SB2e- The Brain

• What are the different parts of the brain?

  Cerebal cortex, Cerebellum, Brain stem, Medulla, Hypothamalus

  
• How many hemispheres is the cerebral cortex split into?


  2
• What is the role of the cerebral cortex?


  • Interpreting senses like hearing or vision
  • Memory
  • Consiousness
• What is the role of the cerebellum?


  • Muscle coordination
  • Balance
• What is the role of the Medulla?


  • Coordinating unconscious activities

  eg, heart rate and breathing
• Where is the Medulla found?

  In the brain stem
• What is the role of the hypothalamus?


  • Regulates body temperature
  • Sends signals to the pituitary gland
• Studying the brain involves matching specific regions of the brain with specific functions.

  What are the three main ways that scientists can do this?

  • Study people with brain damage (When ppl have a stroke that could cause hearing loss, we can see what part of the brain controls that by seeing what was damaged)
  • Electrically stimulate different parts of the brain with electrodes (Stimulating different parts could trigger different things, eg a muscle contracting)
  • Scan the brain, using CT, PET, MRI, or fMRI scanners
• Why is treating the brain so difficult?

  -There is a huge range of things that can go wrong, from mental illness to infection

  -It is encased within the skull, so is hard to access

  -It is very complicated, so hard to target with medications, and there is still a lot humans don't know about it.