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Understanding Brain Anatomy and Functions

Apr 22, 2025

Your Brain: An Introduction to Its Anatomy

By: Rachel Kimball

Introduction

  • The brain is essential for human consciousness, coordination of voluntary movement, and regulation of nonconscious processes.
  • The anatomy of the brain is complex and fascinating.
  • Fun Facts:
    • Average person has 12,000-60,000 thoughts a day.
    • Human brain triples in size in the first year of life.
    • Brain gets smaller with age.
    • No pain receptors in the brain; headaches result from nerve reactions outside the brain.
    • Average brain contains 100 billion neurons and is 75% water.

Lobes of the Brain

  • Each lobe has distinct functions.
  • Damage to lobes results in serious complications.

Frontal Lobe

  • Anatomy:
    • Located behind the forehead; largest lobes.
    • Contains Broca's area (controls speech muscles).
  • Function:
    • Speech & language production, motor skills, empathy, personality, motivation, attention.
  • Damage Effects:
    • Paralysis, Broca’s Aphasia, focus issues, reduced motivation, personality changes, mood swings, impulse control difficulty.

Parietal Lobe

  • Anatomy:
    • Located near back/top of head, behind frontal lobe.
  • Function:
    • Sensations (touch, pressure, pain, etc.), spatial awareness, language understanding, math problem-solving.
  • Damage Effects:
    • Difficulty distinguishing left/right, spatial disorientation, reading problems (alexia), math difficulties (dyscalculia), movement issues (apraxia).

Occipital Lobe

  • Anatomy:
    • Rear upper brain, divided by central cerebral fissure.
    • Primary visual cortex.
  • Function:
    • Depth perception, color and distance perception, face and object recognition, visual integration.
  • Damage Effects:
    • Blindness, difficulty with colors/shapes, face recognition, motion detection, hallucinations, epilepsy.

Temporal Lobe

  • Anatomy:
    • Bottom middle brain, behind temples.
    • Includes auditory cortex and Wernicke’s area.
  • Function:
    • Long-term memory, emotion, sound interpretation, part of limbic system.
  • Damage Effects:
    • Verbal memory issues, musical skill impairment, directional trouble, hearing problems, learning difficulties.

Cerebellum

  • Anatomy:
    • Back & bottom of brain, behind brainstem.
  • Function:
    • Balance, movement coordination, eye movements, motor learning, potential role in thinking and emotions.
  • Damage Effects:
    • Muscle control loss, speech difficulties, mobility issues, ataxia.

Brainstem

  • Anatomy:
    • Composed of midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
  • Function:
    • Swallowing, breathing, blood pressure control, sensory processing, heartbeat regulation.
  • Damage Effects:
    • Speech disorders, vestibular issues, swallowing difficulties, demyelination, infections, respiratory issues.

Conclusion

  • Each brain part serves a unique purpose, and effective collaboration is crucial.
  • Damage to any lobe affects functionality.
  • Future posts will cover brain injuries and safety.

Sources

  • Britannica, Medical News Today, DK Publishing 2013.