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Despite the myth of using just 10% of their total capacity, humans use nearly 100% of their brains every day. Nevertheless, the human brain is most likely one of the most complicated things on the planet. We wouldn't be able to think, feel emotions, or revel in joyful memories if we didn't have it. We'd be unable to walk, talk, see, hear, or touch. But how much do we truly know about it?
The brain is a complex organ consisting of two hemispheres, the right and the left, connected by nerve fibres known as the corpus callosum. These fibres allow the exchange of information between the hemispheres. The brain can be divided into three general regions: the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain.
These parts of the brain can be further divided into different lobes, and each lobe is responsible for specific functions, which will be the primary focus of this article. The lobes of the brain are usually divided into four sections.
The cerebrum, which includes the cerebral cortex, is the largest part of the brain.
Each hemisphere has subdivisions of lobes. Their functions differ depending on the hemisphere. Also, the two hemispheres of the brain control the opposite sides of the body, so the brain works contralaterally. Each hemisphere has a motor cortex that controls movements on the other side of the body.
The left frontal lobe is responsible for moving your left hand.
Around 86 billion neurones make up the brain.¹ Cerebrospinal fluid surrounds the brain and protects it from damage, removes waste products, and provides the brain with essential nutrients. The cerebrospinal fluid fills the brain's ventricles, which are a network that enables communication.
There are a total of four ventricles in the brain, and they consist of:
The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, composed of grey and white matter, and it contains the cerebral cortex.
Understandably, it is involved in many functions due to this, including movement coordination, language, and thinking and reasoning. It is made up of the functional aspects of the brain.
The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain's cerebrum. It is the brain's grey matter and consists of cell bodies and dendrites. It is folded and therefore has a large surface area (which is incredibly helpful because more surface area means more neurones and more neurones means more brain power).
The folds are separated into the gyri and sulci – the gyri are the ridges (bumps), and the sulci are the furrows (dips). It is then further divided into the two hemispheres.
It is responsible for:
Many different functions overall – It encompasses many areas of the brain and is widely interconnected.
It plays a significant role in memory, language, thoughts, and perceptions.
As mentioned above, there are four lobes of the brain: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobe. Let's dive in to examine their functions.
The frontal lobe is responsible for:
Voluntary movements (such as moving a hand).
Expressive language (putting thoughts into words).
Managing complex or high-level executive functions (e.g., forming long-term memory, awareness, making judgements about self and others).
Social behaviour (this includes talking to others and initiating conversations, assessing others and the situation, and overall sexual behaviour).²
It contains crucial areas such as:
Broca's area in the left frontal lobe, which is involved in speech production.
The parietal lobe is responsible for:
Sensory perception and integration with other brain areas (interpretation of sound, touch, taste, vision and hearing, the brain is highly interconnected).
Spatial awareness, which perceives and helps map the world around us. As a result, you can walk from one end of the room to the other without bumping into everything.²
It contains essential areas such as:
The primary somatosensory cortex, a region that interprets information from different areas of the body.
The occipital lobe is responsible for:
Vision, the visual processing centre or visual cortex. It relays processed information to other parts of the brain for interpretation and processing.
Mapping the visual world (vital for spatial understanding and memory, it places objects so you can orient and remember them after scanning visual space).²
It contains essential areas such as:
Brodmann's area 17 (primary visual cortex), which is involved in depth perception and image placement.
The temporal lobe is responsible for:
Hearing, perceiving and interpreting sounds.
Memory acquisition, formation of memories and their embedding.
Categorising objects and giving them meaning (e.g., a coffee cup and a football).²
It contains essential areas such as:
Wernicke's area, which deals is responsible for understanding speech and converting pitches and different frequencies into intelligible pieces of information. It is responsible for the fluency of speech and ensures that it makes sense/is coherent.
Brain lobes, Katarina Gadže, StudySmarter Originals
The cerebellum is located at the base of the skull under the cerebrum and is responsible for:
Coordinating voluntary movements, e.g., moving a limb with dexterity.
Balance and equilibrium, so that you do not fall over and lose your balance.
Memory and reflex motor arcs.²
The brain stem leads to the spinal cord and is responsible for:
Reflexes (such as breathing, swallowing, and heart rate).
Sweating, blood pressure, and all types of automatic responses, not controlled voluntarily.
Ability to sleep.
Overall, any damage to the different parts of the brain can cause many problems. For example, water in the brain (sometimes called hydrocephalus, where water has accumulated in the brain's ventricles) can cause a rise in pressure that affects brain function.
²Robert P. Lehr Jr., Brain Function, Centre for Neuro Skills, 28 September 2021
Humans use nearly 100% of their brain every day, despite the myth of using just 10% of their total capacity.
According to Azevedo et al., there are about 86 billion neurones in the brain.
No, the brain is an organ.
Functions are associated with regions, and there are more than fice. Five examples are visual processing, language comprehension, thought processing, emotions, and motor skills.
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