ABSTRACT
Alex sustained damage to both frontal lobes during the surgery. The frontal lobes are responsible for planning, organisation, problem solving, selective attention, personality, behaviour and emotions. The anterior part of the frontal lobe, the prefrontal cortex, has an important role in higher cognitive functions and personality. The posterior area of the frontal lobe consists of pre-motor and motor areas. It controls the movement on the opposite side of the body, predominantly via the pre-central gyrus (Wilson, Dhamapurker & Rose, 2016). The lower region of the frontal lobe immediately in front of the pre-central gyrus controls the expression of speech. Damage to both frontal lobes may produce an alteration in personality, a loss of normal inhibitions and incontinence. Alex had many of these problems as can be seen from the various reports in Chapter 12. Indeed, she was diagnosed with Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) Syndrome, a syndrome associated with damage to the frontal lobes.
