The Amazing Brain
•Weighs about 3 pounds
•Major portions:
•Cerebrum
•Diencephalon
•Cerebellum
•Brainstem
•Made of about 100
billion neurons
The Amazing Brain
•Cerebrum
•Largest portion
•Higher mental functions
•Diencephalon
•Processes sensory input
•Brain Stem
•Coordinates and regulates
visceral activities
•Cerebellum
•Coordinates muscle movements
Cerebrum
•Largest portion
•2 cerebral hemispheres
•connected by CORPUS
CALLOSUM
•Many convolutions to
increase surface area
Cerebrum
•Divided into lobes
•Frontal lobe
•Parietal lobe
•Temporal lobe
•Occipital lobe
Cerebrum
•Performs higher brain
functions
•Interpreting sensory info
•Coordinating muscle
movement
•Intelligence & personality
Cerebrum
Special areas control different
functions
A. Primary Motor Area
(Frontal Lobe)
• Controls motor impulses
B. Frontal Association Area
(Frontal Lobe)
• Thinking, planning,
emotions, behavior
Cerebrum
C. Premotor Area
(Frontal Lobe)
• Behavior planning
• Muscle movement for
various actions
D. Frontal Eye Field
(Frontal Lobe)
• Coordinates voluntary eye
movements
Cerebrum
E. General Interpretive Area
a.k.a. Wernicke’s Area
(Temporal Lobe)
• Recognition of written
and spoken language
F. Broca’s area
(Temporal Lobe)
• Coordinates muscles that
create speech
Cerebrum
G. Somatosensory area
(Parietal Lobe)
• Limb position, touch
sensations
H. Visual Area
(Occipital Lobe)
• Sight
• Identification of things
we see
Hemisphere Dominance
• Both cerebral hemispheres function in
receiving and analyzing sensory input and
sending motor impulses to the opposite side
of the body.
• Most people exhibit hemisphere dominance
for the language-related activities of speech,
writing, and reading.
Hemisphere Dominance
• 90% of the population exhibits left
hemisphere dominance
• Some are right hemisphere dominant
• Some have equal dominance in both hemispheres
• The non-dominant hemisphere specializes in
nonverbal functions and controls emotions
and intuitive thinking.
Frontal Lobe
Parietal Lobe
Higher level functions:
emotions, reasoning,
problem solving, judgment,
movement, creativity
Somatosensory Info: touch,
pain, taste, pressure
Temporal Lobe
Hearing and language
Occipital Lobe
Vision
Ventricles
•Interconnected cavities
w/in cerebrum &
brainstem
•Filled with CSF
Diencephalon
•Area between
cerebral hemispheres
•Thalamus
•Hypothalamus
•Limbic System
•Glands
Diencephalon
•Thalamus =
Switchboard
•Directs impulses
from spinal cord to
correct location in
brain
Diencephalon
Hypothalamus:
•Heart rate & blood pressure
• Body temp.
• Water/salt balance
• Hunger/weight
• Movements & secretions of
stomach & intestines
• Hormone secretion
• Sleep & wakefulness
Diencephalon
•LIMBIC SYSTEM –
emotions & expression
•AMYGDALA
•Recognizes facial expressions
•Assesses situation and
responds
•Primitive decision-making
center
•Emotions
Diencephalon
•LIMBIC SYSTEM
•HIPPOCAMPUS
•Memory
•Spatial
navigation
Brainstem
•Connects cerebrum
& spinal cord
•Parts:
•Pons- breathing rate
•Medulla Oblongata•Heart rate, BP,
Sneezing, coughing,
vomitting
Cerebellum
•coordinates
skeletal muscle
activity
•balance
•equilibrium
•maintains posture