Phineas Gage and the Role of the Brain in Cognitive...

Phineas Gage and the Role of the Brain in Cognitive Functioning BreAnne Warden PSY/360 December 5, 2011 Devlin Crose Phineas Gage and the Role of the Brain in Cognitive Functioning The brain plays a key role in cognitive functioning. Of the many areas in the brain, only certain areas have an impact on cognitive functioning. The case of a man named Phineas Gage showed key elements of specific areas in the brain that support certain cognitive functions. The traumatic brain injury that Phineas Gage suffered in 1848 has aided cognitive and neuropsychologists in making large strides in understanding the human mind. In the following work, the role of the brain in cognitive functioning will be examined and better explained. Examples†¦show more content†¦Phineas Gage worked as a blaster for the Rutland and Burlington Railroad project in 1848 (Grieve, 2010). While working for the railroad, one of Gage’s duties was using gunpowder and long iron rods to blast a hole into the rock so as to continue building the tracks (Grieve, 2010). In a seemingly careless action, a three foot tamping i ron was blown from the ground through Gage’s skull (Grieve, 2010). Instead of killing him, the tamping iron left a large hole all the way through the skull and brain of Phineas Gage (Grieve, 2010). It is clear that the injury sustained by Phineas Gage is no ordinary injury. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the injury that was sustained by Phineas Gage can be classified as a traumatic brain injury or a TBI. A traumatic brain injury can be defined as â€Å"an injury that occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain† (NINDS, 2011). Depending on the severity of the injury to the brain, the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can include headaches, confusion, vomiting, dizziness, instability of mood, fatigue, changes in behavior, and blurred vision amongst many other symptoms (NINDS, 2011). The traumatic brain injury that Phineas Gage suffered as a result of the tamping iron exploding from the ground caused obv ious immense damage to Gage’s brain (Grieve, 2010). A large portion of Gage’s brain was damaged when the tampingShow MoreRelatedPsy 360 Cognitive Functions and Phineas Gage994 Words   |  4 PagesCognitive Functions and Phineas Gage Sherrie Y. Saunders PSY 360 Evi Pover March 18, 2013 Cognitive Functions and Phineas Gage The discussion of this paper is the role of cognitive brain functions and Phineas Gage. The amazing story of Phineas Gage will be analyzed and the explanation of cognitive functioning in regard to his situation is very interesting and is also a major topic in this paper. 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