The brain is one organ of the body that science is still unraveling the mysteries of. Though more information is gained every year, there is still much about the human brain that we do not understand.
In particular, the field of studying traumatic brain injuries continues to discover crucial information about brain trauma.
How damage impacts behavior and emotion
Mayo Clinic discusses the impact of an injury on the brain and how it affects victims in numerous ways. Scientists over the years have focused on how damage to different areas of the brain has different effects.
For example, science has shown that the frontal lobe controls impulse and emotional regulation. Thus, damage to this area tends to result in a more impulsive personality and less control over temper. The victim may seem easier to agitate and could even lash out at others, even if this is very far out of character for them.
The processing and storage of memory
Other areas of the brain control how it processes and stores memories. When these parts of the brain end up damaged, short-term or even long-term memory can get interrupted and harmed, leading to memory loss and trouble forming new memories in the future.
Memory storage is one area of the brain that science is still studying. Many different areas of the brain are involved in the memory process. For example, the basal ganglia and cerebellum store implicit memories, such as those necessary for motor control.
Science still has a long way to go with studying the brain, but understanding even this much can help doctors aid brain trauma patients in their recovery process.