The frontal lobe is a key part of the brain that plays a crucial role in multiple, advanced cognitive functions including decision-making, problem-solving, memory, emotion, language, judgment, impulse control, social behaviors, and meta-cognition. In essence, one’s personality resides in the frontal lobes, and these lobes are linked to sensory and memory centers across the brain. The primary objective of the frontal lobes is to think things through, and to determine how to utilize information that is elsewhere in the brain.
Executive functioning refers to the tasks of the frontal lobe, such as impulse control, cognitive flexibility, and the ability to multi-task among others. From a developmental point of view, the frontal lobe continues to develop until the early 20’s. The higher-order thinking that occurs in the frontal lobes allows an individual to reason, make immediate and future plans, make choices, take action, and impact one’s environment. Therefore, if the frontal lobe is not fully functioning, then even an intelligent person cannot put that intellect to full use.
The frontal lobe also impacts social interactions, including the ability to access information regarding how to appropriately communicate and interact in social situations. Since the frontal lobe is responsible for empathic behavior, this allows an individual to understand the perspective of others. Thus, damage to this area of the brain can negatively impact the ability to read social cues and to understand how to behave and response appropriately.
The frontal lobe can be negatively impacted by trauma to the head, including concussions experienced while playing sports. Certainly, there are many benefits to participating in sports, including development of body awareness, balance, hand-eye coordination, increased strength and endurance, weight management, improved flexibility and range of motion, as well as stress relief, confidence building, and social interactions and teamwork.
In spite of all these benefits, it is also important to be mindful of how vulnerable the brain can be to injury. In recent years, the National Football League (NFL) has recognized the long-term effects of concussions on the brain, and this is reflected in the implementation of health and safety rule changes in order to protect their players and reduce the incidence of concussions on the field. For example, the helmet-hit rule was broadened to deter initiating contact by leading with the crown of the head and eliminating the blindside block to protect defenseless players from taking shots above their shoulders. Current meta-analysis research has discussed the presence of cognitive impairments that can occur following a concussion, including deficits in executive functioning and memory. Existing literature also suggests that trauma to the brain in conjunction with a pre-existing head injury can produce a fragile brain. Therefore, it is important to recover fully from one concussion before risking a subsequent one because prior head injury is associated with increased cognitive deficits, especially in the frontal lobe. Certainly, in considering the vital role of the frontal lobe, it is essential to take precautions to protect the brain in order to optimize one’s overall cognitive functioning.