BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE EARLY YEARS

The Human Brain

What is the Brain? The brain is the part of the central nervous system located in the skull. It is continuous with the spinal cord It controls the mental processes and physical actions of a human being.

Interesting Brain Facts The adult brain weighs approximately 3 pounds (Einstein’s weighed less than the human avg.) It can fit in the palm of one’s hand Your brain uses 20% of your body’s energy (daily chaloric intake) There are about 100 billion neurons in the human brain The left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body and the right side of the body controls the left side of the body

Lobes of the Brain

Medial View of Brain

What Is Each Part of the Brain Responsible for?

BRAIN STEM (LOWER BRAIN)

PONS MEDULLA OBLONGATA CEREBELLUM Critical relay station of our sensory information. Crossroad area consisting mainly of nerve fibers. MEDULLA OBLONGATA Controls the unconscious functions of respiration, circulation, wakefulness, breathing and heart rate. CEREBELLUM Controls your body movement, balance and posture

THE LIMBIC SYSTEM (THE MID BRAIN)

Thalamus Hypothalamus Hippocampus Amygdala Distribution centre for incoming information for nerve signals coming from all the senses except smell. Hypothalamus Vital roles in conscious behaviour, emotions and instincts, and automatic control of body systems and processes. Hippocampus Involved in memory function Amygdala Almond shaped structure. Signals other areas to produce appropriate emotional reactions.

(UPPER BRAIN aka CORTEX) THE CEREBRUM (UPPER BRAIN aka CORTEX) It’s the outer layer – the bulging wrinkled surface. Divided into 4 lobes: Frontal Lobe Parietal Lobe Temporal Lobe Occipital Lobe

FRONTAL LOBE The frontal lobes are considered our emotional control centre and home to our personality. The left frontal lobe is involved in controlling language related movement. The right frontal lobe plays a role in non-verbal abilities.

PARIETAL LOBE 2 functional regions: One involves sensation and perception and The other is concerned with integrating sensory input, primarily with the visual system.

OCCIPTAL LOBE The occipital lobes are the centre of our visual perception system It processes vision and how you interpret what you see.

TEMPORAL LOBE The temporal lobes are involved in the primary organization of sensory input and highly associated with memory skills Processes auditory-stimuli, which affects speech, hearing, and the development of language

BRAIN CELLS & NEURONS

THE NEURON

The Neuron Your brain is made up of approximately 100 billion nerve cells called neurons. Neurons gather and transmit electrochemical signals over long distances within the body

Sensory Neurons Motor Neurons Carries signals from the outer parts of the your body into the central nervous system (chemicals, light, sound, touch) Motor Neurons Carries signals from the central nervous system to the outer parts (muscles, skin, glands) of your body ( Play Human Brain CD)

THE DEVELOPING BRAIN The Human Brain CD

Text: Read pages 216-224 and take notes Answer #3 & 4 on page 221 Complete “Factors that Can Influence Brain Development” sheet