The Temporal Lobe

The temporal lobe is primarily the memory bank, although after brain injury it may be easier to remember things from the distant past rather than day to day activities. The other functions of this lobe include:

• Processing what is heard
• Short-term memory.
  • Right side – visual memory
  • Left side – verbal memory
• Sorting & organizing information
• Language skills (left side)
  • Wernicke’s area, in the mid temporal region, helps us understand what is being said
  • Broca’s area, in the frontotemporal region, produces speech

Injury to the temporal lobe can cause:

• Difficulty learning and remembering new information.
• Reduced retrieval of old (learned) information.
• Poor recognition and comprehension what is said in conversation.
• Trouble finding and/or producing the right words. (Aphasia, Apraxia)
• Aggressive behavior or irritability.