Linking Brain Injury Location to Gage’s Behavioral Changes
It is important to note that the location of the brain injury explains the changes that occurred with Phineas Gage. The reason is that the lobed part of the rod, which was in the frontal part of the brain, also damaged parts of the prefrontal cortex (Damasio 738). It is this cortex that is responsible for the formation of a person’s personality and character, which influences decision-making. Moreover, if it is damaged, a person’s behavior can shift, as in the case of Phineas Gage (Damasio 738).
Furthermore, the affected part of the brain controlled various cognitive and emotional processes. Accordingly, due to the loss of this function, Phineas Gage was a prudent businessman and a pleasant person to be around. After the trauma, significant changes occurred, not only in that Gage was unable to control his behavior but also in that he lost his emotional boundaries (Damasio 738). Thus, the fact that it became challenging for the man to control his emotions indicates a dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex caused by the trauma.
Alternative Explanations for Gage’s Interpersonal and Social Behavior
Meanwhile, an alternative explanation for the changes in Phineas Gage’s interpersonal and social behavior is the shock experienced during the accident. This means that the man was unable to overcome the effects of the trauma and the impression that he was conscious and could see his reflection in the mirror (Damasio 739). Therefore, the shock experienced by Phineas Gage could have caused stress, which affected brain activity and the changes that occurred in the man.
Moreover, anxiety and depression are reactions to trauma, and mood swings and unstable emotions are the body’s way of dealing with stressors. Furthermore, others could also change their attitudes toward Phineas Gage, which further made him feel inferior (Damasio 739). Consequently, the man’s interpersonal and social conduct changed utterly, and he engaged in a defensive reaction in the form of a negative attitude toward other people.
Work Cited
Damasio, Hanna. “Phineas Gage: The Brain and the Behavior.” Revue Neurologique, vol. 174, no.10, 2018, pp. 738-739. Web.