Brain injuries can have a transformative effect on an individual’s behavior and world perception, as well as on their motor functions. People can entail various impairments, which can significantly reduce the quality of their life. Since it is essential to research the issue, this paper is focused on exploring the effects of injuries to the Amygdala, Hippocampus, Brocas area, and Cranial Nerve VIII.
The amygdala is the part of the brain responsible for the storage of emotional and long-term memory. Therefore, damage to this area leads to various memory dysfunctions (“Amygdala,” n.d.). It may also affect a person’s ability to access and produce emotions (“Amygdala,” n.d.). The amygdala also plays an essential role in evaluating danger. Research shows that the amygdala lesion can lead to increased fearlessness (Lilienfeld et al., 2018). As a result, an individual’s social relationships may suffer significantly.
Hippocampus is the brain structure mainly responsible for memory formation. Therefore, damage to this part of the brain may lead to amnesia and disturbances in creating and maintaining long-term memories (“Hippocampus,” n.d.). Other symptoms include some forms of agnosia (inability to recognize objects) and spatial disorientation (“Hippocampus,” n.d.). These factors can hinder a person’s ability to study or perform their professional and routine duties.
Broca’s area is associated with speech – it controls articulating ideas both in oral and written form. Hence, a pathology in this area affects a person’s ability to spontaneously express their thoughts (“Speech & Language,” n.d.). Writing, speaking, and even understanding others may take lots of effort largely disturbing one’s abilities to communicate. Therefore, it can badly complicate and worsen the routine social and personal life.
The last but not least brain area under discussion is Cranial Nerve VIII which provides the brain with accurate information on the body’s position and movements. The symptoms of CN VIII damage include such problems as hearing impairment, vertigo, and tinnitus (Bordoni et al., 2020). Short-term or even long-term hearing loss or dizziness, which are usual resulting complications, can seriously affect an individual’s quality of life.
In conclusion, it is essential to note that each area has its unique functions, impairments of which can lead to various negative consequences. They can entail amnesia or difficulties in memory formation and disrupt an individual’s abilities to accurately access risks or others’ emotions. Moreover, brain injuries may lead to damage to motor functions. As a result, a person’s professional and personal life may suffer significantly.
References
Amygdala (n.d.). Brain Injury Explanation.
Bordoni, B., Mankowski, N.L. & Daly, D. T. (2020). Neuroanatomy, cranial nerve 8 (vestibulocochlear). In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
Hippocampus (n.d.). Brain Injury Explanation.
Lilienfeld, S. O., Sauvigné, K. C., Reber, J., Watts, A. L., Hamann, S., Smith, S. F., Patrick, C. J., Bowes, S. M., & Tranel, D. (2018). Potential effects of severe bilateral amygdala damage on psychopathic personality features: A case report. Personality Disorders, 9(2), 112–121. Web.
Speech & Language (n.d.) Weill Institute for Neurosciences.