Frontal Lobes and Character

True education of the whole man requires careful balance of inputs to all parts of the brain.

Bernell Baldwin, Ph.D.,  is associate professor of applied physiology.

Marjorie Baldwin, M.D., is assistant professor of preventive care at Loma Linda University School of Health.


FOR  YEARS  a  very  high-ranking Salvation  Army  officer,  married  to  a clergyman,  suffered  under  the  agonies of  conviction  that  she  had  committed the sin against the Holy Ghost. As a result  she  was  completely  incapacitated. Finally,  she  underwent  a  brain  operation (lobotomy) that cut the communication  between  the  frontal  lobes  and the rest of her brain. After surgery she was quite  silent until  one  of  her  physicians asked,  "How  are  you  now?  What  about the Holy Ghost?"

Smiling  strangely,  she  replied,  "Oh, the Holy Ghost; there is no Holy Ghost.

"What Are the Frontal Lobes?

The  frontal lobes are that part of the brain  that  is  above  the  eyes,  immediately  behind the  forehead,  and extends backward to the front of the ears. They make up the largest part of the central nervous  system  and  distinguish  man from animals more than does  any other feature  of  brain  anatomy.1  As  else where in the brain, the outer surface of the  frontal lobes  is  gray in color  (when preserved)  and is called the cortex.  It is composed of  billions of brain cells. Here the  most  delicate  electrical  processes, as  well  as  the highest levels  of control over other activities of the nervous system, take place.

Forty per cent of the cortex of our en tire  brain  is in the frontal lobes.  From the  cortex,  communicating  fibers  pass as  "white  matter"  to  other  cells  both here and in  other parts of the brain. Of particular significance is the recent discovery that nerves from the frontal cortex  go  directly to the  hypothalamus,  a part  of  the  brain  highly involved  with certain  grosser  emotions  and  appetite and  other  life-sustaining  functions.2  It takes  as  much  as twenty-five  to thirty years  to  complete  the  development  of the  frontal  lobes.  How  important  that we  learn  all  we  can  about the function and care of this most vital area.

Phineas  Gage,  genial  and  respected railroad  foreman,  struck  blow  after blow  with  a  large iron  rod that he was using  to  tamp  dynamite.  Suddenly Phineas  struck  hard  flint.  A  deafening explosion  rocketed the tamping iron out of  his  hands,  into  his  skull  just  below the left eye,  out the top  of  his head and a  long  way  down  the  track,  where  it landed covered with blood.

Phineas  was  able  to  walk  to  the doc tor's  office  with  some  assistance.  It is  a tribute  to  all  who  had  any  part  in  his care  that  he  recovered,  for  knowledge and  facilities  for  care  of  such  injuries were  much  less  sophisticated  in  the 1800's than they are today. But after the healing  of  his  wound,  Phineas  was  no longer  Phineas.  Formerly  a  man  noted for  his  dependability  and  deep love  for his  family, he became  "irreverent, irascible,  and  irresponsible."  Running out on his wife and family, he skipped to South  America,  where  he  existed  in  a whirl of wine,  women,  and song.

What happened to Phineas? His lower or animal nature was apparently unimpaired  by  this  tragic  accident.  His mechanical  skill  remained. But reverence, love  for  family,  judgment,  and  other attributes  we  treasure  infinitely  more than  physical  prowess  or  intellectual attainment were  gone. His frontal lobes were  ruined.

Other Frontal-Lobe Injuries

After World War I, Dr. Feuchtwanger studied  four  hundred  soldiers  with shrapnel  wounds  of  the  brain.3  In  two hundred  the  frontal  lobes  had  been damaged; in the other two hundred, the injury involved other parts of the brain. He found that the men with frontal-lobe injuries  had  impairment  of  will  and sense of values.

In  the  fifties,  brain  surgeons  found that if the fibers  connecting the frontal lobe  of  a  mentally  disturbed  person were severed, the patient became docile, tractable, easily managed. He still knew who and where he was, and his memory for  past  events  was  not  damaged.  But judgment,  tenderness,  responsibility, ability to act in a way most appropriate to  the  circumstances,  and  capacity  to choose  to  live  in  a  manner  consistent with  previously  valued  moral  and  spiritual  principles  were  compromised.  He became less like a human being with innate  power  and  sense  of  responsibility of  choosing  his  concepts  and  behavior, and  more  like  a  brilliant  animal  to  be trained  to  cooperate  with  another's choice of behavior. 

J. P. vividly illustrates the mysterious power  of  the  frontal  lobe.  He  walked and talked at one year of age. Through out  a  period  of  many years  his  IQ  performance  was  rated  95-105,  which  indicates  average mental ability. At 2  1/2 years of age he began to run away from home.  The  police  would  find  him miles from home and bring him back. In spite of multiplied spankings he kept on running  away.  His  first  schoolteacher was so  charmed  by  his  politeness  that  she wrote  a  letter  to  his  mother  complimenting  him  on  his  behavior.  Just  as she  was  finishing  the  note,  J.  P.  appeared,  partially  naked,  and  behaved in a most  undesirable manner.

After  psychotherapy  was tried extensively without effect, the youngster was sent to  a  parochial  high  school.  He ran away  again and was  sent to  a military school in another State. There he stole a teacher's car and vanished.

One  night J. P.  took  a girl to a hotel for dinner. While she was in the powder room,  he  vanished with her purse,  and fled to another State.

Not  until  he  was  19  did  anyone  suspect the real problem. A brain X-ray revealed  a  highly  abnormal  condition. Exploratory  surgery  discovered  two large  cysts  with  some  fluid  in  them, where his frontal lobes ought to be.  On the  left there  was  a  little bit of  degenerated  brain tissue on the right there was none.

Some  time  after  this  surgery,  J.  P. pawned  his  mother's  ring,  took  his  uncle's car, and absconded to Chicago. As a result  he  was  sent to  a  State  hospital, but  soon  escaped  and  traveled to Colorado.  Confined  to  a  closed  ward  in  an other  State  hospital,  he  did  acceptable work  under  close  supervision. With his usual courtesy and winning manners he soon  won  confidence then walked  out!

J. P.'s reading, language, and spelling skills  were  satisfactory,  but  his  math was  always poor.  He had few friends of either  sex,  and  as  a  child  was  heartily disliked  by  the  boys  of  the  neighbor hood.  Seldom,  if  ever,  did  he  cry,  even when  severely  punished.  Psychological testing revealed that his ability to plan ahead  was  deficient,  although  he  had average  intelligence  and  superior  mechanical  ability.  He  was  extremely  polite.  His  conversation  was  conforming; behavior  was  characteristically  inconsistent, bizarre,  and even impulsive. He would  drive  automobiles  in  the  direction they were headed until he  ran out of gas. 

Physically, J. P.  was an alert, responsive,  talkative  young  man  of  sturdy, athletic  build,  with  prominent  protrusions in the sides of his forehead, covering  the  cysts.  Apparently  these  large cysts and the terrible resulting compromise of frontal-lobe function in his brain prevented  adequate  development  of character  and  personality.  He  showed neither  great  enthusiasms  nor  periods of  dejection  or  discouragement. He was never  known  to  show  any  feeling that might be considered one of positive joy. He  seemed  detached  from  "anything that gave  meaning to  life,  love,  friend ship, comradeship .  .  .  indeed a veritable stranger  in  this  world  with  no  other world  to  flee  to  for  comfort."  His  "ability to  take  advantage  of the lessons  of experience is severely limited." 4

Dramatic Change in Personality

Then  there  was  Pauline.  Dr.  Petrie, who  has  written  an  entire  book  about the  relationship  between  personality and the frontal lobes, tells of her conversation  with  Pauline  before  lobotomy.

DOCTOR:  What is the thing to do if you lose  a  watch  you  have  borrowed  from a friend?

PAULINE: Tell her.  I expect you would have to pay for the loss of it.

After  lobotomy  the  doctor  repeated the question.

DOCTOR:  What  is  the  thing  to  do  if you  lose  a  watch  you  have borrowed  from a  friend?

PAULINE: Borrow another watch.

From her study of many patients both before  and  after  lobotomy,  Dr.  Petrie found  that  when  "the  neural  connections in the front of the brain, that is, in the frontal lobes, are severed .  .  .  the individual  shows  a  dramatic  change  in personality,  in  temperament,  character,  and  ability.  .  .  .  The  patient  after leucotomy  (or  lobotomy)  is  more  satisfied  with  himself,  with  his  capacities, with his style of living and style of writing, and is less preoccupied with getting things  just  right;  his  standards  have dropped." 5

Dr.  Vernon  Mountcastle  mentions "drastic changes in personality .  .  .  after compromising the frontal lobes." 6

A  current  leading  brain  scientist  of Russia, Dr. Luria, in his book  The Working  Brain,  called  the  frontal  lobes  "a superstructure  above  all  other  parts of the cerebral cortex so that they perform a  more  universal  function  of  general regulation of behavior." 7 

He  further mentions  that damage to certain  parts  of  the  frontal  lobe  has been associated with reduced initiative, irrational  emotional  outbursts,  and gross changes in character.

It  is  amazing  how  little  is  lost  of  a person's  ability  to  do  well  on  ordinary IQ  tests,  even  when  damage is  done to large  areas  of  his  frontal  lobes.  Al though there may be decrease in ability to  reason  abstractly  and  to  make lofty generalizations,  none  of  the  research done  so  far has  resulted in  placing the seat  of  ordinary  intelligence  in  the frontal lobes.

Results of Frontal Lobotomies

Dr.  Gosta  Rylander,  as  professor  of forensic  psychiatry  at  the  Royal  Caro line Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, studied  in  depth  a  number of  patients who had  undergone  frontal  lobotomies.  Not only  did  he  give  them  psychological tests he lived and worked with them in some  cases  for  more  than  two  years. Most  impressive  to  Dr.  Rylander  of  all postoperative  changes  were  those  involving personality, character, and that spark  which  most  truly  identifies  the individual. He reports these evaluations made by relatives of his patients:

"I  have  lost  my  husband.  I'm  alone. I  must  take  over  responsibilities  now.

""She  is  my  daughter  but  yet  a  different  person.  She  is  with  me  in  body but her  soul  is in  some  way lost.  Those deep  feelings,  the  tendernesses  are gone.  She is hard, somehow.

""Doctor,  you  have  given  me  a  new husband.  He isn't the same man.""His  soul  appears  to  be  destroyed." (Wife,  speaking  of  her  husband's  behavior.)

A  formerly conscientious and efficient operating-room  nurse  could  perform only  subordinate  work.  "I  don't  care  if I  make  a  mistake;  it  will  turn  out  all right in the end."

One  woman  who  had loved  classical music  now  cared  only  for  dance tunes.

Dr.  Rylander  says,  "The  patients themselves  behave  in the  most  perfect way  at  the  examinations.  They  are smiling,  polite,  answer  the  questions rapidly  and  openly,  and  say  that they are  very  pleased  with  the  results, that everything  is  all  right  and  that  they have  not  altered.  But questioned in detail,  they  will  explain that they  forget things  and that they have lost many of their  interests.  The  more  introspective of them may allege that they are unable to  feel  as  before.  They  can  feel  neither real  happiness  nor  deep  sorrow.  Some thing has died within them." 8

One is  forcefully reminded of the portrayal of  Satan as given by Ellen White in  Early  Writings,  page  152:  "I  was shown  Satan  as  he  once  was,  a  happy, exalted angel. Then I was shown him as he  now  is.  He still bears a kingly form. His features are still noble,  for he is an angel  fallen.  But  the  expression  of  his countenance is  full of anxiety, care, un- happiness,  malice,  hate,  mischief,  deceit,  and  every  evil.  That  brow  which was once so noble, I particularly noticed. His  forehead  commenced  from  his eyes to recede.  I  saw that he had so long bent himself  to  evil  that every  good  quality was  debased,  and  every  evil  trait was developed."  (See  also  page  145.)

The  "sealing  in  the  forehead"  mentioned  by  Ezekiel  and  John  provides  a perspective  from  the  Scriptures  that is pertinent and challenging in the light of our study on the frontal lobe.

What Can Be Done?

What  can  be  done  to  preserve  and strengthen  the  frontal  lobes?  Because they  were  made  for  great  principles, noble motives, and unselfish plans, it re quires a lifetime of cooperation, culture, balanced  education,  and  refreshing  inspiration to do them justice.

There  is  no  higher,  better,  more  interesting, and truly enlightening way to build  up the  frontal lobes than  regular study of the Bible.  This should begin in childhood as parents adapt its stories to the  readiness  and  growing  potential  of the child. Later in life the sweep and the power,  the  depth  and  the  grandeur,  of this Book  should be unfolded to the maturing student.

Any  function  of  the  body  that is  not used  becomes  weak  (atrophies).  Even the  bones  of  astronauts  lose  some  of their  minerals  when  they  aren't  used enough.  The  law  of  atrophy  of  disuse applies to the whole body, including the brain.  If  spiritual  and  moral  enrichment is  not  provided,  might it  be  that atrophy  of  disuse  could  eventually  produce lobotomy of disuse?

Conventional  education  deals  predominantly  with  the  part  of  the  brain that  is  for  information  storage.  Character  education  is  too  often  neglected. True  education  of  the  whole  man  spiritual,  mental,  and  physical re quires  careful  balance  of  inputs to  all parts of the brain and involves  regular, concerted  effort  by  parents,  teachers, and  particularly  Spirit-filled  ministers in  helping  to  cultivate  and  enrich the finest soil of the human brain, the frontal lobes.

By  consistent  wholesome  living,  by zestful  worship  of  a  loving Creator,  by creative  reflection,  by  kind  endeavor, and  by  the  sustained  reception  of miracle-working grace,  this inner chamber of  the  human  temple may be  fitted  for receiving the seal of the Living God. 

 

1  Elizabeth  C.  Crosby,  et  al.,  Correlative  Anatomy, of the Nervous  System  (New  York:  The Macmillan  Company,  1962)."

2 Walle  J.  H.  Nauta,  "Neural  Associations  of  the FrontalCortex,"  Acta  Neurobiol.  Exper.  (Warsaw,  1972),  32(2):125- 140.

3 E.  Feuehtwanger,  "Functionen  des  Stirnhirns,  ihre  Pa- thologie  und  Psychologic."  Monogr.  aus  Geset,  Neural.  Psychiat.,  O.  Foerster  and  K.  Williams,  eds.,  Heft  38  (Berlin: Springer-Verlag OHG,  1923),  4-194.

4 S.  S.  Ackerly.  A  case  of  paranatal  bilateral  frontal  lobe defect  observed  for  thirty  years.  In  Warren  and  Akert,  The Frontal  Granular Cortex  and  Behavior (New  York:  McGraw- Hill Book Company,  1964),  pp.  192-218.

5  Asenath  Petrie,  Personality  and  the  Frontal  Lobes  (New York: The Blakiston Company,  1952).

6 Vernon  B.  Mountcastle,  ed.,  Medical  Physiology,  vol.  1, 13th ed.  (St. Louis: The C. V. Mosby Co.,  1974),  p.  367.

7  A.  R.  Luria,  The  Working Brain, An  Introduction to  Neuropsychology  (New  York:  Basic  Books,  Inc.,  Publ.,  1973),  pp. 89,  223.  (Entire  book highly significant,  398 pp.)

8  Gosta  Bylander,  "Personality  Analysis  Before  and  After Frontal Lobotomy," in  The Frontal  Lobes. Proceedings  of the Association, Dec.  12  and  13,  1947  (New York: Hafner Publish ing Co.,  Inc.,  1966),  901  pp.  (facsimile of  1948 ed.).


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Bernell Baldwin, Ph.D.,  is associate professor of applied physiology.

Marjorie Baldwin, M.D., is assistant professor of preventive care at Loma Linda University School of Health.

February 1976

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