Brain Damage

2 Pages 448 Words

Brain damage can have many causes and effects, both physical and emotional. Depending upon the location and severity of the damage, it can range from slight, but noticeable changes in one’s personality to death. In the United States, the leading cause of brain injury is by stroke, or the cutoff of blood to a particular part of the brain, caused by vessel burst, blood clot or fat blocking an artery. Another form of brain damage can be attributed to various types of head injury. In most cases head injury can cause more damage considering the various ways a person is able to injure themselves or be injured. Impaired motor coordination and language ability are often the most obvious results, but the effects of head injuries can affect social behavior as well. The effects of head injury and stroke, though, never able to completely repaired can be lessened to an extent where it is almost no longer noticeable. The brain consists of billions of neurons which, if lost or damaged can never be replaced. However, these neurons if lost, can sprout new dendrites and reestablish the connections once lost with other neurons to assume the functions of the lost neurons. This ability to regain ability and reorganize is termed plasticity, and in some cases plasticity can be so effective some individuals who have had an entire half of the brain removed can lead a near-normal intellectual life. In some cases, though even the slightest types of brain damage are not as easily remedied.
In the case of my grandmother, the sweetest of ladies, it is noted that the brain damage she has, which wasn’t even attributed to by injury has not been so easily repaired. In her case, though, the injury is caused by the normal effects of aging which have decreased the blood flow to specific areas of her brain. She suffers from schizophrenia and depression and our family has a hard time caring for her considering the lack of financial assistance. My grandmo...