Our behavior comes from our brain; therefore, in this paper, I will discuss what the brain is and what all components of the brain are.
The brain is one of the most important parts of the body; therefore, we need to take a good care of this. This amazing organ acts as a control center by receiving, interpreting, and directing sensory information throughout the body. There are three major divisions of the brain. According to “Anatomy of the brain”, an article on the About.com Biology website, these divisions of the brain are:
The forebrain is responsible for a variety of functions including receiving and processing sensory information, thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language, and controlling motor function. There are two major divisions of forebrain: the diencephalon and the telencephalon. The diencephalon contains structures such as the thalamus and hypothalamus which are responsible for such functions as motor control, relaying sensory information, and controlling autonomic functions. The telencephalon contains the largest part of the brain, the cerebral cortex. Most of the actual information processing in the brain takes place in the cerebral cortex.
The midbrain and the hindbrain together make up the brainstem. The midbrain is the portion of the brainstem that connects the hindbrain and the forebrain. This region of the brain is involved in auditory and visual responses as well as motor function.
The hindbrain extends from the spinal cord and is composed of the metencephalon and myelencephalon. The metencephalon contains structures such as the pons and cerebellum. These regions assist in maintaining balance and equilibrium, movement coordination, and the conduction of sensory information. The myelencephalon is composed of the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for controlling such autonomic functions as breathing, heart rate, and digestion. Below is the picture of the brain to help you to understand this structure better.
The midbrain and the hindbrain together make up the brainstem. The midbrain is the portion of the brainstem that connects the hindbrain and the forebrain. This region of the brain is involved in auditory and visual responses as well as motor function.
The hindbrain extends from the spinal cord and is composed of the metencephalon and myelencephalon. The metencephalon contains structures such as the pons and cerebellum. These regions assist in maintaining balance and equilibrium, movement coordination, and the conduction of sensory information. The myelencephalon is composed of the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for controlling such autonomic functions as breathing, heart rate, and digestion. Below is the picture of the brain to help you to understand this structure better.
There are two important nervous systems in the brain. One is called the central nerve system (CNS) and the other is called the peripheral nerve system (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. It acts as the central control region of the human nervous system, processing information and issuing commands. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the command network the CNS uses to maintain the body's homeostasis. It automatically regulates heartbeat and controls muscle contractions in the walls of blood vessels, digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts. It also carries messages that help stimulate glands to secrete tears, mucus, and digestive enzymes. If the central nerve system in the brain is damaged, then we can get a stroke and paralysis. Normally, strokes occur when you have a blood clot.
The peripheral nervous system is a channel for the relay of sensory and motor impulses between the central nervous system on one hand and the body surface, skeletal muscles, and internal organs on the other hand. It is contains two subsystems of nerves. One is called the motor system and the other is called the autonomic system. As in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous pathways are made up of neurons (that is, nerve cell bodies and their axons and dendrites) and synapses, the points at which one neuron communicates with the next.
According to The Human Brain, an article on The University of Texas, “Your brain includes billions of neurons which are specialized cells, allowing your brain to learn, reason, and remember. Through the activity of neurons, the body responds and adjusts to changes in the environment. Every time you feel something - including the effects of a drug - millions of neurons are "firing" messages to and from one another. These messages consist of chemical and electrical impulses.”
When the brain is damaged, there is no medicine or treatment can help to rebuild our mental power. We will have to go through surgery to rebuild it. For example, when you have a blood clot in the brain, blood will not return back to your heart. As the result, you will not get enough oxygen to the brain. That is a stroke.
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