2. Brain Disorder, Disease, Aging and Damage

After studying Gage, medical professionals began to study the effects of other types of brain injury and behaviour.  

The temporal lobe is known as the area for language, smell and hearing.  Damage to a specialized part of this lobe called Wernicke's area can cause difficulties in speech.  This area is connected to another language area called Broca's area.  Damage to these areas causes different types of language difficulties.  Damage is caused by either accidental physical injury or most often by stroke.  A stroke occurs when the blood supply is cut off to certain parts of the brain.

Broca's ephasia.  In this type, patients can understand spoken words but are unable to get words out properly.  This short documentary describes the recovery of an actor who had a stroke and was affected by brocca's aphasia.

In Wernicke's ephasis sufferers may ramble in long sentences and make words up.