What can a medical examiner determine by assessing gross anatomy of the brain?

Assessing the gross anatomy of the brain can provide important insights into both the age of an individual and any potential brain damage they may have sustained.

In terms of age, the brain undergoes various physical changes over a person's lifetime, such as alterations in size, weight, and structure. These changes can help medical examiners estimate the age at which a person was living when the brain was last functional.

Additionally, examining the brain's gross anatomy allows for the identification of any structural abnormalities or damage, which might indicate trauma, disease, or degeneration. For example, the presence of lesions, atrophy, or various types of injuries can signal previous incidents that led to brain damage.

Thus, the combination of these assessments provides valuable information about an individual’s neurological health and history, including age-related changes and the effects of any prior injury or illness on brain structure.