ANATOMY OF THE BRAIN:
cerebrum:
Commonly known as “the brain”
Lies on top of the brain stem
Largest area of the brain
Divided into 2 halves: Right hemisphere that controls left side of the body
Left hemisphere that controls the right side of the body
Main FUNCTIONS include: consciousness, thought, reason, memory, vision, hearing, touch, motor control, coordination and emotions.
FUNCTIONAL AREAS are divided into 4 lobes. Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital
FRONTAL LOBE:
Regulates the higher intellectual behaviors (executive functions)
Important role in social functions
Regulates emotions, cognition, error detection, sense of self, ability to recognize right and wrong, ability to recognize future outcomes from present actions, suppress unacceptable behavior, retain long term memory, moderates emotions to fit socially acceptable standards.
BROCA’s AREA is in the frontal lobe cortex and is important for the production of written and spoken language. Required for the ability to find appropriate words and grammar.
PARIeTAL LOBE:
Located above the Temporal, between the Frontal and Occipital lobes
Movement, touch, vision, hearing, memory, spatial sense of direction
Motor cortex within the parietal lobe is responsible for movement
Somatosensory cortex is responsible for touch
Large portion of the Parietal lobe acts as a coordination center for all the senses allowing us to be aware of people, places and things around us.
TEMPORAL LOBE:
Located below the Parietal and in front of the Occipital lobes. On both sides of the brain
Responsible for speech, memory and hearing
Auditory cortex is responsible for hearing and understanding what is heard
FUNCTIONS include Long term memory, vision, sexual behavior and personality
WERNICKE’S AREA is located in the left temporal lobe and is involved in the formation and comprehension of language. Required to form sentences and understand others speech.
OCCIPITAL LOBE:
Located at the back of the brain, smallest of the 4 lobes
Visual center is responsible for receiving and coordinating input from the eyes
Motion, color and other visual inputs are organized and interpreted in this area
CEREBELLUM:
Means “little brain”, located at the base of the brain
There are 3 parts to the cerebellum: Cerebrocerebellum, Spinocerebellum and Vestibulorcerebellum
Responsible for coordination of movement
Contains 10% of the brains volume but contains at least 50% of the brains neurons
It is divided into 2 hemispheres that are covered by a thin layer of gray mater called the cortex
Receives input from other areas of the brain and brain stem
Receives information on position and movement of the body’s limbs
Uses this information for equilibrium and coordination
BRAIN STEM:
Distal part of the brain made up of three parts, Mid Brain, Pons and Medulla Oblongata
Each part has their own function but together they regulate, breathing, heart rate and blood pressure
Plays an important role in being awake and alert, attention, arousal and consciousness
The brain stem houses the reticular activating system which acts as the “on/off” switch, controlling, sleeping, being awake and motivation
The brain stem as acts as a conduit for messages coming from the body to the brain
Many of the cranial nerves originate in the brain stem which are responsible for vision, hearing, taste, smell, control of eye movement and coordination and movement of the face
HYPOTHALAMUS:
Located just above the brain stem
Links the nervous system to the endocrine system
Responsible for metabolism
Controls blood pressure, body temperature, fluid and electrolyte balance and body weight
It influences, hunger, moods, sex drive, circadian cycles, thirst and release of hormones from the pituitary gland
LEFT HEMISPHERE:
The left hemisphere of the brain is dominant for language, mathematical skills, and the ability to solve problems in a sequential order. For this reason, the left hemisphere is often considered the logical or analytical brain
RIGHT HEMISPHERE:
The right hemisphere of the brain seems to be dominant in terms of artistic ability, musical skills, face recognition, and spatial perception. Problems tend to be solved in a more comprehensive, artistic way
MENINGES:
The brain and spinal cord are covered by 3 layers of tissue (meninges) that protect them:
Pia Mater: Thin, innermost layer which adheres to the brain and spinal cord
Arachnoid Mater: Delicate, spider web-like, middle layer
Dura Mater: Outermost, toughest layer
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID:
Helps cushion the brain from sudden jarring and minor injury, also removes waste products from the brain.