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Some of these changes, such as low mood and anxiety, are more likely to be related to a person's feelings about having a stroke than to any harm to the brain. A genuine shift may occur, however, when the frontal lobes sustain damage. The frontal lobes play an essential role in regulating emotion, decision making and judgment. Strokes that affect the frontal lobes can lead to a range of problems, such as apathy or emotionalism (an overflow of emotion without necessarily feeling that emotion).
A stroke that hits the cerebellum can also trigger a personality shift. This brain region is vital to many aspects of executive function. Damage here can bring about disinhibition, which often manifests as inappropriate behavior. Other "negative" personality changes include poor decision making, aggression and irritability.
Positice personalioty changes are considered rather rare. Clinicians understandably tend to focus on the negative aspects of stroke and other brain diseases, but positive personality change is a reality for some patients and deserves further study
Category(s):Health / Illness / Medical Issues, Personality problems
Source material from Scientific American
