The Brain - Structures of the Brain (GCSE Biology)
Structures of the Brain
Structures of the Brain
- The brain controls complex behaviour. The brain is part of the central nervous system (CNS) and it works to control complex behaviour. Complex behaviour can include emotions, memory and conscious responses. Remember that reflexes are unconscious responses which don’t involve the brain.
- The brain is complex. The brain works with incredible complexity. It has billions of interconnected neurones and has different regions that carry out different functions.
Structure of the Brain
- The cerebral cortex is involved in higher-level functions. The cerebral cortex is divided into two hemispheres. Each hemisphere controls one side of the body. The cerebral cortex controls emotions, thoughts, personality, intelligence and other higher-level functions, including memory and language. The cerebral cortex can be split into over 50 different areas, and each one has a particular function (e.g. speech area, emotion area).
- The cerebellum controls movement. The cerebellum is involved in the control of balance, and the coordination of muscles and movement. Without the cerebellum, our movements would be quite erratic and uncoordinated.
- The medulla oblongata is involved in unconscious control. The medulla controls the things which are not under conscious control, like heart rate and breathing rate. For example, the medulla produces adrenaline during exercise to help increase our heart rate.
- The hypothalamus is involved in homeostasis. It helps maintain body temperature and produces hormones that control the pituitary gland.
- The pituitary gland produces important hormones. For example, hormones involved in the menstrual cycle including FSH and LH are produced here.
The brain is the central organ of the nervous system that controls and coordinates all the body’s functions.
The structures of the brain include the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum, the brainstem, and the basal ganglia.
The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain and is responsible for conscious thought and perception.
The cerebellum is a part of the brain located at the base of the brainstem. It is responsible for coordinating movement and balance.
The brainstem is the lower part of the brain that connects the brain to the spinal cord. It controls important functions such as breathing and heart rate.
The basal ganglia are clusters of nuclei located deep within the brain. They play a role in controlling movement and emotions.
The structures of the brain work together to control and coordinate all the body’s functions. Information is transmitted between different structures of the brain to allow the brain to respond to stimuli and control the body’s movements.
Understanding the structures of the brain is important because it helps us understand how the brain controls the body and its functions. This knowledge can be used to develop treatments for brain-related conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease and depression.
The brain receives information from the body through sensory neurons. This information is processed in different structures of the brain to form perceptions, thoughts, and actions.
The brain controls movement and coordination through the actions of the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the motor cortex. These structures work together to control the muscles and coordinate movement.
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