What are some effects of lesions in the cerebral cortex?

The brain is divided into four main regions: the brainstem, the diencephalon, the cerebrum, and the cerebellum. The cerebrum comprises the majority of the brain and is composed of two cerebral hemispheres and four lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occcipital. Each lobe has a distinct function, so lesions in a particular lobe will have different effects.

For instance, because the frontal lobe is linked to both emotional and muscular movement, lesions in this area may cause hemiperesis, or weakness on one side of the body, as well as abnormalities in emotion.

Because the parietal lobe is involved in the evaluation of sensory information, parietal lobe lesions can result in abnormal perception of touch, pain, and temperature.

Because the temporal lobe is involved in memory, judgment, hearing, and thought processes, lesions to this area of the brain can result in hallucinations and hearing loss.

Because the occipital lobe is involved in the reception and interpretation of visual information, damage to this lobe may cause blindness.

Another common outcome of cerebral cortical lesions is facial deviation due to facial nerve paralysis. The most common type of lesion in the cerebral cortex is a stroke.

Some effects of lesions in the cerebral cortex include impairments in sensory perception, motor function, language processing, memory, attention, and executive function. These effects vary depending on the location and extent of the lesion within the cortex.