The Human BrainThe “heart” of the Nervous System

By Michal Peters

The Brain

“The brain is center of the nervous system in all vertebrae and most invertebrate animals. In vertebrates, the brain is located in head, protected by the skull and close to the primary sensory apparatus of vision, hearing, balance, taste, and smell.”

Wikipedia , The free Encyclopedia

Six Main Regions of the Brain

Telencephalon – cerebral hemispheres; the largest of the divisions of the human brain, and it is what subserves language

Diencephalon – thalamus and hypothalamus functions as a relay system between sensory input neurons and other parts of the brain, as an interactive site for the central nervous and endocrine systems;

Mesencephalon – midbrain; contains nuclei for certain auditory and visual reflexes

Cerebellum -modulates the outputs of other brain systems to make them more precise

Pons –relays signals from the cerebrum to the cerebellum and deals primarily with sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder control, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture

Medulla Oblongata –controls a number of autonomic functions, including respiration and blood pressure

Did you know? The brain produces electrical signals which together with chemical

reactions allows the parts of the body to communicate. Nerves sends these signals throughout the body.

The average brain weighs about 3 lbs. At birth the human brain weighs less than a pound. As a child grows, the number of cells remain relatively stable, however the cells grow in size and the number of connections increase. The human brain reaches its full size at approximately 6 years of

age.

The brain is only 2% of the body's weight, however, it uses 20% of the oxygen supply and gets 20% of the blood flow. Blood vessels (arteries, capillaries, and veins) supply the brain with oxygen and nourishment, and take away wastes. If brain cells do not get oxygen for 3 to 5 minutes, they begin to die.

The Nervous System

The nervous system controls our lives and all of our

body functions. Every action and every response to

anything is coordinated by the nervous system, be it

physical, mental or emotional.

Parts of the Nervous System The Central Nervous System – consists of the brain and

the spinal cord

The Peripheral Nervous System – consists of all the neural tissue that lies outside the central nervous system

Autonomic Nervous System – mainly deals with involuntary responses; it can sometimes act independently from the brain without receiving information from it.

The Sympathetic Division (fight or flight) The Parasympathetic Division (time to rest)

Maintaining a Healthy Brain

Exercise Regularly Get adequate sleep Eat a balanced diet Keep your mind exercised Stay socially engaged Manage Stress Get regular medical check-ups Do not drink or smoke in excess Do not use illegal drugs