topic 4 - The structure and function of the brain

Question 1

how much does the human brain weigh?

Answer 1

1.4kg

Question 2

define the term ‘brain’, what is the function?

Answer 2

the brain is an organ in our head which is made up of nerves that processes information and controls our behaviour.

Question 3

what are the two halves of our brain called?

Answer 3

the left and right hemisphere

Question 4

where is the cerebrum in our brain? and what does it do?

Answer 4

the cerebrum is the upper part of the brain and higher brain processing happens here. it includes the cortex.

Question 5

what is the cortex?

Answer 5

the cortex is the outer layer of the brain. it is like a ‘shell’ that has a lot of folds to increase the surface area.

Question 6

what are ‘gyri’? think about the cortex

Answer 6

it is bumps on the surface of the cortex

Question 7

what are sucli? think about the cortex

Answer 7

it is creases on the cortex

Question 8

why is large surface area good for the human brain?

Answer 8

because the large surface area allows the human brain to have more nerve cells which then allows it to control more functions. Other animals have fewer behavioural functions than humans which is why their brain surface area is less.

Question 9

what is the spinal cord?

Answer 9

the spinal cord is a pathway of nerves inside the spine, which connects the brain to the rest of the body through the peripheral nervous system

Question 10

how is the brain able to communicate with the rest of the body?

Answer 10

through the spinal cord

Question 11

what is the brain stem?

Answer 11

it is the part of the brain which connects the spinal cord to the upper part of the brain

Question 12

what does the brain stem control?

Answer 12

our brain stem controls our reflexes (associated with the reptilian brain)

Question 13

what are reflexes?

Answer 13

reflexes are actions that are automatic and do not require conscious thought.

Question 14

what is the FRONTAL LOBE? the functions and where is it’s position in the brain?

Answer 14

the frontal lobe is important in decision-making and impulse control. This part of the brain also helps control problem solving skills as well as helping us concentrate and pay attention to different activities. Found in the front of the brain.

Question 15

what is the ‘MOTOR CORTEX’? what is the function and where is it’s position in the brain

Answer 15

the motor cortex plays a key role in voluntary movements of the human body, which are ones we have to think about before we do them. An example of this is when we want to kick a football, our motor cortex helps us control this movement. It is found at the back of the frontal lobe.

Question 16

what is the TEMPORAL LOBE? what is the function and where is it’s position in the brain?

Answer 16

the temporal lobe helps us with hearing and processing sounds, understand and creating speech. So it is important for producing and processing sound based information. It is said to contain the auditory cortex. It is found at the side of the brain, in the temples.

Question 17

what is the PARIETAL LOBE? what is the function and where is it’s position in the brain?

Answer 17

the parietal lobe is important for perception, which is understanding the world around us. The parietal lobe gives us the ability for us to identify and recognise faces. The large section at the front of the parietal lobe is responsible for our sense of touch, known as the somatosensory cortex. The parietal lobe is located at the top of the brain, on top of the temporal lobe.

Question 18

what is the OCCIPITAL LOBE? what is the function and where is it’s position in the brain?

Answer 18

the occipital lobe is responsible for our ability to see. It helps us process visual information with our eyes. This lobe is sometimes called the visual cortex because it’s job is controlling all things related to processing visual information.

Question 19

what is the CEREBELLUM? what is the function and where is it’s position in the brain?

Answer 19

the cerebellum is important for our motor skills such as movement, coordination and balance. This part of the brain take sin information from our different sense, our spinal cord and other parts of the brain and combines them to coordinate our behaviour. It is found at the back of the brain near the brainstem.