in society that physical activity promotes increased blood circulation in the brain, thereby developing all areas of the brain. Physical activity fills the motor centers of the brain, while the rest of the brain ‘ resting‘, because When performing different tasks, the brain uses specific centers, rather than the entire brain.

Based on the above, in order to determine exercises for the development of the frontal lobes, we need to find out what functions the frontal lobes are responsible for, with which we can develop the frontal lobes.

The frontal lobe, like others, consists of and substances.

Location

The frontal lobe is located in the anterior parts of the hemispheres. The frontal lobe is separated from the parietal lobe by the central sulcus, and from the temporal lobe by the lateral sulcus. Anatomically it consists of four convolutions - vertical and three horizontal. The convolutions are separated by grooves. The frontal lobe makes up one third of the mass of the cortex.

Assigned functions

Evolutionarily, it so happened that the active development of the frontal lobes is not associated with mental and intellectual activity. The frontal lobes arose in humans through evolution. The more a person could share food within his community, the more likely the community could survive. In women, the frontal lobes arose for the specific purpose of sharing food. The men got this area as a gift. Without those assigned tasks that lie on the shoulders of women, men began to use the frontal lobes in a variety of ways (thinking, building, etc.) to demonstrate Dominance.

Essentially, the frontal lobes are brake centers. Also, many people ask what the left or right frontal lobe of the brain is responsible for. The question is not posed correctly, because... in the left and right frontal lobes there are corresponding fields that are responsible for specific functions. Roughly speaking, the frontal lobes are responsible for:

  • thinking
  • coordination of movements
  • conscious control of behavior
  • memory and speech centers
  • display of emotions

What fields are included?

Fields and subfields are responsible for specific functions that are generalized under the frontal lobes. Because The polymorphism of the brain is enormous; the combination of the sizes of different fields makes up a person’s individuality. Why do they say that over time a person changes. Throughout life, neurons die, and the remaining ones form new connections. This introduces an imbalance in the quantitative ratio of connections between different fields that are responsible for different functions.

Not only do different people have different margin sizes, but some people may not have these margins at all. Polymorphism was identified by Soviet researchers S.A. Sarkisov, I.N. Filimonov, Yu.G. Shevchenko. They showed that the individual ways in which the cerebral cortex is structured within one ethnic group are so great that no common features can be seen.

  • Field 8 is located in the posterior parts of the middle and superior frontal gyri. Has a center for voluntary eye movements
  • Area 9 – dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
  • Area 10 – Anterior Prefrontal Cortex
  • Field 11 – olfactory area
  • Area 12 – control of the basal ganglia
  • Field 32 – Receptor area of ​​emotional experiences
  • Area 44 – Broca's Center (processing information about the location of the body relative to other bodies)
  • Field 45 – music and motor center
  • Field 46 – motor analyzer of head and eye rotation
  • Field 47 – nuclear zone of singing, speech motor component
    • Subfield 47.1
    • Subfield 47.2
    • Subfield 47.3
    • Subfield 47.4
    • Subfield 47.5

Symptoms of the lesion

Symptoms of the lesion are revealed in such a way that the selected functions are no longer adequately performed. The main thing is not to confuse some symptoms with laziness or imposed thoughts on this matter, although this is part of frontal lobe diseases.

  • Uncontrollable grasping reflexes (Schuster reflex)
  • Uncontrolled grasping reflexes when the skin of the hand is irritated at the base of the fingers (Yanishevsky-Bekhterev Reflex)
  • Extension of the toes due to irritation of the skin of the foot (Hermann's sign)
  • Maintaining an awkward arm position (Barre's sign)
  • Constantly rubbing your nose (Duff's sign)
  • Speech Impairment
  • Loss of motivation
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Memory impairment

The following injuries and illnesses may cause these symptoms:

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Frontotemporal dementia
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Strokes
  • Oncological diseases

With such diseases and symptoms, a person may not be recognizable. A person may lose motivation, and his sense of defining personal boundaries becomes blurred. Impulsive behavior associated with the satisfaction of biological needs is possible. Because disruption of the frontal lobes (inhibitory) opens the boundaries to biological behavior controlled by the limbic system.

Answers to popular questions

  • Where is the speech center in the brain?
    • Located in Broca's center, namely in the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus
  • Where is the memory center in the brain?
    • Memory can be different (auditory, visual, gustatory, etc.). Depending on which center processes certain sensors, information from this sensor is stored in those centers
FRONTAL LOBE OF THE BRAIN

The premotor sections of the cerebral cortex are part of the third, main block of the brain, which provides programming, regulation and control of human activity.

As is known, the frontal lobes of the brain, and in particular their tertiary formations (which include the prefrontal cortex), are the most recently formed part of the cerebral hemispheres.

It is known that for the occurrence of any mental processes a certain tone of the cortex is necessary and that the level of this tone depends on the task at hand and on the degree of automation of the activity. The regulation of activity states constitutes the most important function of the frontal lobes of the brain.

As mentioned above, the state of active anticipation of a signal is accompanied by the appearance in the frontal regions of the brain of slow bioelectrical activity, which Gray Walter called the “wave of anticipation” (see Fig. 36). Intellectual activity also leads to a significant increase in the number of synchronously operating excited points in the frontal regions of the brain (see Fig. 37).

It is natural to expect that in a pathological state of the frontal cortex, the mechanisms of emergency activation mediated by speech should be disrupted.

The frontal lobes of the brain, which play such a significant role in regulating the optimal tone of the cortex, are the apparatus that ensures the formation of persistent intentions that determine the conscious behavior of a person. Even with the most superficial observation of the general behavior of patients with massive lesions of the frontal lobes of the brain, a violation of their plans and intentions becomes obvious.