While the brain works together, there are three distinct parts that play individual roles. These parts are the cerebrum, brainstem, and cerebellum, and are made up of what is known as gray matter and white matter. Gray matter is the darker outer layer of the brain and is "primarily responsible for processing and interpreting information", while white matter is the lighter layer underneath that sends signals to other parts of the body (the spinal cord works in reverse with the white matter on the outside and gray matter inside). Here's how the sections of the brain work:
Cerebrum- When we think of what the brain looks like, we're actually picturing the cerebrum. This is the largest part of the brain and is made up of gray matter (cerebral cortex) and white matter. This part of the brain is divided into two parts that communicate through connecting nerves called the corpus callosum, and control the opposite sides of the body meaning the left side of the cerebrum controls the right side of the body and vice versa. The cerebrum is responsible for movement, regulating temperature, enabling speech, judgment, thinking and reasoning, problem-solving, emotions, and learning. It also plays a role in our senses.
Brainstem- The brainstem is located in the middle of the brain and connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord, and is made up of the midbrain (or mesencephalon), pons, and medulla oblongata. If you're like me and haven't heard these terms since taking anatomy in high school, here's a quick guide on what they do from Lumen Learning:
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Midbrain - Associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wake cycles, alertness, and temperature regulation.
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Pons - Pons is a part of the metencephalon and is located between the medulla oblongata and the midbrain. "It contains tracts that carry signals from the cerebrum to the medulla and to the cerebellum."
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Medulla oblongata - Located at the bottom of the brainstem and connected to the top of the spinal cord, the medulla oblongata "contains the cardiac, respiratory, vomiting, and vasomotor centers regulating heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure."
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Cerebellum- Cerebellum actually means "little brain", because it so closely resembles what the cerebrum looks like - but smaller! Located at the back of the head, the cerebellum is responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movements and maintaining posture, balance, and equilibrium.
A quick word about lobes. When discussing brain function and health, our "lobes" often come up. That's because our brain's hemispheres are divided into four parts or "lobes" that play pretty specific parts in bodily functions.
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The frontal lobes: Control thinking, planning, organizing, problem-solving, short-term memory, and movement.
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The parietal lobes:Interpret sensory information such as feeling, touching, and tasting.
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The occipital lobes: Process images from the eyes and plays a role in linking images and memory.
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The temporal lobes: In addition to having a key role in memory storage, the temporal lobes process information from your senses of smell, taste, and sound.