...The human brain is a specialized organ that is ultimately responsible for all thought and movement that the body produces. This allows humans to interact with their environment by communicating with others and interacting with inanimate objects near their positions. If the brain is not functioning properly, the ability to move, generate accurate sensory information or speak and understand language can be damaged as well. The human brain is interconnected however, three major components an be identified; the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. Parts of the brain: Cerebrum: the cerebrum, also known as the forebrain, is the largest portion of the brain, making up 75% of the brain by volume and 85% by weight, and it contains tools responsible for most of the brains function. It is divided into four sections: the temporal lobe, the occipital lobe, parietal lobe, and the frontal lobe. The cerebrum is further divided into a right and left hemisphere. • Frontal Lobe: the frontal lobe is one of the four lobes in the cerebral hemisphere. This lobe controls several elements including creative thought, problem solving, intellect, judgment, behavior, attention, abstract thinking, physical reactions, muscle movements, coordinated movements, smell, and personality. • Parietal Lobe: the parietal lobe is located in the cerebral hemisphere, which focuses on comprehension. Visual functions, language, reading, internal stimuli, tactile sensation, and sensory comprehension are monitored...
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...Fitness . Parts of the Brain; Function Most people believe that it is better to follow the heart than to listen to the brain. Though they refer to the heart as an organ of feelings and the brain as an organ of conscience that helps distinguish right from wrong but the truth is the heart is just a pumping organ and the brain does all the work, the feeling, thinking, and making of decisions. This article will discuss further the different parts of the brain and their function: How does the brain work? The Human Brain: How does the brain work? The brain is the center of the human nervous system. The average size of an adult brain is 5.5 inches in width, 3.6 inches in height, and 6.5 in inches length. The human brain is composed of 78% water, 12% lipids, and the other 10% consists of protein, carbohydrates, insoluble salts, and soluble organics. The human brain performs a number of tasks of coordination, control, and regulation. • The brain controls the body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. • It accepts all sorts of information from each of the different senses • It controls a human body’s physical motion. • It’s responsible for dreaming, thinking, decision making, reasoning, and feeling of emotions. Parts of the Brain and their Function The human brain is a very complex organ. The brain has three main parts: the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. Forebrain This part of the brain is located at the...
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...different parts called organs. All of the parts are controlled by an organ called the brain, which is located in the head. The brain weighs about 2. 75 pounds, and has a whitish-pink appearance. The brain is made up of many cells, and is the control centre of the body. The brain flashes messages out to all the other parts of the body. The messages travel in very fine threads called nerves. The nerves and the brain make up a system somewhat like telephone poles carrying wires across the city. This is called the nervous system. The nerves in the body don't just send messages from the brain to the organs, but also send messages from the eyes, ears, skin and other organs back to your brain. Some nerves are linked directly to the brain. Others have to reach the brain through a sort of power line down the back, called the spinal cord. The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system. The brain doesn't just control your organs, but also can think and remember. That part of the brain is called the mind. PROTECTING THE BRAIN Twenty-eight bones make up the skull. Eight of these bones are interlocking plates. These plates form the cranium. The cranium provides maximum protection with minimum weight, the ideal combination. The other twenty bones make up the face, jaw and other parts of the skull. Another way the brain keeps it self safe is by keeping itself in liquid. Nearly one fifth of the blood pumped by the heart is sent to the brain. The brain then sends...
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...Br-aaaaaa-in-ssss! Let's do a recap on why zombies love brains too much: 1. Brains contain memories, 2. Brains think of magnificent ideas and last but not the least, brains are tasty for it is the most mysterious body part! But what is "brain"? Brain is an organ of the body in the head that controls functions, movements, sensations, and thoughts. Yep, brains are absolutely like remote controls! It has 3 anatomical divisions: Forebrain that contains the cerebrum, thalamus and hypothalamus, Midbrain, which is a part of the brainstem and Hindbrain that contains the pons, medulla oblongata and cerebellum. Cerebrum, cerebellum and the brainstem are considered as the three main parts of the human brain. Cerebrum is the largest part which makes up 85% of the brain’s...
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...Five Major Structures of the Brain Carolyn Jenkins University of Phoenix PSY 240 Pamela J. Reeves Introduction The brain is such an awesome machine with so many intricate working parts and components all working together at the same time for optimal functioning. Pinel, J. (2011) describes the neurons and synapse as highways and byways that seem to haul information and travel them to the body for several different functions. This essay will explain five parts of the brain, the Myelencephalon, the Met encephalon, the Mesencephalon, the Diencephalon, and the Telencephalon which all structure and cause different functions in the body. Myelencephalon The Myelencephalon is the part of the brain that has many functions; for example it causes all autonomic functions. Another function is the breathing portion of the body and the paths that all of the nerve tracts take as well. Digestion, Heart Rate, Swallowing, and Sneezing are also functions of the Myelencephalon which are all located in the brain stem and structured on the medulla oblongata. It seems that this portion of the brain carries many signals to the brain and throughout the body. Metencephalon According to Nakamura, H. (2008), “Primary brain vesicles such as the prosencephalon, mesencephalon and metencephalon are made and subdivided into secondary brain vesicles: the telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, metencephalon and myelencephalon (P.113).” Essentially the Metencephalon is the place...
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...The Role of the Brain in Cognitive Functions Science unrolls and unravels the many functions of the brain through research, inference, experiments and actual real life occurrences. Such was the case of Phineas Gage (1823 – 1860), a young foreman on the railroad in the mid 1800’s who survived a blasting accident which destroyed a part of his brain. Documentation on Mr. Gage’s health and personality before and after the accident opened the door to the role of the brain in cognitive functions. Phineas Gage’s accident and apparent recovery precipitated the idea that there was a connection between the human brain and the personality. First, prior to Mr. Gage’s phenomenal recovery from the loss of a substantial part of his brain, scientists believed that the brain was an entire “organ”, and that all of it was needed to function at all. The incidence with Phineas’ recovery and his continual capability to function altered scientific thinking substantially. Secondly, the adaptation that he made in his personality opened further doors for studying the cognitive adaptability of the brain. According to friends and collegues, Gage was no longer Gage. Once a friendly and affable, easy to get along with individual, he became stubborn, argumentative and forgetful, unable to organize his life in a reasonable manner. He could no longer hold down a job. Phineas Gage died 12 years after a rod pierced his skull and permanently damaged his frontal cortex. The scientific studies that...
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...Brian Response to Behavior Marcus D. Lewis Brain Response to Behavior Axia College University of Phoenix Ron Zuchora Brain Response to Behavior Part I There is a process the brain processes information through the use of what is called “Neurons”. Neurons send signals through cells through the entire body. These Neurons have to essentially travel on branches in the body, sort like branches on a tree called dendrites. The dendrites have a long path or projection that is named axon. If two neurons communicate or coalesce, the axon of one cell will barely touch one another of a dendrite. There will then be a small space called a synaptic gap or synaptic cleft. Hypothetically speaking, if a person was to touch a hot stove or pan; the result would be thousands of neurons responsible for sending signals to the brain that tells the body “hey this is hot, Please take your hand off the stove.” When neurons actually fires or send signals, there is a rapid change in the electrical potential that is called the action potential. After the process has been submitted to the brain, it then makes a transition to terminal buttons to allow the changes to occur. There are however, chemical releases chemical substances called: Neurotransmitters. It’s sort of like a car that has pistons creating combustion and fuel is then carried to carburetor and the rest of engine components to make the car propel forward...
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...A Tour of the Brain XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Rasmussen College Author Note This paper is being submitted on XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX General Psychology. A Tour of the Brain The brain is the control center of the human body. It is protected by the skull and is made up of three main parts, the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the Brainstem. The brain is the boss of the body, it runs the show and controls just about everything one does, even when one’s asleep. (Kidshealth, n.d.) During this brief tour guide of the brain, one will see how the brain fits into the Central Nervous System, how the main parts work together, and what would happen if one of those main parts were damaged. In humans, the nervous system is divided into the central nervous system (CNS), which consist of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS), which contains all the nerves that run everywhere in the body. The brain and the spinal cord serve as the main processing center for the entire nervous system, and control all the workings of the human body. They work together to let messages flow back and forth between the brain and the body. The biggest part of the brain is cerebrum. The cerebrum is the thinking part of the brain and it controls the voluntary muscles, the ones that move when you want them to. When one is thinking hard, trying to solve a math problem or trying to figure out a video game, one is using the cerebrum. (Kidshealth, n.d.) The cerebrum is made up two...
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...The Brain The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It is the control center for the everyday activities we take part in. Being in the central nervous system, the brain receives messages from all parts of the body, and then sends a message back to the body telling it how to respond to the situation. But, the brain is made of different parts and each of these parts does their own separate job for making the brain run smoothly. The cerebral hemispheres are made up of five lobes, the frontal, parietal, temporal, and the insula. These lobes are the parts of the brain, which control speech, logic, imagination and so much more. The cerebral hemispheres also control voluntary movement, conscious awareness of sensation, and integrate diverse information. The information that is delivered through the brain must go through the thalamus first. The thalamus acts like a relay station for the brain, all the sensory messages go to the thalamus and get sorted out before going to the cerebral hemispheres. Another role the thalamus has is in the memory and learning aspect that humans need to develop their brain. Below the thalamus is the hypothalamus, and the hypothalamus controls many visceral functions. It regulates your blood pressure, the rate of your heartbeat, and the rate at which you breathe. Also, the hypothalamus maintains the body temperature, and regulates both hunger and sleep, which are needed to maintain homeostasis. Towards the back of the brain, the medulla...
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...Brain Disorders Traumatic Brain injury: Is an injury also known as TBI, a form of acquired brain injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. Causes: TBI can be caused by the head suddenly and violently hitting an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms: Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, a change in sleep patterns, or thinking. A person with a moderate or severe TBI may show these same symptoms, but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, and slurred speech. Parts of the brain affected: Traumatic brain injury damages the area of the brain that was affected by the head suddenly hitting an object. Learning Disability: It’s a disorder that affects the ability to understand or use spoken or written language. Causes: No one's exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. But researchers do have some theories as to why they develop, including: Genetic influences, Brain development, and Environmental impacts. Symptoms: There is no one sign that shows a person has a learning disability. Experts look for a noticeable difference between...
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...The Brain The brain is known to be the most complex part of the human body. It weighs around three-pounds and is where the intelligence, senses (smell, touch, sight, hearing, and touch), initiator of body movement, and behavior is processed. For centuries, the brain has been examined and researched, but nobody really knew how it worked, not until the last 10 years. The last 10 years, scientists and researchers have learned more about the brain than the past centuries of brain research. This is why the 1990’s are known as the “Decade of the Brain”. The brain is broken into three basic units: the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain. The part of the brain that everyone is familiar with is the forebrain, the wrinkle-like part of the brain in which is primarily made up of the...
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...A Tour of the Brain Nicole Wegner Rasmussen College Author Note This paper is being submitted on July 22, 2014 for Clint Powell’s G148 General Psychology course. A Tour of the Brain I feel there are five major parts of the human brain. These parts are the lobes, brain stem, limbic system, cerebrum, and cerebellum. I would like to take you on a tour of the brain to discuss these parts. We will go over their functions, and the things that contribute to each major part. We will also look at how important the brain is to the central nervous system, and what might happen if you incur damage to a part of your brain. Let us start by looking at the cerebrum, which makes up about 80% of the brain by weight. The cerebrum is the covered by a sheet of neural tissue known as the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex houses the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. The thalamus is responsible for relaying information from the brain stem and spinal cord to the cerebral cortex. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland control functions like body temperature, sexual response, aggression, and pleasure. The cerebral cortex also holds about 90% of the of the brain’s neurons. The cerebral cortex is made up of four lobes. The frontal lobe is responsible for conscious thought and higher mental functions like, decision making. It also plays an important part in processing short-term memories, and retaining long-term memories. The parietal lobe integrates sensory information from the...
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...“Welcome To The Brain” Welcome boys and girls to the tour of the brain. The human brain is unique. It is part of your central nervous system which contains billions or nerve cells and trillions of support cells. The brain is the central computer that controls all bodily functions; the nervous system relays messages from the brain to different parts of the body. It gives us the power to think, plan, speak, and imagine. It controls body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. The brain also accepts information about the world around you from your five senses. It handles physical motion when walking, standing or sitting, and it lets you think, dream, reason, and experience emotions. The brain has five key parts that work together to make your brain function; the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, pituitary gland, and the hypothalamus. All this fits inside your brain which is about the size of a head of cauliflower. The cerebrum is the biggest part of your brain; it makes up about 85% of your brains weight. It is the thinking part of your brain and it controls your voluntary muscles. Your memory is also part of your cerebrum, both short-term and long-term. The cerebrum is divided into two hemispheres. The right hemisphere helps you with music, colors and shapes. The left hemisphere helps you with math logic and speech. The cerebellum is at the back the brain right below the cerebrum. The cerebellum processes input from other areas of the brain, spinal cord and...
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...The Brain Crystal Gartner University of Phoenix PSY 240 October 26, 2012 C Hines The brain is one of the largest and most complex organs in the human body. It is made up of more than 100 billion nerves that communicate in trillions of connections called synapses. It is the portion of the vertebrate central nervous system enclosed in the skull and continuous with the spinal cord through the foramen magnum that is composed of neurons and supporting and nutritive structures (as glia) and that integrates sensory information from inside and outside the body in controlling autonomic function (as heartbeat and respiration), in coordinating and directing correlated motor responses, and in the process of learning. The nervous system is responsible for making decisions and communication within the body. The nervous system categorized into the central and the peripheral nervous systems. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord while the periphery nervous system consists of numerous nerves. Nerves move from the brain to other parts of the body such as the nose, eyes, face and ears. They also move from the brain to the spinal cord and then to other body parts like legs, stomach and chest among others. Sensory nerves take information from the environment and transmit it to the spinal cord which finally conveys it to the brain for generation of response, which is carried by motor neurons to the other parts of the body. The brain weighs about three pounds and...
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...Many people wonder how psychologists know that a particular part of the brain is associated with a certain function. Researchers have used different techniques to study the brain. Researching the brain is not new. Back in the 1800s, phrenology was a popular technique. Phrenology was a procedure that used bumps on an individual’s head to determine and predict personality characteristics. Unfortunately, it is not very accurate. We have found more reliable information from lesions in the brain. A lesion is the natural or intentional destruction of brain tissue. Knowing what happens when a part of the brain is damaged or destroyed is a key to knowing its function when it works correctly. In 1848, a railroad worker named Phineas Gage FIGURE 3- 10 suffered an accident when an explosion drove a 1-pound steel rod straight through his head, destroying much of the front part of his brain. Some of the reports after the accident suggested that his personality was altered. Gage’s case underscores the fact that examining lesions is an important way to study the functions of various parts of the nervous system. Today, more sophisticated technologies are employed to study and treat the brain. For example, electrical stimulation of the brain is a technique used to stimulate neural FIGURE 3- 10 Phineas Gage suffered an accident that damaged his frontal lobe. Phrenology A procedure that uses bumps on an individual’s head to determine and predict personality characteristics...
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