The Phineas Gage Accident - Essay Example

Cognitive functions in the brain come from the cerebrum part which consists of four sections namely the temporal lobe, occipital lobe, frontal lobe, and parietal lobe that involves processes like problem-solving, movements, speaking, learning, perception, and emotions among others.

Personality, a function of the left-hand side of the brain, is affected by damages on that side of the brain, and in the accident of Gage, the accident destroyed the left side of the brain, his personality, is reported to have changed where he became uncontrollable, unruly, he was controlling and even molested the children that he came across. A psychologist described the character of Phineas Gage as the differentiating ability to set aside his human intelligence and animal behavior was destroyed, he was fitful and indulged in profanities, which had not been his behavior before the accident.

He would not listen to advice from his peer or employers especially when it did not coincide with his desires that came first in his life. He devised many great ideas and ways for implementation and no sooner had he found a better idea, which to him seemed more practical and feasible than he abandoned all the other plans he had for the recent one. A person of his mental intelligence and potential, he had the animal passions of a strong and highly-willed man. Before the accident, although he did not attend any formal schooling, he was an intelligent and bright businessperson who was full of energy and persistent in all his activities such that his friends concluded that he was no longer Gage (Fleischman, 2010).

Further research on the lateralization of the brain, which is the theory that different functions of a human being are performed by different parts of the brain, showed that some functions might not be assigned to one part of the brain. For instance, initially, mathematical abilities were thought to be controlled by the left hemisphere however, recent studies show that the ability is better developed when both the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere of the brain work together. In the case of Phineas Gage, the almost full recovery after the accident that destroyed the left hemisphere of the brain goes to show that the functions of the brain are not specific to the different laterals as it was initially thought.

For instance, it was thought that the frontal lobe does not take part in the shaping of an individual personality however after the case of Phineas Gage it was proved that his personality is affected by the frontal lobe which was damaged by the accident.