Human Brain

The human brain is in charge of almost every aspect of the human body, from physiological functions to cognitive capacities. It works by receiving and delivering impulses to various parts of the body via neurons. The human brain has the same basic structure as most other mammals, although it is more evolved than any other mammalian brain.

An adult brain weighs between 1.0 kg and 1.5 kg on average. It is mostly made up of neurons, which are the basic building blocks of the brain and nervous system. According to recent estimates, the brain has anywhere from 86 billion to 100 billion neurons.

The central nervous system is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. It is in charge of thoughts, interpretation, and the source of control for physical motions.

The skull protects the brain from the frontal, lateral, and dorsal directions. The skull is made up of 22 bones, 14 of which are face bones and the remaining 8 are cranial bones. The brain is anatomically enclosed within the cranium and is surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) is a fluid that circulates within the skull and spinal cord, filling empty areas on the brain’s surface. Every day, specialized ependymal cells create approximately 500mL of cerebrospinal fluid.

The CSF’s principal role is to protect the brain by cushioning mechanical shocks and neutralizing small jolts. It also protects the brain from basic immunological threats.

Furthermore, CSF keeps the brain buoyant. Specifically, the brain is suspended in a layer of CSF, where its weight is practically nullified. If the brain is not suspended in CSF, its weight will inhibit its movement, cutting off blood flow to the bottom part of the brain. It would cause neuron death in the affected area.

Brain areas and their functions

The brain is organized into three basic units: the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain.

These are the following areas: Occipital lobe, Temporal lobe, Parietal lobe, and Frontal lobe.

Cerebellum, Hypothalamus, Thalamus, Pituitary gland, Pineal gland, Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Midbrain

The occipital lobe is located in the back of the brain. This region is associated with the brain’s ability to recognise objects. It is in charge of our eyesight.

The temporal lobes are located on either side of the brain, slightly above the ears. Hearing, memory, meaning, and language are all controlled by the temporal lobes. They are also involved in emotion and learning. The temporal lobes are in charge of processing and interpreting auditory input.

The parietal lobes are located behind the frontal lobes, above the temporal lobes, and at the top back of the brain. They are associated with the processing of nerve impulses associated with the senses such as touch, pain, taste, pressure, and temperature. They also have language capabilities.

The frontal lobe is concerned with emotions, logic, planning, movement, and speech parts. It also participates in intentional behaviours such as creativity, judgement, problem solving, and planning.

The cerebral cortex is in charge of your thoughts, voluntary actions, language, reasoning, and perception. In higher mammals, the cortex appears to be riddled with wrinkles, grooves, and lumps.

The cerebellum is in charge of your movement, balance, posture, and coordination. It has also been related to thinking, novelty, and emotions, according to new studies. The limbic system, also known as the “emotional brain,” is located within the cerebrum.

The hypothalamus is responsible for controlling your body temperature, emotions, hunger, thirst, appetite, digestion, and sleep. The hypothalamus, which is located at the base of the brain, is made up of several separate sections. It’s barely the size of a pea (approximately 1/300 of the total brain weight), but it’s in charge of some crucial behaviours.

The thalamus is in charge of your sensory and motor integration. Sensory information is received and relayed to the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex also carries information to the thalamus, which subsequently delivers it to other areas of the brain including the brain stem.

Pituitary gland: this gland regulates your hormones and aids in the conversion of food into energy. You could eat without this gland, but you wouldn’t obtain any energy from the food.

The pineal gland regulates your growth and maturation. It is triggered by light, therefore if you were born and lived your entire life in a place with no light, your pineal gland would never begin to function.

Amygdala: The amygdala (there are two of them) regulates your emotions, such as when you’re happy or angry. Your amygdala is critical. You could win the lotto and feel nothing if you didn’t have it. You’d be dissatisfied.

Hippocampus: Forms and retains memories (scientists believe there are more unknowns regarding the hippocampus) and participates in learning. You wouldn’t be able to remember anything if you didn’t have it. People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease lose the ability to use their hippocampus.

The midbrain governs your respiration, reflexes, and swallowing reflexes. The Thalamus, Hippocampus, and Amygdala are all included. Every living thing is required to have a midbrain.

Pons- a metencephalon component in the hindbrain. It is involved in motor control and sensory analysis; for example, information from the ear enters the brain through the pons first. It contains components that are vital to one’s state of alertness and sleep. Some pons structures are related to the cerebellum and so play a role in movement and posture.

The Medulla Oblongata is the most caudal section of the brain stem, located between the pons and the spinal cord. It is in charge of key body activities such as breathing, digestion, and heartbeat.

Conclusion

It is frequently stated that the brain studies itself. This indicates that humans are the only ones who can use our most complex organ to understand our most sophisticated organ. Breakthroughs in the study of the brain and nervous system are among the most fascinating developments in psychology. The brain is the control system of the human body and is part of the central nervous system (CNS). It is linked to the spine and regulates personality, movement, breathing, and other vital activities that keep individuals alive. It is the most intricate organ in the body.