Functions and Structures of the Brain and Spinal Cord

Primary function of the cerebrum

Emotions, intelligence, learning, and judgment

Gyri in the brain

Visible bumps on the brain's surface

Part of the brain controlling unconscious coordination of movement and balance

Cerebellum

Structure connecting the right and left hemispheres of the brain

Corpus Callosum

Location of the medulla oblongata

In the lowest part of the brain stem

Main function of the thalamus

Sorting sensory information and relaying it to the cerebrum

Role of the hypothalamus

Regulating homeostasis and basic survival functions

One of the main functions of the pons

Relaying sensory information and regulating blood flow

Lobe of the brain responsible for visual interpretation

Occipital Lobe

Role of the frontal lobe

Emotions, problem-solving, judgment, and impulse control

Lobe processing information related to speech, hearing, and memory skills

Temporal Lobe

Parietal lobe involvement

Processing signals related to pain, warmth, cold, pressure, and movement

Total surface area of the cerebral cortex

324 square inches

Information storage comparison of the human brain to the Encyclopedia Britannica

Five times as much

Speed of signals traveling to and from the brain

170 miles per hour

Folding by sulci and gyri in the brain

Helps to fit more cerebral cortex into the skull

Role of the cerebral cortex

Controlling body movements and processing information from the sense organs

Part of the brain responsible for regulating blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and swallowing

Brain Stem

Function of the cerebellum

Coordination of movement and balance

Part of the brain controlling autonomic body functions like breathing and heartbeats

Medulla Oblongata

Three main regions of the brain

Forebrain, Midbrain, Hindbrain

Corpus callosum

A thick band of nerve fibers connecting the right and left hemispheres

Side of the brain controlling muscles on the left side of the body

Right side

Right brain dominance

Spatial abilities, face recognition, visual imagery, and music

Left brain dominance

Language, calculations, math, and logical abilities

Components of the forebrain

Cerebrum, thalamus, and hypothalamus

Functions associated with the midbrain

Vision, hearing, motor control, alertness, and temperature regulation

Hindbrain responsibility

Basic functions such as breathing, heart rate, sleep, and respiration

Another name for the hindbrain

Reptilian brain

Effect of damage to one side of the brain

It affects the opposite side of the body

Main regions of the spinal cord

Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacral, Coccygeal

Where the spinal cord starts

At the base of the cranium, at the occipital bone

Pairs of spinal nerves leaving the spinal cord

Thirty-one pairs

Nervous system containing spinal nerves

Peripheral nervous system

Peripheral nervous system

The part of the nervous system that includes all the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.

Thoracic

Region of the spinal cord connected to the armpit.

Cervical

Region of the spinal cord connected to the biceps.

Lumbar

Region of the spinal cord connected to the big toe.

Sacral

Region of the spinal cord connected to the bladder.

Cervical

Region of the spinal cord connected to the diaphragm.

Cranial

Region of the spinal cord connected to the ear.

Cranial

Region of the spinal cord connected to the eye.

Cranial

Region of the spinal cord connected to the frontalis.

Sacral

Region of the spinal cord connected to the gluteus maximus.

Cervical

Region of the spinal cord connected to the heart.

Lumbar

Region of the spinal cord connected to the knee.

Lumbar

Region of the spinal cord connected to the intestines.

Cranial

Region of the spinal cord connected to the lips.

Thoracic

Region of the spinal cord connected to the liver.

Cervical

Region of the spinal cord connected to the lungs.

Cervical

Region of the spinal cord connected to the nose.

Thoracic

Region of the spinal cord connected to the rectus abdominis.

Cervical

Region of the spinal cord connected to the tongue.

Cervical region of the spinal cord

Controls head and neck, diaphragm, deltoids, biceps, wrist extenders, hands, triceps.

Thoracic region of the spinal cord

Controls chest and abdominal muscles.

Lumbar region of the spinal cord

Controls leg muscles.

Sacral region of the spinal cord

Controls sexual, bowel, and bladder function.

Coccyx region of the spinal cord

Located at the bottom of the spine.

Spinal nerves

Attached to the spinal cord by posterior dorsal roots and anterior ventral roots.

Dorsal roots

Comprise sensory neurons that carry information towards the brain and spinal cord.

Ventral roots

Comprise motor neurons that carry information away from the brain and spinal cord.

Gray matter of the spinal cord

Divided into dorsal horns and ventral horns.

Function of the gray matter of the dorsal horn

Receiving sensory information from the dorsal roots of the spinal nerves.

Function of the gray matter of the ventral horn

Containing motor neurons that send signals for movement through the ventral roots.

Interneurons

Unique because they can move signals in both directions and are only found in the central nervous system.

Damage to the brain stem

Can result in the inability to perform essential functions like breathing.

Consequences of brain injuries

Can range from minimal to catastrophic damage to the pathway of an impulse.

Protective layers of the brain

Include hard skull, fluid, and tissues.

Function of the brain stem

Acts as an automatic control center for involuntary actions and a pathway for impulses.

Damage to the spinal cord in an accident

Results in regions below the injury being disconnected from the brain and the rest of the spinal cord.

Injury to the L3 spinal nerve of the lumbar region

Results in all nerves and body parts linked to them below that point stopping functioning.