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The brain is the most important part of the human nervous system. In humans, its parts are the frontal brain, diencephalon, midbrain, and the cerebellum and medulla. The brain is certainly a very complex structure that performs equally complex functions - it is the center that controls breathing, but also neural networks responsible for the functioning of memory and human drive functions.

The brainis considered to be the most complex organ in the human body. It is the most important part of the nervous system and has a superior function over its other structures. Brains located in the skull are divided differently - the basic divisions are anatomical and clinical. According to the anatomical division, the brain structures include the cerebellum, diencephalic, midbrain, as well as the cerebellum and the medulla. The clinical division recognizes the hemispheres of the brain, the cerebellum and the brainstem as parts of the brain.

The weight of the brain may vary, but it is estimated to be around 1.2 to 1.4 kilograms. It is similar with the volume of the brain, which also varies, but on average it is about 1250 cubic centimeters in men and about 1100 cubic centimeters in women. It is worth adding here that - contrary to appearances - intelligence is most likely not dependent on the size of the brain or its volume.

Brain: hemispheres of the brain

There are two hemispheres of the brain - right and left - and they belong to the forebrain. They are separated from each other by a brain gap, and they are in turn connected by the corpus callosum. From the outside, the hemispheres of the brain are covered with the cortex of the brain, which is made up of gray matter (the bodies of nerve cells), and inside them is located white matter (made of nerve cell fibers). Characteristic for the hemispheres of the brain is the strong folding of their outer surface.

Each hemisphere of the brain is divided into five lobes - they are:

  • frontal lobe,
  • temporal lobe,
  • parietal lobe,
  • occipital lobe,
  • marginal lobe.

The first four of the mentioned lobes are located on the outer surface of the brain, while the marginal lobe is located on the medial surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

In each hemisphere of the brain there is a part of the ventricular system, which is the lateral ventricle. BothThere are specific openings in the right and left lateral ventricles through which they connect with the lateral ventricles located in the structures of the diencephalon.

Brain: cerebellum

The structure of the cerebellum is to some extent analogous to the structure of the hemispheres of the brain - this organ also has two hemispheres. However, it is distinguished by a smaller number of lobes, because within the cerebellum there are three of them and they are:

  • flocculent-papular flap,
  • front lobe
  • and posterior lobe.

Brain: brainstem

There are three most common elements to the brain stem, namely the medulla, midbrain and bridge. In the literature, you can come across other descriptions of the elements of the brainstem - some authors include it, for example, also the interbrain.

Brain: Features

The brain is basically responsible for the functioning of the entire human body. It is a place where there are centers responsible for human motor activities, but also speech centers or centers dealing with the analysis of sensory stimuli reaching the body. Even individual lobes of the brain's hemispheres have specific functions:

  • the frontal lobe is a center related to motor activities, but also a place where structures responsible for feeling emotions are present,
  • the parietal lobe is the center responsible for the analysis of sensory experiences,
  • temporal lobe deals with the analysis of auditory and olfactory stimuli,
  • the occipital lobe is responsible for the analysis of stimuli received by the organ of vision.

The cerebellum is primarily related to the muscles. It is here that there are centers that control various movements, but also specific structures that ensure their fluidity and precision. The cerebellum is also responsible for maintaining the balance and proper tension of various muscles.

The brain stem is an extremely important structure for the functioning of the human body - it contains centers that control basic life activities, incl. the center that regulates the heart function or the center that regulates blood pressure. The brain stem, and more specifically the reticular formation belonging to it, is responsible for maintaining the state of consciousness.

Brain: vascularization

The brain is supplied with arterial blood primarily through two vessels: the internal carotid artery and the vertebral artery. Various branches depart from those mentioned, which together form the Willis arterial circle - from it, branches to individual parts of the brain depart.

Venous blood is drained from the brainthrough the superficial and deep veins of the brain. It goes to the sinuses of the brain, from which it eventually flows into the internal jugular vein.

Brain: tires

Given how important a function the brain is, it is hardly surprising how much it is protected. The skull plays a protective function for the brain's elements, but not only - they are additionally protected by the meninges of the brain.

There are three of them and they are:

  • hard tire,
  • spider tire
  • and a soft tire.

There is a subarachnoid space between the spider dura and the soft dura, which is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Brain: diseases

The brains can be affected by various types of pathologies. Within it, various infections can take place, both bacterial, fungal and viral - examples include encephalitis or meningitis.

It is possible to have various tumors in the brain, such as glioblastoma, ependymoma or meningioma.

A group of brain diseases that usually lead to a significant deterioration of human functioning are neurodegenerative diseases. They include, among others :

  • Alzheimer's disease,
  • frontotemporal dementia
  • or Parkinson's disease.

There are also known autoimmune diseases of the brain, such as e.g. multiple sclerosis. However, the conditions probably most associated with the brain are strokes, such as ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.

Possible acquired brain diseases are described above, but there are also congenital pathologies of this structure. These include :

  • brainless,
  • cerebral hernia and
  • Arnold-Chiari malformation.
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Category:

Neurology