Psychology Study Material: Functions of the Various Structures of the Brain
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The Brain
- The centre of the nervous system.
- The vital organ that is responsible for the functions of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, thinking, feeling, remembering, speaking, dreaming, information processing, and a lot more.
- The regulator of basic survival functions such as breathing, resting and feeding.
- It is responsible for abstract level functions such as decision making, foresight, and problem solving.
- The spinal cord is an information highway connecting the PNS to the brain.
- Information travels to and from the brain by way of spinal cord.
Functions of the Various Structures of the Brain
- Regulation of the internal systems
- Reproduction
- Sensation
- Motion
- Adaptation to the varying environmental demands.
Structure of Brain
The deeply grooved structure lies safely and securely in our skull.
- The average adult human brain weighs 1.3 to 1.4 kg (approx. 3 pounds) .
- If you look at it from the outside the brain is pinkish Gray in colour; soft, spongy, and mottled.
- The brain contains billions of nerve cells (neurons) and trillions of “support cells” .
Parts of the Brain
The brain is made of three main parts:
- Fore brain
- Mid brain
- Hind brain
Fore Brain
- Cerebrum
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
- Limbic system
Mid Brain
- Tectum
- Tegmentum
- Reticular formation
- Substantia nigra
Hind Brain
- Cerebellum
- Pons
- Medulla oblongata