Question

What are the major structures of the brain?  What is the function of each major structure?

Answer 1

The major structures of the brain include:

1. Cerebrum- largest part of brain.  It performs higher functions like interpreting touch, vision and hearing, as well as speech, reasoning, emotions, learning, and fine control of movement.

2. cerebellum-  function is to coordinate muscle movements, maintain posture, and balance.

3. brain stem- It performs many automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate, body temperature, wake and sleep cycles, digestion, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and swallowing. It acts as the relay centre between the cerebrum and cerebellum .

4. Ventricles - There are total of 4 ventricles and these are cavities containing cerebrospinal fluid.

5 . Thalamus and Hypothalamus-  Hypothalamus plays a role in controlling behaviors such as hunger, thirst, sleep, and sexual response. It also regulates tenptempera, blood pressure, emotions and secretion of hormones. Thalamus serves as a relay station for almost all information that comes and goes to the cortex. It plays a role in pain sensation, attention, alertness and memory.

6. pineal and pituitary gland- The pituitary and the pineal glands function in close association with the hypothalamus. Pituitary gland is Known as the “master gland,” it controls other endocrine glands in the body. It secretes hormones that control sexual development, promote bone and muscle growth, and respond to stress. pineal gland helps regulate the body’s internal clock and circadian rhythms by secreting melatonin. It has some role in sexual development.

7. reticulate network- the reticular activating system appears to work as a filter for the countless stimuli that can act on the nervous system both from within and from outside the body.

8. limbic system- The limbic system is responsible for most of the basic drives and emotions and the associated involuntary behavior that are important for an animal's survival: pain and pleasure, fear, anger, sexual feelings, and even docility and affection.

9. hippocampus- The hippocampus has been shown to be important for the consolidation of recently acquired information.

10. cerebral cortex- The cortex contains neurons (grey matter), which are interconnected to other brain areas by axons (white matter). The cortex has a folded appearance. A fold is called a gyrus and the valley between is a sulcus.

Lobes the the brain - each cerebral hemisphere has four lobes- frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital. The frontal lobe is important for cognitive functions and control of voluntary movement or activity. The parietal lobe processes information about temperature, taste, touch and movement, while the occipital lobe is primarily responsible for vision.

11. neurons- The neuron conducts signals by means of an axon, which extends outward from the soma, or body of the cell, like a single long arm.

12. electrical and chemical signals - The two forms are interdependent and meet at the synapse, where chemical substances can alter the electrical conditions within and outside the cell membrane.