Question

A 25-year-old man is brought to see you because of a change in personality following a boating accident. He fell off his boat and landed headfirst on the dock. He was previously friendly, happy, and high-functioning. Now his speech is pressured, and his mood is labile. He has been irresponsible at work and has been fired from his job. His memory is intact. Which one of the following brain areas did he damage?

A. Temporal lobe
B. Occipital lobe
C. Basal ganglia
D. Substantia nigra
E. Frontal lobe

Answer 1

The man with personality changes after a head injury likely sustained damage to his frontal lobe, similar to the case of Phineas Gage who had a prefrontal cortex injury.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 25-year-old man who has experienced a change in personality following a head injury likely damaged his frontal lobe. This area of the brain is crucial for executive functions such as judgment, impulse control, and social behavior, which are consistent with the symptoms described. The case of Phineas Gage is a classic example of how damage to the prefrontal cortex can lead to profound personality changes. Although Gage suffered physical trauma to the prefrontal cortex, resulting in drastic alterations in behavior and personality, he managed to adapt and find new employment, demonstrating the brain's remarkable ability to compensate after severe injury.