lobes of the brain

the cerebrum is divided into four main lobes: the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the temporal lobe, and the occipital lobe, each responsible for different functions including reasoning, motor control, sensory perception, and visual processing, respectively. Additionally, these lobes work in conjunction to support complex cognitive tasks, such as decision making, language comprehension, and spatial awareness. Moreover, understanding the interactions between these lobes is crucial for grasping how the brain coordinates behaviour and cognitive functions.

the cerebrum cortex, outermost layer of the cerebrum, is responsible for receiving information from the environment, and for controlling our responses and for higher order thinking processes including problem solving and planning, and for storing specific long-term memories.

The cortex is very thin (approximately 3 millimetres) and contains billions of neurons. Humans have the greatest number of cognitive abilities and this is why  they also have the largest, most complex cortex of all organisms.

temperal lobe - located on the sides of the brain aboutt about the klevel of the ears

Functions of the lobes include:

·Recognising and processing sound

·Recognise and understand language

·Various aspects of memory

Damage to the lobe/s may result in:

·Hearing loss

·Language comprehension problems

·Sensory problems (e.g. inability to recognise a familiar person’s face).

Parietal lobe - located behind the frontal lobes in the left and right cerebral hemospheres

Functions of the lobes include:

•The primary sensory cortex receives sensory information (touch, hot or cold, pain) from various parts of the body.

•Proprioception (the body’s ability to sense movement, action and location) which tells us which way is up and keeps us from bumping into things.

Damage to the lobe/s may result in:

•Inability to locate parts of your body

•Inability to recognise parts of your body.

occipital lobe - located at the bakc of the head in the left and right cerebral hemispheres

Functions of the lobes include:

•Receive and process visual information

•Contain areas that help in perceiving shapes and colours.

Damage to the lobe/s may result in:

•Visual field defects

•Distorted perceptions of size, colour and shape.

Cerebellum

The cerebellum is a separate structure located at the rear base of the brain. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘little brain’.

•The cerebellum coordinates our sensations with responses from our muscles, enabling most of our voluntary movements.

•It also processes nerve impulses from the inner ear and coordinates them with muscle movement, thus helping us maintain balance and posture.

Functions of the lobes include:

•Balance

•Movement

•Coordination

•Formation and storage of procedural memories.

Damage to the lobe/s may result in:

•Uncoordinated movement

•Loss of muscle tone

•An unsteady gait.

Brain stem

The brainstem is the distal part of the brain that is made up of the midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata.

•The brainstem helps regulates breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and consciousness.

•It controls the flow of messages between the brain and the rest of the body, and provides motor and sensory functions to the face and neck. All information relayed to and from the cerebellum passes through the brainstem.

Functions of the brainstem include:

•Consciousness

•Breathing

•Heart Rate

•Sleep

Damage to the brainstem may result in:

•Coma

•Paralysis

•Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) food and liquids

•Respiratory problems/ failure

•Sudden cardiac arrest