Essay on Neuroanatomy The frontal lobe is an executive area of ​​the brain that combines information from other brain systems into a meaningful plan of action. The frontal lobes help people anticipate behavior, make critical judgments, examine situations, and organize ideas. The frontal lobes are crucial for thinking because they help process information to make decisions about the future. The frontal lobes do not perform this process independently of other structures in the brain. It is through connection with other centers, such as sensory centers where information from the outside world is formed, memory centers where information is stored, and motor centers where the final decision to act is made. The frontal lobes allow individuals to reflect before responding to events, without this ability there is no way to plan for the future. Cognitive function associated with the frontal lobe Romine and Reynolds (2005) state that frontal lobe functioning plays a central and pervasive role in human cognition, serving to organize and coordinate brain functioning and assist individuals in goal-directed and self-regulated behavior. The frontal lobe develops through late adolescence and early adulthood, with the period of maximum development occurring between 6 and 8 years of age (Romine & Reynolds, 2005). The frontal lobe is actively involved in problem solving, organizing thoughts, planning behaviors, controlling selective attention and emotions, and shaping personality. Stuss (2011) suggests that there are at least four categories of frontal lobe functioning, (1) energization, (2) executive, (3) emotional/behavioral regulation, and (4) metacognition, each related to a different region within the lobes fronts. Damage to... middle of paper... immediately if the person experiences any of the following warning signs, (a) headache that gets worse and does not go away, (b) weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination, (c) vomiting or repeated nausea, or (d) slurred speech (CDC, 2003). In closing, it is important to note that the frontal lobes help you anticipate behavior, make critical judgments, monitor a situation, juggle ideas, and choose which idea is most likely to have implications for the future. Frontal lobe dysfunction can affect how we interact with and understand others. Playing sports is a common cause of frontal lobe injury, and prevention of this injury needs further research. In the case of Raphael, an academic and football scholarship winner, multiple concussions that injured his frontal lobe could lead to a change in his personality, skill level and overall well-being.