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Technical Description
Of the
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Human
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Donna M. Jennings
English 140 H
January 25, 2007
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Introduction
With every word that is spoken, every thought that crosses the mind, and
every breath that is breathed the greatest piece of technology is taken for granted.
Each part of our brain can be viewed as a different department of a small
company. Each part has its own job and controls different aspects of a function.
Yet it is when all of those jobs are done simultaneously that we see the strength of
the brain as a whole.
Physical Characteristics
25% of our metabolism is used to energize our brain. If the proper
temperature is not maintained fatality could occur. The brain is soft and
squishy and looks like a pinkish-gray walnut. (Bettis and Amarello, 2002) At
birth the brain weighs about 350-400 grams (about 1 pound) and by the time
we are adults it will weight about 1300 – 1400 grams (about 3 pounds). It is
about 93mm height, 167mm long, and 140mm wide. (Chudler/ Brain Facts &
Figures) When a boy baby is born his brain is 12 – 20% larger than his
female counter part, but by the time he is grown his brain will only be about
11 – 12% bigger than his female counterpart. There are two major differences
between a boy’s brain and a girl’s brain. The first difference is in the Preoptic
Area. The second difference is in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. These are
both part of the Hypothalamus. After age 4 the nucleus of the Preoptic Area
of a female brain starts to decrease so that in the end this section of a boy’s
brain ends up being about 2.2 times larger than the same area of a girl’s brain.
In the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus the difference is the shape of the nucleus. In
a boy’s brain it is shaped like a sphere and a girl’s brain has a more elongated
shape. (Chudler, n.d.)
List of Parts
Detailed listing of parts may be found on the next page.
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
Frontal Lobe (See, C-1 & F-2) – The Frontal Lobe is the area of the
cerebrum that controls problem solving, emotions, movement, parts of
speech, planning, & reasoning. (Serendip, 2005)

Parietal Lobe (See G-1& K-2) – The Parietal Lobe is the area of the
cerebrum that controls movement, orientation, recognition, perception
of stimuli. (Serendip, 2005)

Occipital Lobe (See H-1 &P-2) – The Occipital Lobe is the area of
the cerebrum that controls visual processing (Serendip, 2005)

Temporal Lobe (See B-1 & U-2) – The Temporal Lobe is the area of
the cerebrum that controls perception, recognition of auditory stimuli,
memory, and speech. (Serendip, 2005)

Cerebrum (See J-1) – The Cerebrum controls actions and thoughts
which are considered higher brain functions. It is divided up into four
sections which are referred to as lobes. This area is the largest area of
the brain and it is also sometimes called the cortex. (Serendip, 2005)

Cerebellum (See I-1 & Q-2) – The Cerebellum is the area of the brain
that coordinates and regulates balance, posture, & movement. Also
known as the little brain. The Cerebellum contains 2 hemispheres.
(Serendip, 2005)

Corpus Callosum (See M-2) – The Corpus Callosum is the
connection of the left and right brain through a bundle of axons.
(Serendip, 2005)

Thalamus (See N-2) – The Thalamus is the area that controls motor
functions and sensory. (Serendip, 2005)

Hypothalamus (See E-2) – The Hypothalamus is the area that controls
circadian rhythms, autonomic nervous system, homeostasis, emotion,
thirst, hunger, and the pituitary gland. (Serendip, 2005)

Amygdale (See V-2) – The Amygdale is the area that controls fear,
emotions, and memory. (Serendip, 2005)

Hippocampus (See O-2) – The Hippocampus is the area of
importance for converting short term memory into permanent memory.
Also used for learning and recalling spatial relationships in the world
around a person. (Serendip, 2005)
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
Midbrain (See D-2) – The midbrain is the area of the brain stem that
helps in the interpretation and control of vision, body movement,
hearing, and eye movement. (Serendip, 2005)

Pons (See C-2) – The Pons is the area of the brain stem that helps in
the interpretation and control of sensory analysis and motor control.
(Serendip, 2005)

Medulla (See B-2) – The Medulla is the area of the brain stem that
helps in the interpretation and control of vital body functions. i.e. heart
rate & breathing. (Serendip, 2005)

Brain Stem (See A-2) – The Brain Stem is the area that is comprised
of three areas. (Serendip, 2005)

Synapse (See C-3) – The Synapse links information from the dendrites
to the axon within a neuron. (Serendip, 2003)

Central Sulcus/Central Fissure (See E-1 & I-2) – The Central Sulcus
also known as the Central Fissure is the top groove that divides the
parietal lobe from the frontal lobe. (Serendip, 2005)

Neuron (See figure 3) –A Neuron is a nerve cell that is comprised of 3
parts. This is the type of cell that makes up most of your brain. These
nerve cells pass the information from one cell to the next. (Serendip,
2005)

Dendrites (See A-3) – Dendrites are the part of a neuron that receives
information into the neuron cell. (Serendip, 2003)

Axon (See B-3) – The Axon is the part of a neuron that sends
information in to the next neuron. (Serendip, 2003)

Precentral Gyrus/Motor Cortex (See D-1 & H-2) – The Precentral
Gyrus also known as the Motor Cortex is the area that works with
other areas to execute and plan movement. (Wikipedia, 2007)

Postcentral Gyrus/Somatosensory Cortex (See F-1 & J-2) – The
Postcentral Gyrus also known as the Somatosensory Cortex receives
most of the sensory input. (Wikipedia, 2007)

Lateral Salcus/Lateral Fissure (See A-1 & T-2) – The Lateral Salcus
also known as the Lateral Fissure is the groove that separates the
Temporal Lobe from the Parietal Lobe and the Frontal Lobe.
(Wikipedia, 2007)
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
Striatum (See G-2) – The Striatum is the area that works to input
emotions, learning, cognition, and motor control. (Wikipedia, 2007)

Broca’s Area (See S-2) – The Broca’s Area works to comprehend,
produce, and process speech and language. (Wikipedia, 2007)

Wernicke’s Area (See W-2) – The Wernicke’s Area works to
comprehend and understand spoken language. (Wikipedia, 2007)

Spinal Cord (See R-2) – The Spinal Cord works as a go between for
the body and the brain in motor and sensory input. (Brainexplore)

Cingulate Cortex (See L-2) –The Cingulate Cortex is associated with
mood and emotions. (Brainexplore)
Figure 1 (A – J)
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Figure 2 (A- W)
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Figure 3 (A-C)
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Function
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The function of the brain is to control everything that the human body
does. It accomplishes this when the neurons from one part of the brain
communicate with other neurons in other parts of the brain.
Conclusion
The human brain is a very detailed structure. The brain is comprised of
neurons that do many different things depending on what area of the brain that
they are found in.
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References
Amarello & Bettis (Guests). (2002). Dialogue 4 Kids [Television series]
Brain Facts. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from
http://idahoptv.org/dialogue4kids/season3/brain/facts.html
Brain Explore (n.d). Glossary. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from
http://www.brainexplore.org/glossary/cingulate_gyrus.shtml
Brain Explore (n.d). Glossary. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from
http://www.brainexplore.org/glossary/spinal_cord.shtml
Chudler (n.d.). Brain Facts and Figures: Facts. Retrieved January 21, 2007,
from http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/facts.html
Chudler (n.d.). Brain Facts and Figures: He Brain, She Brain. Retrieved
January 21, 2007, from http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/heshe.html
Serendip (2003). Nerve 7. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/kinser/Nerve7.html
Seredip (2005). Brain Structures and their Functions. Retrieved January 21,
2007, from http://serendip.brymawr.edu/bb/kinser/Structure1.html#cerebrum
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Wikipedia (2007). Free Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 21, 2007,
from http://en.wikipedia.org