Parts of the Brain

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Parts of the Brain

• By Derrick Yeagle

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Subdivided into six main regions

• Midbrain
• Pons
• Medulla
• Diencephalon
• Cerebrum
• Cerebellum

Brainstem
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Brainstem

• Midbrain, Pons, and
• Medulla make up
• the brainstem
• Brainstem connects to
• the spinal cord
• Brainstem contains
• neurons that relay
• signals from the spinal
• cord to the cerebrum and
• cerebellum

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Midbrain

• Within the midbrain, there are cell bodies
  containing red nucleus which is for controlling
  muscle coordination and maintains posture

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Pons

• Contains neurons that relay signals for
• Chewing
• sensations to the head and face
• Certain respiratory functions
• Eye movement
• Taste
• Salivation
• Facial expressions
• equilibrium

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Medulla

• Contains tracts that travel in both directions
  between the brain and spinal cord
• Various nuclei of the medulla transmits nerve
  impulses that control
• Heart rate
• Constriction
• Dilation of blood vessels
• Blood pressure
• Swallowing
• sneezing

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Diencephalon

• Composed of two major compartments
• Thalamus
• Complex of nuclei that facilitate hearing, taste,
  vision, sensation, wakefulness, voluntary motor
  control
• Hypothalamus
• Collection of nuclei that controls the autonomic
  nervous system, secretion from various glands,
  heart rate, movement of food in the intestines,
  rage, aggression, body temperature, hunger,
  thirst, sleep

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Cerebrum
CEREBRUM
Two Hemispheres

• Accounts for approximately 80 of total mass of
  the brain
• Uppermost 2-to 4-mm layer of the cerebrum is
  crammed with cell bodies and neuroglia, called
  the cerebral cortex

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Cerebral Cortex

• Functions
• Human consciousness
• Motor skills
• Awareness of subtle variations in the external
  environment
• Language
• Reasoning
• Imaginations
• Composed of regions with specific neuronal
  responsibilities

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Beneath the cerebral cortex

• Number of different nuclei
• Basal ganglia contain a number of different
  nuclei and subdivisions within some of these
  nuclei
• Caudate nucleus
• Putamen
• Globus pallidus
• Subthalamic nucleus
• Nuclei interconnect with neurons of the cerebral
  cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus and control
  involuntary skeletal muscle movements

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Other neuronal structures

• Limbic system
• Lies deep within the cerebrum near the
  diencephalon and midbrain
• Hipocampus
• Component of the limbic system
• Contributes to emotional states, such as fear,
  anger, rage, pleasure, and sorrow.
• Also with learning and memory capabilities

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Cerebellum

• Located in lower posterior portion of the brain
• Responsible for responding to signals from
  muscles, tendons, joints, and sense organs
• Controls skeletal muscle contractions,
  coordination, muscle tone, balance and posture

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References

• Pasternak,Jack. An Introduction to Human
  Genetics. pg. 400-401.