A traumatic brain injury and brain stem damage can produce major changes in physical, cognitive, and psychological characteristics. Physical changes caused by brain damage may involve alterations in strength, endurance, balance, ambulation, coordination, and fine motor skills. Usual mental changes include errors in speech and conversation, recollection, understanding, and refining facts. There can also be alterations in the individual’s psychological behavior. People who have experienced brain stem injuries often have problems adjusting to the impairments resulting from the injury.

What Causes Brain Stem Damage?

There are several causes of a brain stem injury. The most common cause is an accident causing a hard blow to the head. These constitute the majority of traumatic brain injury cases. Insufficient oxygen, poisoning, or infections can also produce injuries to the brain that exhibit comparable characteristics. A mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) commonly causes any or all of the following: a short lapse of consciousness, memory loss from a point just before or after the injury, a variance in mental state, or focal neurological dysfunctions. An individual may appear normal after a mild brain injury, but can later develop persistent functional problems. Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) is an enduring condition caused by MTBI that inflicts a few individuals. PCS may produce major modifications in character and comprehension.

Traumatic brain injuries caused by a hard blow or hit to the head often result in extensive brain damage caused by the brain rebounding from the cranium. Neurons can also be sundered from each other, causing widespread damage to the nerve fibers. There can also be localized damaged caused by the blow to the brain. The frontal and temporal lobes and the brain stem are especially susceptible to damage because they are located close to bony outgrowths.

Effects of Damage to Brain Stem

The brain stem is situated at the foot of the brain. The brain stem controls basic regulatory and arousal activities and also affects short-term memory and attention. Brain stem damage can cause mood problems including feelings of being disorientated as well as irritability. The limbic system, a group of nerve structures below the cerebral cortex but above the brain stem, are concerned with emotional and motivation control.  As a result of damage to this particular area, people can kill brain cells.

The temporal lobes, large lobes of each cerebral hemisphere situated in front of the occipital lobe and attached to the limbic system, affect speech, recollection, and other mental skills. Temporal lobe injuries or seizures are connected to several behavioral disorders. The frontal lobe is especially prone to injury because of its large size and location at the front of the cranium. It is the epicenter controlling emotions and personality, as well as other cognitive functions. Impaired discrimination and heightened spontaneousness may be caused by injuries in this location.

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