Psychology Essays (UOP)

Psy/360 Phineas Gage Paper

Phineas Gage Paper

Samantha Craig

Psy/360

8/10/2015

Janel Fairchild

Introduction

The brain is one of the most interesting structures within the human body. The brain is intended to multi-task every day and is accountable for coordination the different cognitive functions. Even though there is a very limited amount of technology available for scientists and psychologist to study the human brain, they have been able to do experiments and various studies in order to find out which part of the brain is in control of which cognitive function. Along with which parts of the brain controlled emotions, thoughts, and even motor skills.

Cognitive Functions

Cognitive functions start in what is called the cerebrum of the brain. Many know this by the name of the cerebral cortex. When looking at the Cerebral cortex it is divided into four different areas. These areas are the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe and the temporal lobe. Each of these lobes controls an important function. The frontal lobe is in control of emotions and reasoning. The parietal lobe is language and sensations. The occipital lobe is in control of vision and perception. While the temporal lobe is thinking and memory.

Phineas Gage

Phineas Gage was a 25-year-old foreman who worked on railroad construction. His job had him and a crew blast rocks so that the way was clear for rail lines to be placed. However, on September 13, 1848, after the blasting powder was inserted into the drilled hole something went wrong. The hole was not covered, and iron rod flew through the air and penetrated Gage's cheek and exited the top of his head. During the time, he was transported to a place nearby and awaiting the doctor Gage remained conscious and told those who listened about what had happened in detail.

Dr. Williams was the first to see Phineas Gage and according him "Gage got up and vomited." (Grieve, 2010) He then went on to say that because the power behind the vomit he the pressure pushed out some of his brains. It was Dr. JM Harlow who treated Gage daily and recorded the condition and recovery in which he made. He also recorded what he did while mending Gage on the first visit. This included removing skull pieces, cleaning the wounds, closing the scalp while applying pressure by wrapping it. Phineas made a recovery with only a few setbacks such as an infection that caused a coma. The accident did leave him with the lack of vision in left eye. He was fully capable of continuing to work at his job, yet the fired him because he was no longer able to work well with others. Gage was able to live until May 21, 1860, due to epilepsy.

During that point of time, it the brain and its cognitive functions were very little known. After word got around about the impalement of Phineas Gage's skull, led many to believe that there was no relation between the frontal lobes that were damaged and daily abilities. The frontal lobes function is to help with decision making, judgment calls, behaviors and emotional memories. Dr. Harlow recorded that Gage showed signs of suffering from personality changes along with epilepsy. The accident of Phineas Gage has made a significant change in the field of psychology along with neuroscience. It showed that parts of the brain hemispheres and lobes controlled some aspect of the human body's actions, intelligence, memory, and behavior.

Conclusion

The brain is a mass organ that still to this day has functions and parts undiscovered to our knowledge. What is known is that the brain is broken into two different hemispheres and then separated into four segments known as lobes. These are called, the frontal, the temporal, the occipital and the parietal lobes. Each one has their assigned cognitive function and controls what an individual thinks, acts, and see's, along with the emotions, behaviors, and each personal memory and daily functions. Little was known about the brain until the iron rod accident that accord to Phineas Gage. When it propelled through his brain and "Although he survived the accident, his life was forever altered by the severe brain injury" (psychologydegree, 2015) Changes in his behavior and health helped highlight what cognitive functions the frontal lobes that were damaged controlled and help further psychology along with various other fields.

References

Grieve, A. w. (2010, July). Phineas P Gage - 'The man with the Iron bar'. Trauma, 12(3).

http://psychologydegreeguide.org/phineas-gage