THE FRONTOTEMPORAL COMPONENT IN MILD AND MODERATELY SEVERE HEAD-INJURY

The history of the identification of the so-called (fronto-)temporal l obe contusion is reviewed. Treatment of minor head injuries actually s tarts with the right diagnosis. Injuries of the temporal lobe, charact erized by a comparatively long period of post-traumatic amnesia should be distinguished from minor head injuries (cerebral concussion). Trea tment of minor head injuries should include good information and expla nation of the medical aspects of minor head injuries to prevent the so called post-concussional syndrome, with long lasting sequelae. Change s of neurotransmitter metabolism in various kinds of head injuries hav e been known for many years. Treatment with precursors of neurotransmi tters (particularly physostigmine and L-DOPA) can be useful in unconsc iousness and amnestic syndromes.