Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries Analysis

The largest portion of the human brain is the cerebrum. Also known as the cortex, the cerebrum is involved with higher brain functions like thought and action. The cerebral cortex has four lobes – the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and the occipital lobe (“Brain Structures and their Functions,” n.d.; “Frontal Lobe - The Brain Made Simple,” n.d.).
The frontal lobe performs executive functions. These functions include initiation, inhibition, purposive action, volition, planning, reasoning, problem solving, parts of speech, flexibility, self-monitoring and self-regulation. It is used in making decisions and thinking. The frontal lobes are needed to complete complex tasks, tasks requiring considerable attention, or to meet novel demands. The frontal lobe is involved with movement, regulating mood and emotions. In addition, it is where the personality is formed (“Brain Structures and their Functions,” n.d.; D'Ausilio, Craighero, & Fadiga, 2012; “Frontal Lobe - The Brain Made Simple,” n.d.; Stuss, 2011; Tsuchida & Fellows, 2013).
Mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs) are a growing cause of concern globally. Many wounded veterans from conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer the long term effects of a traumatic brain injury; however, a sport psychologist is most likely to come across people impacted by a sport-related concussion. Sport-related concussions are type mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Although often downplayed as an injury, with many concussed athletes actually returned to the field to finish out the game where they suffered the injury, the long term effects of multiple concussions are often devastating. New research highlighting these effects is of