Organic Brain Syndromes

The study of the brain over two millennia has resulted in an entire body of knowledge related to anatomy, physiology, and psychology. Much is now understood about the four lobe pairs, each of which has a primary neurotransmitter (biochemical) that initiates brain activity, a primary function associated with it, a dominant brainwave, and dominant psychological traits.

The frontal lobes, where dopamine provides energy, generate beta waves and control thought. The temporal lobes, where gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) provides calm, generate theta waves and control hearing. The parietal lobes, where acetylcholine provides brain speed, generate alpha waves and control memory. The occipital lobes, where serotonin provides restorative ability, generate delta waves and control sight. As for psychological temperaments, strategic thinkers would be dominated by their frontal lobes, traditionalists would be dominated by their temporal lobes, idealists would be dominated by their parietal lobes, and artisans would be dominated by their occipital lobes. The brain is very "plastic" by nature, with functions shared somewhat by all lobes. The cognitive functions of IQ, attention, and memory are subdivided into four types of each, related primarily to a specific lobe pair. So abstract, emotional, creative, and perceptual IQs are associated with the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, respectively, and consistency, commission, omission, and reaction time measures of attention can be similarly associated. When it comes to memory, primary function resides in the parietal lobes, where immediate, or short-term, memory supports three other types of memory--working, verbal, and visual-that are associated with the frontal, temporal, and occipital lobes, respectively.

Why is this important? The initial stages of memory decline manifest problems associated with immediate memory. Assessing this earlier, starting at age 40, affords an opportunity to intervene as soon as a deficiency becomes apparent, when better outcomes can be achieved.

Please refer to the neurology page for anatomical information.

Principle areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer's Disease

Profound cerebral atrophy is seen in Alzheimer's Disease

About amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.

Lewy Body Disease

Pick's Disease

Huntington's Disease

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

Vascular Dementia (atherosclerotic subcortical dementia)

ALZHEIMER/DEMENTIA RESEARCH

The Byrd Center

Johns Hopkins Alzheimer Research Center

Stanford School of Medicine