The Temporal Cortex :: Brain Neurology Essays

The Temporal Cortex The temporal cortex, also known as the temporal lobes, is the part of the verbal cortex in the left and right hemispheres of the brain lying inside the temples. In general the temporal lobes handle a wide variety of task that are essential to every day functioning. Patient him/herself The temporal lobes are readily recognizable brain structures with a thumb like appearance when viewed from the side. Their name reflects their location beneath the temporal bone on the side of the head. In some ways, the temporal lobes are more a convenient fiction than anatomical entities. They share borders with the occipital and parietal lobes, but the precise boundaries are not clearly defined by landmarks. A better definition of the anatomical limits of the temporal lobe would come from thalamic and intracortical projections and a functional analysis of the various subunits within the lobe. Because excision of the anterior temporal lobe is often used to help control medically intractable seizure disorders, much of our knowledge of the effects of damage to this area comes from studies of persons with epilepsy (Encyclopedia of the Human Brain). The functions of the temporal lobe are: auditory, ventral visual stream, processing of auditory input, visual object recognition and categorization, long term storage of sensory input, Amygdala (adds affective or emotional tone to sensory input and memories), and Hippocampus (cells code places in space and allow us to navigate space and remember where we are) (www.brain place.com/bp/brain system/temporal.asp). The temporal lobe is separated into two sides: dominate and non-dominate. The dominate side of the temporal lobe is usually the left side and is involved in the perception of words, processing language related to sounds, sequential analysis, increased blood flow during speech perception, processing details, intermediate term memory, long term memory, auditory learning, retrieval of words, complex memories, and visual and auditory processing. A patient who is experiencing dominant temporal lobe problems may be suffering from one or more of the following symptoms: decreased verbal memory (words, lists, stories), difficulty placing words or pictures into discreet categories, trouble understanding the context of words, aggression; internally or externally driven, dark or violent thoughts, sensitivity to slights, mild paranoia, word finding problems, auditory processing problems, reading difficulties, as well as emotional instability (www.brain place.com/bp/brain system/temporal.asp). The non-dominate side of the temporal lobe is usually the