Re: Interesting brain facts

[Guest guest]

,

Is it possible that radiation therapy while young could contribute to PLS? I

had some type of radiation therapy in the early to mid 1950s before they stopped

it. I can't remember what it was for, but recall seeing a 60 Minute Show that

mentioned that everybody that had this radiation have their throat checked once

a year.

Thanks

Rick Pallas

4855 Lakeridge Drive

Apt 2B

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

rpallas@...

Interesting brain facts

Brain Functions and Map

español

P. Lehr Jr., Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine,

Southern Illinois University

In traumatic brain injury the brain may be injured in a specific

location or the injury may be diffused to many different parts of

the brain. It is this indefinite nature of brain injury that makes

treatment unique for each individual patient. In the past twenty

years, a great deal has been learned about brain function, and we

learn more everyday. We can make guesses about the nature of the

problems an individual may have from knowing the location of a

lesion. Diagnostic procedures such as CT scans and MRI's can also

provide information about a brain injury.

As rehabilitation specialists, however, we can also learn about an

injury by observing the day to day activities of the patient. All

the activities we perform each day, whether physical or mental, are

directed by different parts of our brains. It is important that you

become familiar with brain function to better understand how

therapies, created by rehabilitation professionals, help brain

injured patients. In order for you to better understand how the

rehabilitation process works we will guide you through the different

parts of the brain and indicate some of the functions and problems

resulting from injury.

The brain has many parts including the cerebral cortex, brain stem,

and cerebellum. By listing some of the functions of each part of the

brain, we will provide an overview of what problems occur after

injury to these parts. It is important to understand that the brain

functions as a whole by interrelating its component parts. The

injury may only disrupt a particular step of an activity that occurs

in a specific part of the brain. The interruption of that activity

at any particular step, or out of sequence, can reveal the problems

associated with the injury. Below is a list of functions and

deficits or problems revealed when injury occurs at particular

locations. The terms in parenthesis are the professional terms used

to describe the deficit. Please refer to the Brain Map for more

details and related references.

CEREBRAL CORTEX

Frontal Lobe: Most anterior, right under the forehead.

Functions:

How we know what we are doing within our environment

(Consciousness).

How we initiate activity in response to our environment.

Judgments we make about what occurs in our daily activities.

Controls our emotional response.

Controls our expressive language.

Assigns meaning to the words we choose.

Involves word associations.

Memory for habits and motor activities.

Observed Problems:

Loss of simple movement of various body parts (Paralysis).

Inability to plan a sequence of complex movements needed to complete

multi-stepped tasks, such as making coffee (Sequencing).

Loss of spontaneity in interacting with others.

Loss of flexibility in thinking.

Persistence of a single thought (Perseveration).

Inability to focus on task (Attending).

Mood changes (Emotionally Labile).

Changes in social behavior.

Changes in personality.

Difficulty with problem solving.

Inablility to express language (Broca's Aphasia).

Parietal Lobe: near the back and top of the head.

Functions:

Location for visual attention.

Location for touch perception.

Goal directed voluntary movements.

Manipulation of objects.

Integration of different senses that allows for understanding a

single concept.

Observed Problems:

Inability to attend to more than one object at a time.

Inability to name an object (Anomia).

Inability to locate the words for writing (Agraphia).

Problems with reading (ia).

Difficulty with drawing objects.

Difficulty in distinguishing left from right.

Difficulty with doing mathematics (Dyscalculia).

Lack of awareness of certain body parts and/or surrounding space

(Apraxia) that leads to difficulties in self-care.

Inability to focus visual attention.

Difficulties with eye and hand coordination.

Occipital Lobes: Most posterior, at the back of the head.

Functions:

Vision

Observed Problems:

Defects in vision (Visual Field Cuts).

Difficulty with locating objects in environment.

Difficulty with identifying colors (Color Agnosia).

Production of hallucinations

Visual illusions - inaccurately seeing objects.

Word blindness - inability to recognize words.

Difficulty in recognizing drawn objects.

Inability to recognize the movement of an object (Movement Agnosia).

Difficulties with reading and writing.

Temporal Lobes: Side of head above ears.

Functions:

Hearing ability

Memory aquisition

Some visual perceptions

Catagorization of objects.

Observed Problems:

Difficulty in recognizing faces (Prosopagnosia).

Difficulty in understanding spoken words (Wernicke's Aphasia).

Disturbance with selective attention to what we see and hear.

Difficulty with identification of, and verbalization about objects.

Short-term memory loss.

Interference with long-term memory

Increased or decreased interest in sexual behavior.

Inability to catagorize objects (Catagorization).

Right lobe damage can cause persistant talking.

Increased aggressive behavior.

BRAIN STEM

Deep in Brain, leads to spinal cord.

Functions:

Breathing

Heart Rate

Swallowing

Reflexes to seeing and hearing (Startle Response).

Controls sweating, blood pressure, digestion, temperature (Autonomic

Nervous System).

Affects level of alertness.

Ability to sleep.

Sense of balance (Vestibular Function).

Observed Problems:

Decreased vital capacity in breathing, important for speech.

Swallowing food and water (Dysphagia).

Difficulty with organization/perception of the environment.

Problems with balance and movement.

Dizziness and nausea (Vertigo).

Sleeping difficulties (Insomnia, sleep apnea).

CEREBELLUM

Located at the base of the skull.

Functions:

Coordination of voluntary movement

Balance and equilibrium

Some memory for reflex motor acts.

Observed Problems:

Loss of ability to coordinate fine movements.

Loss of ability to walk.

Inability to reach out and grab objects.

Tremors.

Dizziness (Vertigo).

Slurred Speech (Scanning Speech).

Inability to make rapid movements.

Obtaining a general understanding of the brain and its functions is

important to understanding the rehabilitation process. It is very

important, however, to understand that the rehabilitation

professional is concerned with the whole person. The identification

of individual problems gives the rehabilitation team areas in which

to focus treatment plans. All of these plans are designed to work

toward the rehabilitation of the whole person. Each problem area

affects other areas and many times resolving one problem has a major

impact on other problems. For example, reestablishing postural

balance and eliminating dizziness greatly enhances concentration and

attention which allows for improved cognition and problem solving.

Brain Injury Graphics and Animations

Visit our multi-media center for brain injury related high-

resolution, digital graphics and animations.

Go to: Multi-Media Center

Other article by Dr. Lehr: Emotional States in Brain Injury

[Guest guest]

Rick,

I don't know but it sure would be interesting to ask a specialist.

Maybe Dr. Fink could respond to this question?

> ,

>

> Is it possible that radiation therapy while young could contribute

to PLS? I had some type of radiation therapy in the early to mid

1950s before they stopped it. I can't remember what it was for, but

recall seeing a 60 Minute Show that mentioned that everybody that

had this radiation have their throat checked once a year.

>

> Thanks

>

> Rick Pallas

> 4855 Lakeridge Drive

> Apt 2B

> Ypsilanti, MI 48197

>

> rpallas@a...

>

> Interesting brain facts

>

>

> Brain Functions and Map

> español

>

> P. Lehr Jr., Ph.D.

> Professor Emeritus, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine,

> Southern Illinois University

>

> In traumatic brain injury the brain may be injured in a specific

> location or the injury may be diffused to many different parts

of

> the brain. It is this indefinite nature of brain injury that

makes

> treatment unique for each individual patient. In the past twenty

> years, a great deal has been learned about brain function, and

we

> learn more everyday. We can make guesses about the nature of the

> problems an individual may have from knowing the location of a

> lesion. Diagnostic procedures such as CT scans and MRI's can

also

> provide information about a brain injury.

>

> As rehabilitation specialists, however, we can also learn about

an

> injury by observing the day to day activities of the patient.

All

> the activities we perform each day, whether physical or mental,

are

> directed by different parts of our brains. It is important that

you

> become familiar with brain function to better understand how

> therapies, created by rehabilitation professionals, help brain

> injured patients. In order for you to better understand how the

> rehabilitation process works we will guide you through the

different

> parts of the brain and indicate some of the functions and

problems

> resulting from injury.

>

> The brain has many parts including the cerebral cortex, brain

stem,

> and cerebellum. By listing some of the functions of each part of

the

> brain, we will provide an overview of what problems occur after

> injury to these parts. It is important to understand that the

brain

> functions as a whole by interrelating its component parts. The

> injury may only disrupt a particular step of an activity that

occurs

> in a specific part of the brain. The interruption of that

activity

> at any particular step, or out of sequence, can reveal the

problems

> associated with the injury. Below is a list of functions and

> deficits or problems revealed when injury occurs at particular

> locations. The terms in parenthesis are the professional terms

used

> to describe the deficit. Please refer to the Brain Map for more

> details and related references.

>

>

>

> CEREBRAL CORTEX

>

> Frontal Lobe: Most anterior, right under the forehead.

>

> Functions:

>

> How we know what we are doing within our environment

> (Consciousness).

> How we initiate activity in response to our environment.

> Judgments we make about what occurs in our daily activities.

> Controls our emotional response.

> Controls our expressive language.

> Assigns meaning to the words we choose.

> Involves word associations.

> Memory for habits and motor activities.

> Observed Problems:

>

> Loss of simple movement of various body parts (Paralysis).

> Inability to plan a sequence of complex movements needed to

complete

> multi-stepped tasks, such as making coffee (Sequencing).

> Loss of spontaneity in interacting with others.

> Loss of flexibility in thinking.

> Persistence of a single thought (Perseveration).

> Inability to focus on task (Attending).

> Mood changes (Emotionally Labile).

> Changes in social behavior.

> Changes in personality.

> Difficulty with problem solving.

> Inablility to express language (Broca's Aphasia).

> Parietal Lobe: near the back and top of the head.

>

> Functions:

>

> Location for visual attention.

> Location for touch perception.

> Goal directed voluntary movements.

> Manipulation of objects.

> Integration of different senses that allows for understanding a

> single concept.

> Observed Problems:

>

> Inability to attend to more than one object at a time.

> Inability to name an object (Anomia).

> Inability to locate the words for writing (Agraphia).

> Problems with reading (ia).

> Difficulty with drawing objects.

> Difficulty in distinguishing left from right.

> Difficulty with doing mathematics (Dyscalculia).

> Lack of awareness of certain body parts and/or surrounding space

> (Apraxia) that leads to difficulties in self-care.

> Inability to focus visual attention.

> Difficulties with eye and hand coordination.

> Occipital Lobes: Most posterior, at the back of the head.

>

> Functions:

>

> Vision

> Observed Problems:

>

> Defects in vision (Visual Field Cuts).

> Difficulty with locating objects in environment.

> Difficulty with identifying colors (Color Agnosia).

> Production of hallucinations

> Visual illusions - inaccurately seeing objects.

> Word blindness - inability to recognize words.

> Difficulty in recognizing drawn objects.

> Inability to recognize the movement of an object (Movement

Agnosia).

> Difficulties with reading and writing.

> Temporal Lobes: Side of head above ears.

>

> Functions:

>

> Hearing ability

> Memory aquisition

> Some visual perceptions

> Catagorization of objects.

> Observed Problems:

>

> Difficulty in recognizing faces (Prosopagnosia).

> Difficulty in understanding spoken words (Wernicke's Aphasia).

> Disturbance with selective attention to what we see and hear.

> Difficulty with identification of, and verbalization about

objects.

> Short-term memory loss.

> Interference with long-term memory

> Increased or decreased interest in sexual behavior.

> Inability to catagorize objects (Catagorization).

> Right lobe damage can cause persistant talking.

> Increased aggressive behavior.

> BRAIN STEM

>

> Deep in Brain, leads to spinal cord.

>

> Functions:

>

> Breathing

> Heart Rate

> Swallowing

> Reflexes to seeing and hearing (Startle Response).

> Controls sweating, blood pressure, digestion, temperature

(Autonomic

> Nervous System).

> Affects level of alertness.

> Ability to sleep.

> Sense of balance (Vestibular Function).

> Observed Problems:

>

> Decreased vital capacity in breathing, important for speech.

> Swallowing food and water (Dysphagia).

> Difficulty with organization/perception of the environment.

> Problems with balance and movement.

> Dizziness and nausea (Vertigo).

> Sleeping difficulties (Insomnia, sleep apnea).

> CEREBELLUM

>

> Located at the base of the skull.

>

> Functions:

>

> Coordination of voluntary movement

> Balance and equilibrium

> Some memory for reflex motor acts.

> Observed Problems:

>

> Loss of ability to coordinate fine movements.

> Loss of ability to walk.

> Inability to reach out and grab objects.

> Tremors.

> Dizziness (Vertigo).

> Slurred Speech (Scanning Speech).

> Inability to make rapid movements.

> Obtaining a general understanding of the brain and its functions

is

> important to understanding the rehabilitation process. It is

very

> important, however, to understand that the rehabilitation

> professional is concerned with the whole person. The

identification

> of individual problems gives the rehabilitation team areas in

which

> to focus treatment plans. All of these plans are designed to

work

> toward the rehabilitation of the whole person. Each problem area

> affects other areas and many times resolving one problem has a

major

> impact on other problems. For example, reestablishing postural

> balance and eliminating dizziness greatly enhances concentration

and

> attention which allows for improved cognition and problem

solving.

>

> Brain Injury Graphics and Animations

>

> Visit our multi-media center for brain injury related high-

> resolution, digital graphics and animations.

>

> Go to: Multi-Media Center

>

> Other article by Dr. Lehr: Emotional States in Brain Injury

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

The radiation 60 Min referred to was to the thymus gland. Docs didn't know

what it did but saw it enlarged in kids who had frequent infections. The

guess was this was leading to a vulnerability to infection so it was

treated with rads to eliminate the thymus. Turned out that the thymus is

part of the immune system and it was protective and enlarged from working

so hard. The legacy has been thyroid cancer- often appearing in

adolescence. Lavon

At 03:24 PM 9/21/2004, you wrote:

>,

>

>Is it possible that radiation therapy while young could contribute to

>PLS? I had some type of radiation therapy in the early to mid 1950s

>before they stopped it. I can't remember what it was for, but recall

>seeing a 60 Minute Show that mentioned that everybody that had this

>radiation have their throat checked once a year.

>

>Thanks

>

>Rick Pallas

>4855 Lakeridge Drive

>Apt 2B

>Ypsilanti, MI 48197

>

>rpallas@...

[Guest guest]

Lavon,

Thanks much for letting me know what and why the radiation I had was. Did you

see the 60 Minutes show? Now, at least I can let Dr. Fink know more than

just radiation.

Rick Pallas

4855 Lakeridge Drive

Apt 2B

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

rpallas@...

Re: Interesting brain facts

The radiation 60 Min referred to was to the thymus gland. Docs didn't know

what it did but saw it enlarged in kids who had frequent infections. The

guess was this was leading to a vulnerability to infection so it was

treated with rads to eliminate the thymus. Turned out that the thymus is

part of the immune system and it was protective and enlarged from working

so hard. The legacy has been thyroid cancer- often appearing in

adolescence. Lavon

At 03:24 PM 9/21/2004, you wrote:

>,

>

>Is it possible that radiation therapy while young could contribute to

>PLS? I had some type of radiation therapy in the early to mid 1950s

>before they stopped it. I can't remember what it was for, but recall

>seeing a 60 Minute Show that mentioned that everybody that had this

>radiation have their throat checked once a year.

>

>Thanks

>

>Rick Pallas

>4855 Lakeridge Drive

>Apt 2B

>Ypsilanti, MI 48197

>

>rpallas@...