In this video, we are going to go over the structure and function of the human brain.
Brains are structures found in members of the kingdom Animalia and range from simple
to complex.
The human brain is the central organ in the nervous systems of humans, combined with the
spinal cord they make up the central nervous system.
The central nervous system receives signals and information from the peripheral nervous
system, where it is processed in the central nervous system before an output is sent back
out into the peripheral nervous system for a response to the stimulus.
If we take a look at this illustration of a human brain, it is a cross-section so we
can see the internal parts of the brain first; in this image, this would be the front of
the brain, so where the eyes would be, and this is the back.
The first part of the brain is the brainstem, the brainstem itself has three areas; the
medulla oblongata, the pons, and the midbrain.
The brainstem has a lot of functions.
It is involved in many of the basic functions in the human body; such as breathing, eating,
sleeping, and regulating heart rate.
It is also involved in conduction, which means the brainstem functions in relaying information
coming in and out of the brain.
This is because all the sensory information coming in from the ascending pathways around
the body going to the other parts of the brain must go through the brainstem, and all the
motor information going from the other parts of the brain out through the descending pathways
must all go through the brainstem.
The next part of the brain is the cerebellum.
The cerebellum is found behind the brainstem.
The main function of the cerebellum is in motor control; such as in maintaining posture,
balance, and co-ordination as well as in motor learning.
The next part of the brain is the thalamus.
The thalamus is found above the brainstem.
The main function of the thalamus is in relaying information between different parts of the
brain.
The next part of the brain is the hypothalamus, which is found below the thalamus.
The main functions of the hypothalamus are releasing hormones and in homeostasis.
This means its involved in maintaining the internal balance of body functions, such as
maintaining osmolarity, body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and circadian
rhythms.
The next part of the brain is the posterior pituitary.
The pituitary gland is found coming down from the hypothalamus.
The function of the posterior pituitary is in hormone secretion from hormones created
in the hypothalamus, especially the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin.
The next part of the brain is the cerebrum.
The cerebrum is made up of two hemispheres, the left, and right hemispheres.
These two hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum, which functions in connecting
the two hemispheres so communication between them can occur.
Below the corpus callosum and around the thalamus is the basal ganglia.
The basal ganglia is made up of nuclei, the function of the basal ganglia is in motor
control.
The main portion of the cerebrum is the cerebral cortex, the cerebral cortex is the outer layer
of grey matter making up most of the brain matter in the brain.
The cerebral cortex is made up of four lobes; the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the temporal
lobe, and the occipital lobe.
The frontal lobes are found at the front of the brain.
The frontal lobes have a range of functions; they are involved in executive functions such
as memory, problem-solving, impulse control, and social behaviours among others.
The frontal lobes are also involved in motor functions, the posterior area of the frontal
lobe is known as the motor cortex and is involved in the voluntary motor functions.
The parietal lobes are posterior to the frontal lobes.
The main functions of the parietal lobes are in sensation, perception, and integrating
the sensory input from the body.
The anterior portion of the parietal lobes are known as the somatosensory cortex.
The temporal lobes are found on the sides of the brain.
The main function of the temporal lobes is in hearing, but also in language, speech,
and memory.
The last lobes are the occipital lobes, these are found at the back of the brain.
The main functions of the occipital lobes are in vision and processing visual information.
Thank you for watching, to support this channel please subscribe and check out more of my
videos.