The Role of the Brain in Cognitive Functions

 

700- to 1,050- word paper in which you explain the role of the brain in cognitive functions. As a part of your explanation, describe what Phineas Gage’s accident revealed about how brain areas support cognitive function

Introduction

            The human brain can be described as one of the most important structures in the human body due to its ability to multi-task on continues basis. The brain plays various roles in the human body, which include regulation of different body process such as respiration, body balance among others. However, one of the most important roles is the cognitive role. This is because the cognitive role of the brain helps to distinguish the human from other animal species. This cognitive ability is mainly carried out by the cerebrum part of the brain. Moreover, this cognitive function mainly relies on the neurotransmitter process to coordinate the various signals that are sent between different areas of the brains. The cognitive function of the brain entails the movement of the signal from the right to the left side of the brain. The cognitive function of the brain include the various mental process such as the being attentive, memory, understanding of different language, problem solving learning, decision making among other functions. Impairment of cognitive function of the brain leads to decline in body process such as the thinking reasoning, problem solving among other functions.

            The various activities of the brain are co-determined by several factors, which include genetic information, epigenetic influences, and various signal exchange with entire body and the external environment (Pereira & Furlan, 2007). In relation to this the brain activity is located between the intersections of two cycles the epigenetic cycle which involve circular flux of information which mainly compose of the genetic expression of protein made from the genes. The other cycle involve the functional cycle, which is a circular of the efferent and afferent processes. The transfer of the stimuli in the brain are carried by sequence neuronal pulses called the spike trains which in turn trigger the opening of the transmitter vesicle into the synaptic cleft. These transmitters bind to the post-synaptic neuron and therefore transmitting the signal to the next neuron.

            The cognitive impairment in the human brain has been associated with various things. First, this impairment has been used as an independent predicator of excess mortality. In a study carried out Sachs et al (2011) where they screened 3957 patient to determine whether the cognitive impairment is associated with increased rate of long term mortality. From their study they were able to establish that the 57.4% of all the patients had a cognitive impairment, among this group 68.1% had a mild impairment. In addition they were also able to establish that among the patient with cognitive impairment were also associated with high mortality levels. The human brain is also believed to utilize high levels of glucose this is because the cognitive process of the brain requires a lot of energy. In relation to this a study carried out by Messier et al (2011) indicated that the glucose regulation is associated with cognitive functioning of the brain in young non diabetic adult. In their study they were able to establish that hypoglycemia causes brain damage, which is associated with dementia. This impairment leads to abnormalities in thinking.

            Various brain inflammation traumas resulting from brain injury may also affect the cognitive function of the brain. According to the study carried out by Greewood et al (2011) where they investigated whether the inflammatory response to traumatic brain injury can affect the cognitive ability of the brain. In their study they used 11 patient who were associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In order to carry out this study they used the positron emission tomography ligand [C](R)PK11195 (PK) and the structural magnetic resonance imaging. From their study they were able to find out that the level of the PK was significantly increased in the thalami, putamen, occipital corticle and the posterior limb of the internal capsules after the TBI. High levels of the PK binding in the thalamus were associated with more severe cognitive impairment.

            In relation to the this it is therefore evident that the accident that Phineas Gage suffered affected his brain and hence interfering with cognitive function of the brain (Macmillan, &. Lena, 2010). Before this accident Phineas is belived to have lead a normal life where he had worked in Hudson River Railway Road (HRRR). After his accident his life dramatically changed. In this case the equilibrium balance between his intellectual faculties seemed to have been destroyed after the accident. Some people hold the view that alteration was permanent since it affected his cognitive part of the brain, which in turn led to his death 11 years after the accident.

Conclusion

            From the above it is evident that the cognitive function of the brain is one of the most important functions of the brain. This is because of all things it helps to distinguish the human being from other animals. Failure of the cognitive function of the brain is normally associated with disorders such as dementia. The impairment of the cognitive function of the brain can be due to hypoglycemia or brain damage. From the case of Phineas Gage it is evident that the brain damage he got from the accident permanently affected his cognitive functioning of his brain, which eventually led to his death.

 

References

Macmillan, M. &. Lena, M.( 2010) Rehabilitating Phineas Gage Neuropsychological Rehabilitation 20 (5), 641–658

Pereira,A. & Furlan , F (2007). Biomolecular Information, BrainActivity and Cognitive Functions ARBS Annual Review of Biomedical Sciences 9:12-29