A wide variety of symptoms can occur after a brain injury. Below is a list of possible symptoms, which can arise from damage to specific areas of the brain:
Frontal Lobe: Forehead
- Loss of simple movement of various body parts (Paralysis).
- Unability to plan a sequence of complex movements needed to complete multi-stepped tasks, such as making coffee.
- Loss of spontaneity in interacting with others.
- Loss of flexibility in thinking.
- Persistence of a single thought.
- Inability to focus on task.
- Mood changes.
- Changes in social behavior.
- Changes in personality.
- Difficulty with problem solving.
- Inability to express language.
Parietal Lobe: near the back and top of the head
- Inability to attend to more than one object at a time.
- Inability to name an object.
- Inability to locate the words for writing.
- Problems with reading.
- Difficulty with drawing objects.
- Difficulty in distinguishing left from right.
- Difficulty with doing mathematics.
- Lack of awareness of certain body parts and/or surrounding space 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
- Defects in vision.
- Difficulty with locating objects in environment.
- Difficulty with identifying colors.
- 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 object.
- Difficulties with reading and writing.
Temporal Lobes: side of head above ears
- Difficulty in recognizing faces.
- Difficulty in understanding spoken words.
- 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 and decreased interest in sexual behavior.
- Inability to categorize objects.
- Right lobe damage can cause persistent talking.
- Increased aggressive behavior.
Brain Stem: deep within the brain
- Decreased vital capacity in breathing, important for speech.
- Swallowing food and water.
- Difficulty with organization/perception of the environment.
- Problems with balance and movement.
- Dizziness and nausea.
- Sleeping difficulties.
Cerebellum: base of the skull
- Loss of ability to coordinate fine movements.
- Loss of ability to walk.
- Inability to reach out and grab objects.
- Tremors.
- Dizziness.
- Slurred Speech.
- Inability to make rapid movements.
If a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, call Cellino & Barnes now at 1-800-621-2020 or contact us.
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