The importance and power of the frontal lobe in the decision-making process cannot be under- estimated. This is dramatically illustrated in the tragic story of Phineas Gage, a railroad foreman. Phineas was working with a tapping iron when the powder underneath exploded, launching the tapping iron through Phineas’ head. The iron entered first below his left cheek-bone and then exited through the top of his skull, landing 25 to 30 yards behind him.

Before the accident, Phineas was known for his high morals and exemplary record as a railroad foreman; after the accident, his moral decline was immediately evident. He became overly emotional and overtly angry. Phineas lost interest in spiritual things, constantly used profanity and lost respect for social norms and customs.

Dr. John Harlow, his physician, stated that the accident destroyed Phineas’ “equilibrium or balance, so to speak, between his intellectual faculty and his animal propensities.” Phineas’ traumatic frontal lobotomy cost him his personality, his moral standards, and his commitment to family, church and loved ones._17-19

As was stated earlier, the frontal lobe helps set humans apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. It is this gift that gives us the ability to choose. It is, in many ways, the power center. It is the seat of our will/choice and it is also the seat of our judgment, reasoning, social norms, long-term planning,_20-23 all of which help us make healthy, life giving choices.

The story of Phineas Gage shows how a compromised frontal lobe can change personality. These changes may be minimal at first but, accumulated over time, they can become a significant life-changing factor.

Can you see how these effects can be devastating to your happiness? Deterioration of the frontal lobe can negatively affect you emotionally, socially, financially, spiritually and in every other facet of life.

Finally, let’s look at causes of frontal lobe dysfunction. The most common ones stem from lifestyle habits. Daily activities such as eating, experiencing media, and exercising affect the frontal lobe. As a matter of fact, everything we do or don’t do – that is, everything we choose affects us either positively or negatively. Nothing is neutral in our choices.

To help ensure the health of your frontal lobe, avoid input that is excessively numbing. This input can come from many sources: media, the Internet, TV and radio. A lot of dietary fat or large amounts of sugar can inhibit normal, healthy blood flow and have other deteriorating effects on the frontal lobe. Caffeine impinges on the brain’s communication system in a number of ways. Many illicit and even legal drugs can be very detrimental to frontal lobe function.

Also, beware of hypnosis. It has many negative effects. A hypnotized person loses thought activity (weak beta brain waves), has a short circuited frontal lobe, decreased reasoning power, increased depressive tendencies, and has placed his or her mind under the control of the hypnotist.

In short, by wisely choosing what you eat, drink, hear, or see, you can provide good input for your frontal lobe.

“The first wealth is health.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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damage. Brain October, 1990, 113: 1383-1393. 4. Hawkins K, Trobst K. “Frontal lobe dysfunction and aggression: Conceptual issues and

research findings” Aggression and Violent Behavior 2000 5(2): 147-157. 5. Fuster J. “The prefrontal cortex, anatomy, physiology, and neuropsychology of the frontal

lobe” 2nd edition. New York: Raven Press, 1989, 139.