Human brain

Human brain is the central organ of the human nervous system, and with the spinal cord makes up the central nervous system. The brain consists of the cerebrum, the brainstem and the cerebellum. It controls most of the activities of the body, processing, integrating, and coordinating the information it receives from the sense organs, and making decisions as to the instructions sent to the rest of the body.

Structure

The human brain is the structure of a human being's nervous system. It is located in the head, protected by the skull. It has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is larger than expected on the basis of body size among other primates.

Cerebrum

The largest part of the human brain is the cerebrum, which is divided into two cerebral hemispheres. The cerebral cortex is an outer layer of grey matter, covering the core of white matter. The cortex is split into the neocortex and the much smaller allocortex.

Brainstem

The brainstem is the posterior part of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord. In the human brain, the brainstem includes the midbrain, and the pons and medulla oblongata of the hindbrain.

Cerebellum

The cerebellum is a large structure located at the back of the brain, to which it is connected by a set of tracks. It is involved in the coordination of movements and to motor learning.

Function

The brain controls the other organ systems of the body, either by activating muscles or by causing secretion of chemicals such as hormones. This centralized control allows rapid and coordinated responses to changes in the environment.

See also

• Neuroscience
• Neuroanatomy
• Neurophysiology

References

Human brain Resources
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