The human brain, the main organ of the central nervous system, is a complex structure that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger, and every process that regulates our body. It is located in the head, protected by the cranium?.
The brain is made up of several distinct parts, each responsible for different functions. The largest part is the cerebrum, which is responsible for sensory interpretation, thought processing, and voluntary muscle activity. The cerebrum consists of two cerebral hemispheres, each having an inner core composed of white matter, and an outer surface the cerebral cortex composed of grey matter. The cortex has an outer layer, the neocortex, and an inner allocortex.
The cerebral hemispheres in humans have many folds to increase the surface area of the brain. The ridges are called gyri and the grooves are called sulci. Large sulci are often called fissures. The cerebrum is organized into folds called gyri and grooves called sulci. The cerebellum sits behind (posterior) and below (inferior) the cerebrum. The brainstem connects the brain with the spinal cord and exits from the ventral side of the brain.
The cerebral hemispheres of the brain are divided into four lobes. The frontal lobes are the most rostral, located in the front of the brain and are responsible for higher-level executive functions, like attention, critical thinking, and impulse control. The frontal lobes are also the location of the primary motor cortex, the region of the brain responsible for planning and executing movement.
The central sulcus lies caudal to the frontal lobe and divides the frontal lobes from the parietal lobes. The parietal lobes are important for processing sensory information. The primary somatosensory cortex is located in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe and is responsible for the perception of touch and pain.
Three layers of protective covering called meninges surround the brain and the spinal cord. The outermost layer, the dura mater, is thick and tough. It includes two layers: The periosteal layer of the dura mater lines the inner dome of the skull (cranium) and the meningeal layer is below that.
The brain sends and receives chemical and electrical signals throughout the body. Different signals control different processes, and your brain interprets each. Some make you feel tired, for example, while others make you feel pain. Some messages are kept within the brain, while others are relayed through the spine and across the bodys vast network
