6.4 Parts of the Brain

Major parts of the Brain (gross anatomy) are

• Brain stem

• Diencephalon

• Cerebrum

• Cerebellum

• Cranial Meninges

The Brain stem is broken down into

medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain

Cerebrum

The wrinkly part

• most superior and largest part

• surface is covered with gray matter = cerebral cortex

• Deeper tissue is white matter, which means it’s myelinated

• Contains gyri and sulci

Gyri

Surface folds

Sulci

Groves between lobes

How many hemispheres is the cerebrum divided into

2

• left and right

Cerebrum hemispheres are divided by

longitudinal fissure

The cerebrum is connected by the

corpus callosum

Corpus Callosum

allows the 2 brain hemispheres to communicate

Each hemisphere has how many loves

4

• defined by sulci and function

4 lobes of cerebrum

frontal, parietal, Occipital, temporal

What sides of the body does each hemisphere control?

brain controls opposite sides of the body: all sensory and motor pathways cross in CNS: Left controls right and right controls left

Left Hemisphere Importance

spoken and written language, numerical and scientific skills, and reasoning

Right Hemisphere Importance

spatial and pattern recognition, emotional content.

Motor Area

• controls voluntary muscles

Sensory Area

• Skin sensations (temp, pain, pressure)

Frontal Lobe

• Movement

• Problem solving

• thinking/focusing

• behavior, mood, personality

Broca’s Area (left side only)

• Speech control

Temporal Lobe

• Hearing

• Language

• Memory

Brain Stem

• consciousness

• breathing

• heart rate

Parietal Lobe

• Sensations

• Perception

• Body Awareness

• Attention

Occipital Lobe

• Vision

• Depth Perception

Wernicke’s Area (left side only)

• Language Comprehension

Cerebellum

• Posture

• Balance

• Movement coordination

Cerebellum

• Separated by: Transverse Fissure

• Posterior to medulla and pons, inferior to cerebrum

• Has Arbor Vitae

• Function: Movement and Coordination

Arbor Vitae

tree like structure that house white matter/nuclei

Brain Stem consists of

medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain

• attached to spinal cord

Medulla Oblongata

Vital bodily functions

• Ex. Heart rate, breathing, swallowing, coughing, vomiting

Pons

Acts as a bridge for sensory signals

• coordinates breathing and sleep with medulla

• relays info to diencephalon and cerebellum

Midbrain

Connects pons to diencephalon

• Involved in: tracking visual stimuli, auditory inputs, startle reflex.