5.2.6

The Brain

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The Brain

The brain is a very complex organ that controls all conscious and unconscious thoughts in order to keep an organism alive.

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Brain function

  • The brain is made up of millions of interconnecting neurones (nerve cells).
  • Different regions of the brain are responsible for coordinating (organising) different functions.
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Brain damage

  • The brain is delicate, complex, and not well understood.
  • Therefore, the treatment of brain damage and brain disease is difficult.

Parts of the Brain

The brain is made up of three main parts. They are:

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Cerebellum

  • This part is responsible for the muscle coordination.
  • The cerebellum is important for movement, posture, balance and speech.
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Cerebral cortex

  • This part is responsible for conscious thought (e.g. memory, language and intelligence).
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Medulla

  • This part is responsible for unconscious activities (e.g. breathing and heartbeat).

Researching the Brain

Neuroscientists (scientists who study the brain) have been working for many years to understand how the brain works.

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MRI scanners

  • MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
  • MRI scanners have allowed us to learn which areas of the brain are active during different activities, such as moving, speaking and listening.
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Brain damage

  • By studying patients with brain damage, where part of their brain doesn’t function, neuroscientists have been able to link particular regions of the brain to particular functions.
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Electrical stimulation

  • Electrical stimulation has also allowed us to treat certain disorders of the brain.
  • Because the nervous system communicates using electrical impulses, electrical stimulation is used to help treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (causes tremors).

Jump to other topics

1Cell Biology

2Organisation

2.1Principles of Organisation

2.2Enzymes

2.3Circulatory System

2.4Non-Communicable Diseases

2.5Plant Tissues, Organs & Systems

3Infection & Response

4Bioenergetics

5Homeostasis & Response

6Inheritance, Variation & Evolution

7Ecology

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