Introduction
The brain is the most important organ responsible for the body movement. Brain is the pinkish gray mass of tissue in humans and weighs about three and a half pound or1.5kg (Wickens, 2005). The adult brain has billions of neurons and about ten times more glial cells. It begins as an extension of the spinal cord called the brain stem (Wickens, 2005). Before examining the main regions of the brain it is necessary to understand its anatomy, but there are other ways of gaining the important insights into its structure. There are four important parts that play an important role for controlling the movement of the body these parts are Brain Stem, Cerebellum, Basal Ganglia, and the motor cortex. But the one that will attempt to explain in this paper is the brain stem.
The Brain Stem
The brain stem is the part that is located under the brain and is attached with the spinal cord. The brain stem is important for our reflexive motor functions, in order for us to breathe and for cardiovascular activities. Without the brain stem we would not be able to make eye movements or either postural adjustments. The brain stem is also responsible for storing complex patterns of reflexes that create behaviors such as mating and, aggression. Through animal studies researchers have proven that with brain severed the brain stem will be able to function but it cannot guide behavior. The brain stem contains tracts that run through the spinal cord and are responsible for different movements of the body. These tracts are:
· Vestibulospinal tract- This tract is responsible for keeping the balance of the head as our bodies move around.
· Tectospinal tract- This tract is responsible for producing reflexive neck movements to visual stimuli.
· Pontine reticulospinal and medullary reticulospinal tract- These two tracts work in unison to control the flexor and extensor muscles movements which help in keeping the body in an upright position. The brain stem has 12 cranial nerves that go from the brain to the brain stem alone without being in contact with the spinal cord. These nerves also control the movements of the eyes and facial nerves. (Wickens, 2005)
Behavioral or Functional Changes
Brain injuries have multiple causes in a brain stem injury in any one individual, such as disease, trauma, and in some instances shows up at birth. The degree to which the damage has occurred is a determining factor of rather there is optimism for recovery, or treatment options. When certain areas of the brain are compromised by injury, this impairs the function of what part of the brain controls or assists in coordination. Essential components such as senses, bodily control, personality, and intelligence, are effected when the location of the brain that controls these components are damaged (“Overview of traumatic brain injury“, 2009, para. 1).
The most common of brain injuries is typically by an accident resulting from the head hitting an object. However, there are other instances such as insufficient amount of oxygen, poisoning, or even infection that can cause comparable results. Mild brain injury can be identified by the following symptoms, a momentary loss of consciousness, absence of memory prior to or following injury, a shift in metal status at the time of accident, or central neurological deficits. In many mild brain injury cases, the individual may seem normal on the exterior, but internally suffer chronic functional issues. Other individuals may suffer long term consequences of a mild brain injury referred to as post concussion syndrome. These individuals suffer or experience difficulty with cognition as well as personality (“Overview of traumatic brain injury“, 2009, para. 2).
The brain stem, as its location is at the base of the brain, is determinate on basic arousal and regulatory functions. When this area of the brain has been compromised, attention, and short term memory are affected as well. Other symptoms such as disorientation, frustration, and anger are evident. In some instances the prevention of brain injury can enable one to prevent a long term life change of the above symptoms. Many brain injury cases where prevention is not applicable to an individual, becoming aware of the different means of developing this disorder can be useful (“Overview of traumatic brain injury“, 2009, para. 3).
Rationale for the predicted changes or deficit
Brain stem injuries can occur from loss of oxygen to the brain or an extreme head injury, in which the brain collides violently with the skull. When the brain stem is damaged serious complications can occur including behavioral, sensory processing difficulties, communication and cognitive. In severe cases brain stem injuries can be more devastating by causing the victims to be placed in a coma, vegetative states, stupors or even death. In other severe cases from extreme impact bleeding and swelling of the brain can cause brain stem damage.
On average 1.5 million people in America each year suffer from brain stem injuries (Wedekind & Lippert-Gruner, 2005). In other cases, 2 million individuals live with permanent brain damage that causes a form of disability from brain stem damage (Wedekind & Lippert-Gruner, 2005). Two different kind of damages can either be seen visual, where an individual can see the penetration to the head or a closed in brain trauma.
Based on the damage to the brain the injury can vary from mild to severe. A mild brain stem injury can cause a concussion, which is a change in the mental state causing one to lose consciousness, loss memory or focal neurological deficits from the accident (Wedekind & Lippert-Gruner, 2005). Moderate brain stem injuries can cause cognitive, behavior and psychical impairments that can last for several months from one being unconscious for several hours (Wedekind & Lippert-Gruner, 2005).
Severe brain stem injuries can cause major mental functioning problems such as; extended loss of consciousness, minimal alert state or vegetative state (Wedekind & Lippert-Gruner, 2005). In most cases brain stem injuries can occur from accidental acts from another person or intentional. The result of any kind of trauma to the brain hitting the skull violently can cause the brain stem to be unable to sort out all the billion of messages being sent back and forth to the brain that control what the brain and body needs. The brain stem serves as a secretary to the rest of the brain, which can be detrimental to one’s life if injured.
The Research of Treatments
The Symptoms
Speaking of brainstem, the most serious condition which we might have found is brainstem stroke. Stroke is a phenomenon which happens when arteries are having difficult time with its routine leading oxygen into the brain; whereas brainstem is functioning as the connection between the head and spinal cord; or else, the connection of human mind with the exits body. Therefore, brainstem stroke has number of affection such as hard to breath, dizzy, sleepless, etc. There is not many treatment or therapy available to help the patient fully recover. The most effective solution that people usually come to is therapy, but very limited. A group of Japanese researchers had proved that they can replace brain’s damage cell from stroke by using stem cell. Since transcranial magnetic stimulation – a method that using magnetic to activate/deactivate the damage area of the brain – were used to wake up patient who was in coma, other scientists had decided to reuse this method in other to treat brainstem as well.
Future research
If brain scan or neuropsychological examination could help people to prevent the illness, then scientists are constantly researching new methods by using computer technique to widen their field of treatment. One of those is computer simulation of the brain, a method which colorizes the brain model to help researchers to illustrate different parts of the brain better than what they currently have. Doctors or researcher would be able to illustrate the picture after the brain has been damage to be able to come up with treatments. Scientist’s original purpose when making this model was to encourage other scientists to provide further researches of brain disorder beside the brainstem.
The brain stem is one of the most important part of the brain that relays million of messages back and forth from the brain to the body. The brain stem controls involuntary muscles that keep one alive without an individual ever thinking about the action. Brain stem injuries can occur from accidental acts from another person or intentional. This can leave an individual in a vegetative state to even death. In mild cases, brain stem injuries can cause loss of memory, loss of consciousness and focal neurological deficits from the accident. Research to understand how brain stem injuries affect an individual can help future patients with future research. Doctors are now able to illustrate the picture after the brain has been damaged and be able to come up with treatments to help improve one’s life. An individual’s brain stem is like an secretary of a major corporation. It relays information that is important so that the rest of the brain can function properly.
References
Anonymous. What Is Stroke. June 10th, 09 http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030066
Anonymous. Brain Stem Stroke Treatment Recovery. June 2009.
Wedekind, C., & Lippert-Gruner, M. (2005). Long-term outcome in severe traumatic brain injury is significantly influenced by brainstem involvement. Brain Injury: [BI],19(9), 681-684. Retrieved from MEDLINE with Full Text database.
Wickens, A.P. (2005). Foundations of Biopsychology (2nd. Ed.) New York: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Overview of traumatic brain injury. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.neuroskills.com/tbi/injury.shtml
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