Question

Pick one of the following brain areas: hypothalamus, thalamus, hippocampus, superior colliculi, prefrontal cortex, pineal gland. Then, describe what types of symptoms a person would show if that area is damaged due to stroke or injury. Be sure to be thorough in what you think the symptoms would be.A person is suffering from frequent seizures that start in the prefrontal cortex before going all through the brain. This is incapacitating to the person, and has been offered a treatment whereby the prefrontal cortex would be removed and therefore the seizures would stop. Is this an ethical procedure? Give the pros and cons to this procedure, and what you might do if this were happening to a friend of yours.

 

Answer 1

Answer: The hypothalamus is a small region of the brain. It's located at the base of the brain, near the pituitary gland. While it's very small, the hypothalamus plays a crucial role in many important functions, including: releasing hormones. regulating body temperature. Hypothalamic disease is a disorder presenting primarily in the hypothalamus, which may be caused by damage resulting from malnutrition, including anorexia and bulimia eating disorders, genetic disorders, radiation, surgery, head trauma, lesion, tumour or other physical injury to the hypothalamus.

Tumor symptoms may include headache or loss of vision. Hypothyroidism symptoms may include feeling cold all the time, constipation, fatigue, or weight gain, among others. Low adrenal function symptoms may include fatigue, weakness, poor appetite, weight loss, and lack of interest in activities.

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the cerebral cortex covering the front part of the frontal lobe. This brain region has been implicated in planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behaviour. It contributes in personality development.

If the prefrontal cortex would be removed then it would causes a diminished capacity for social emotions but leaves logical reasoning intact.