Doreen McGettigan

Articles

Temporal Lobe Damage

For the month of April I am participating in the annual A-Z Blogging Challenge. The Challenge was started by author/blogger, Arlee Byrd. http://tossingitout.blogspot.com

Each day of the month (except Sundays) we will post something based on that days correlating letter. Some of us chose a theme and others are winging it. My theme is the A-to-Z’s of Mental Health, Raising Awareness. It is a topic that is very close to my heart. I hope you find the posts interesting and you will comment and share the posts everywhere. To see a list of all of the participants or for more information-click on the badge over there to the right>

Todays Letter is T

Temporal Lobe Damage

The temporal lobes are the parts of the brain that are involved in the retention of memories, sensory input, understanding language, storing new memories, emotion and understanding. They are located behind the ears.

There are several disorders that can cause damage to this part of the brain. Picks Disease, epilepsy and Lou Gehrig’s Disease can all damage the brains temporal lobes.

The number one cause of damage to temporal lobes is Traumatic Brain Injury.

Strokes, lesions, tumors, dementia and in rare cases Multiple Sclerosis may also cause damage.

Symptoms:

The major symptoms of Temporal Lobe Damage have to do with memory, language and behavior. Some of the behavior changes could be irritability and possibly aggressive or violent behavior. These behavior changes can sometimes be mistaken for some sort of psychosis. Before any mental health diagnosis is made a thorough physical exam should be conducted and tests performed to rule out any physical causes for the symptoms.

* Problems with vision and perception

*Problems with hearing and processing what is heard

*Organizing thoughts

*Understanding language

*Long term memory problems

*Changes in Behavior and Personality

Diagnosis:

There is no lab test to determine Temporal Lobe damage. A neuropsychologist, a psychiatrist and a speech therapist will work together to make an accurate diagnosis. An MRI will be able to determine the location and extent of any lobe damage, locate any lesions or tumors and any evidence of a stroke. A social worker will act as the liaison between the doctors, the patient and the family.

Treatment:

Treatment will include medication to control symptoms. A anti seizure medication, an anti psychotic and/or an anti- depressant are possibilities. Physical, occupational and speech therapies will also be prescribed depending on the extent of the damage.

Recovery depends on the patient and the extent of the damage. Many factors will determine the outcome. Every patient and every injury is different. Age may be a factor in recovery. Children seem to do well using other areas of their brains to compensate for the damage. In most cases great patience is needed by the patient and the patient’s family as the recovery process can be quite long.

The number one cause of temporal lobe damage is brain injury. The leading cause of injury is collisions involving motor vehicles, bicycles and recreational vehicles. Injuries from firearms are the leading cause of brain-injury death. Falls are the leading cause of brain injury in the elderly. Sports also account for a large number of cases.

Most of these injuries could be prevented if we would take a few precautions, take our time and use common sense.

*Always wear a seatbelt and insist your passengers do the same.

*Do not drive or drive with someone is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or prescription medications that may alter their judgment.

*Use appropriate protective gear when riding bikes, using recreational equipment or participating in sports. My little granddaughter Adriana played her first T’ball game today. Doesn’t she look adorable in her helmet?