Frontal lobe (and glioma)

What it is

The frontal lobe is the front part of each cerebral hemisphere, controlling movement, personality, decision-making, and other "executive" functions (such as planning and judgment). Gliomas in the frontal lobe can affect these abilities, depending on the exact location.

Understanding Frontal lobe (and glioma)

The frontal lobe houses the motor cortex (which controls movement on the opposite side of the body), areas for personality and behavior, and, in the dominant hemisphere, part of the language network (including the region for producing speech). A glioma here can cause symptoms such as weakness on the opposite side of the body, changes in personality or behavior, difficulty with planning or judgment, or speech difficulties. Because the frontal lobe contains both critical motor and language areas and regions that can tolerate surgery better, the exact location of a frontal glioma is important for planning treatment — surgeons aim to remove as much tumor as safely possible while preserving function, sometimes using awake mapping. Understanding frontal lobe gliomas clarifies how tumors here can affect movement and behavior and why location guides surgery.

Why it matters

Understanding frontal lobe gliomas helps patients and families see how tumors here can affect movement, personality, and judgment — and why their exact location guides the surgical approach to preserve function.