THE HUMAN BRAIN: A complex vital organ

cerebrum The Cerebral Cortex, or Cerebrum, is the wrinkled, outer portion of the brain. The largest part of the human brain, it accounts of 2/3 of the brain’s mass. Responsible for higher brain functions like language, reasoning and information processing.

CEREBRUM (Cont.) Divided into two (2) sides – right and left hemispheres Left hemisphere is dominant (ruling or controlling) for language and logic and controls muscles on the right side of the body. Right hemisphere is dominant for spatial abilities, facial recognition and creativity and controls muscles on the left side of the body. Left and right hemispheres are connected by long neuron branches called the corpus callosum. Left and right hemispheres work together and communicate with each other through nerve fibers.

Frontal Lobe The Cerebrum has four (4) lobes a. Frontal lobe handles reasoning, planning, emotions and problem solving. The last to develop in young adulthood (early 20s) Manages emotional impulses Damage to this area can result in foul language and erratic behavior.

Temporal lobe Temporal lobe controls recognition of auditory and visual stimuli. Temporal lobe damage can result in disturbance of language comprehension, difficulty recognizing words or pictures, or loss of inhibition of talking.

Parietal lobe The parietal lobes can be divided into two functional regions. One involves sensation and perception and the other is concerned with integrating sensory input, primarily with the visual system. Helps process the speed and distance of objects. Damage can result in the inability to voluntarily control the gaze inability to integrate components of a visual scene and the inability to accurately reach for an object with visual guidance.

Occipital lobe Occipital lobe handles visual processing, routing visual data to other parts of the brain for identification and storage. not particularly vulnerable to injury because of their location at the back of the brain, but any significant trauma could produce visual hallucinations or illusions.

cerebellum The Cerebellum is located at the back of the head, at the top of the brain stem. Controls movement, muscle coordination, and balance. Damage can lead to loss of muscle coordination, called cerebellar ataxia.

Brainstem The BrainStem is located beneath the cerebrum in front of the cerebellum. Connects to the spinal cord Controls the body’s automatic functions – breathing, digestion, heart rate, sleeping, and blood pressure. Damage can result in problems with mobility and motor skills.

Limbic system: thalamus Limbic system is comprised of the thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala and the hippocampus. Thalamus, located at the top of the brain stem, sends and receives messages to and from many parts of the brain.

hypothalamus located at the base of the brain stem. controls body temperature, thirst, hunger, blood pressure.

amygdala Amygdala, is involved in memory and emotional reactions, such as anger and fear. Believed to be associated with mental conditions , such as depression and autism Often enlarged in the brains of people who have been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. shrinks with old age

hippocampus Hippocampus lies deep within the brain and processes new memories for long-term storage. Important for learning and long- term memory In Alzheimer’s, it is one of the first brain functions to malfunction

Types of brain injuries Closed Head Injuries: This type of injury occurs when brain tissue impacts the inside of the skull. This can cause bleeding, bruising, tissue damage, specific neurochemical changes and increased intra-cranial pressure or fluid buildup. Penetrating injuries: These include open fractures of the skull, gunshot wounds or the entry of any foreign object into the brain, resulting in damage to the brain structure neurons.

Types of brain injuries (cont.) Anoxic injuries: These occur when the lack or reduction of oxygen causes brain cells to die. Anoxic injuries can produce widespread effects throughout the brain. Toxic injuries: This form of brain injury is caused by exposure to certain toxic chemical agents, which can cross the blood-brain barrier and damage or kill brain cells