Week 6: traumatic brain injury

Frontal lobes lecture

The brain:
 Thinking
 Feeling

Complex system
 Structure/function
 Neurotransmitters

Examples – not exhaustive

Neurotransmitters

Frontal lobes
 Particularly the prefrontal cortex
 Executive processes
o Decision making
o Planning
o Problem solving
 Attention
 Inhibition
 Social skills

Damage to prefrontal cortex can lead to an inability to inhabit inappropriate social

behaviours

Diminished regulatory capacity

 Aggression prone
 Diminished capacity to regulate emotional response
o Exaggerated
 o Prolonged

Frontal lobe injury

 8.5% general population/ up to 87% prison population
 Common finding in cases of aggression, personality change (post injury) and
assaultive behaviour
 Frontal lobe lesion commonly associated with violence

Amygdala and the limbic system

 Amygdala
o Processing emotions
o Links prefrontal cortex with limbic system
o Links the ‘higher’ cognitive processes with the ‘lower’ metabolic responses

If damaged
 Aggression
 Irritability
 Loss of emotional control
 Deficits in recognising emotions (particularly fear)

Traumatic brain injury

 Impacts in behaviour and personality
 Raises questions about criminal responsibility

Frontal lobe – commonly damaged in

TBI cases. Responsible for executive
Functioning.

Temporal lobe – also important when

Looking at behavioural and cognitive
Impacts of TBI.
Executive dysfunction is associated with many disorders, deficits, etc, including TBI, and
results in cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Apply the below functions to
explain how they might impact criminal (or violent) behaviour.