Brain

• The brain controls complex behaviours
• It is made of billions of interconnected neurones
• The cerebral cortex is concerned with

  Intelligence

  Consciousness

  Memory

  Language
• The medulla controls


  Unconscious activities

  • Heartbeat
  • Breathing
• Cerebellum controls

  Coordination

  Muscular activity

  Balance
• MRI scans use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to show details of brain structure and functions
• Advantages of MRI scans

  Non-invasive

  Doesn't use ionising radiation

  Safer than CET scans

  Can detect cancer cells and abnormal blood flow
• You can‘t use MRI scans if you have any type of metal joint, as it’s magnetic
• CT scans use X-rays to produce detailed images of parts of your brain and body
• Advantages of CET scans


  It can detect problems e.g damaged bones, internal injuries in the organs, cancer

  Used to determine the location, size and shape of a tumor

  Used to map brain activity
• Disadvantages of CET scans

  Risk of ionising radiation

  When injecting dye it could cause ink poisoning when having too much of it
• EEG scans work by attaching small sensors all over the scalp to detect electrical signals
• Advantages of EEGs 


  Non-invasive

  No electricity is being put inside the body

  Very safe

  Used to detect epilepsy, fits and memory problems

  Detects abnormal changes
• Disadvantages of EEGs

  Can’t detect cancer
• Treating brain damage and disease is difficult because

  It is complex and difficult

  It can be easily damaged

  It is not fully understood what part of the brain does what It is encased within the skull, so it is hard to access
• The hypothalamus is responsible for regulating our body temperature
• Ways scientists can study the brain

  Scans - CT, MRI

  Study people with brain damage

  Electrically stimulate different parts of the brain