The Forebrain
The brain itself is divided into three basic units: the forebrain,
midbrain and hindbrain. The forebrain
consists primarily of the cerebrum and structures hidden beneath it. The cerebrum itself consists of pairs of
frontal lobes, parietal lobes, temporal lobes and occipital lobes. A midline section of the brain, showing the
left hemisphere, appears in the logo at the top of the home page. You can see that the cerebrum is shaped like
a boxing glove, the left brain looking like a right glove and vice versa.
The various parts of the brain also largely control different
functions. Injury to frontal lobes
affects executive skills of problem solving, abstract reasoning, insight,
judgment, planning, information processing, and organization. The parietal lobes are the primary sensory
areas of the brain, receiving information about temperature, taste, touch and
movement from the rest of the body.
Reading and arithmetic are also functions of the parietal lobes. The temporal lobes receive information from
the ears thus controlling our appreciation of music and sound. The temporal lobes are also crucial in
forming, retrieving and integrating memories and sensations of taste, sound,
sight and touch. The occipital lobes
process images from the eyes and link that information with images stored in
memory. The inner brain, lying deep
within the cerebrum, determines our emotional state and allows us to initiate
movements we make without thinking about them.
Source: Article by David L. Goldin, J.D. http://www.brain-injuries-law.com
Article describing brain injury from a legal point of view: http://www.sdbif.org/Guide/print-version.htm
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