Final answer:
Individuals with impaired awareness often show signs of memory loss before other functions are affected, which can indicate damage to specific areas of the cerebrum.
Step-by-step explanation:
When individuals with impaired awareness suffer from damage to the nervous system, the specific loss of function can be an indicator of where the damage has occurred. For neurological function impairment, memory loss is often one of the first cognitive abilities to be affected. This is because the mental status exam, which assesses cognitive health, includes subtests for memory functions, helping to determine the location of cerebrum damage. Conditions such as stroke, injury, and disease can lead to impaired memory distinctively before other functions, like motor function, sensation, or reflexes are noticeably affected.
Therefore, in the context of impaired awareness and cognitive function, individuals would first lose memory (C) rather than motor function, sensation, or reflexes.