Temporal Lobe

1. Temporal Lobe – Can You Live Without It? The temporal lobe is one of the four lobes of the mammalian brain along with the frontal, parietal and occipital lobe. It is located on the sides of your cerebral cortex, below the parietal lobe, and it got its name because it is very close to the temples. Temporal lobe function is highly important to us, as the temporal lobe is responsible for some crucial processes of the human’s brain. Let’s find out more about what is its main function, what would’ve happened if the temporal lobe was damaged, and whether you can leave without a part of it or not. What Is The Temporal Lobe Definition? Before we explore the functionality of the temporal lobe, let’s first define precisely what the temporal lobe is.

2. The temporal lobe is one of the four lobes of the brain. It’s located just behind the frontal lobe and beneath the parietal lobe. This lobe gets its name from the Latin tempus, meaning time. This lends a hint as to what the temporal lobe is responsible for. What Is The Main Function Of The Temporal Lobe? There are several main temporal lobe functions: Memory Auditory processing Language processing Visual processing Emotion control      The primary auditory cortex is located in the temporal lobe. It receives audio stimuli directly from the ear and sends it further for in-depth processing. Furthermore, the temporal lobe is also responsible for differentiating various types of sounds, which enables us to appreciate music. For example, the same tone on a guitar and a piano don’t sound the same to us — all thanks to the temporal lobe. Wernicke’s area,part of the temporal lobe, is responsible for understanding speech and sounds. Moreover,the hippocampus and amygdala are also part of the temporal lobe. The hippocampus is responsible for memory processing. The amygdala is related to emotion, fear, and manages the fight- or-flight reflex.

3. What Would Happen If The Temporal Lobe Was Damaged? Since it has a variety of functions that play the major role in sensing and behavior, damage to the temporal lobe can be quite serious. The area of the lobe that’s damaged determines the resulting symptoms. Damage to the right temporal lobe can cause continuous talking, while damage to the left can cause a disturbance in word recognition. Alzheimer’s disease causes memory loss because it affects the hippocampus, part of the temporal lobe. Other possible outcomes of the temporal lobe damage are short-term memory loss, the inability to name and recognize objects, recognizing faces (prosopagnosia), and aggression. Damage to a specific part of the left temporal lobe can result in savant syndrome. Savant syndrome is a condition in which an individual demonstrates unusual abilities in a specific niche or subject area. This can include dealing with numbers, playing an instrument, heightened attention, or memory.

4. What Are The Symptoms Of The Temporal Lobe Damage? The main symptoms of the temporal lobe damage are related to visual and spatial memory, recognizing and categorizing words, hallucinations, and personality changes. Individuals with temporal lobe damage may have difficulty recalling faces or objects. Spatial memory loss can prove very problematic in situations where orientation is crucial, for example, while driving or walking. Long-term memory impairment can cause ‘holes’ in the person’s perception of him/herself causing them to behave strangely. In some cases, patients may forget things about themselves and become confused or aggressive. Temporal lobe hallucinationsare the most common form of hallucination, but they’re quite complex. Why? Because the temporal lobe deals with all the senses. This means these hallucinations are multi-sensory experiences.

5. Can You Live Without A Temporal Lobe? Yes, it’s possible to live without this lobe. There is a type of surgery called alobectomy in which a part of a person’s temporal lobe is removed. However, this should not be the first go-to solution, and usually isn’t. Doctors and patients opt for a lobectomy only when epileptic seizures are so severe that they are a big danger to the patient’s life. Recovery from this form of surgery is challenging for both the patient and the patient’s family. A person without part of their temporal lobe may suddenly stop recognizing their family, or display any of the other symptoms mentioned above. Thankfully, lobectomy surgeries are rare. Why? Because the brain has the capacity to heal itself. As Jim Kwik, Author of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Program explains: Through neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, we can grow older but we can actually grow better. We can grow new brain cells and new connections and do things that are extraordinary.