The brain serves as the control center for functions of the body and allows us to cope with our environment. The brain is a jelly-like substance, which in adults weighs about three pounds. It is divided into three parts: the brain stem, which is an extension of the spinal cord, the forebrain (which consists mainly of the cerebruim) and the cerebellum.

The forebrain and cerebellum are divided into two hemispheres which are linked by a thick band of nerve fibers and these hemispheres have areas, called "lobes," which perform specific functions. The brain's surface lies in rather ugly, wrinkled folds. Traditionally referred to as one's "gray matter," it does, indeed, contain gray nerve cell bodies which surround a smaller mass of white nerve fibers. The brain, like the Heart, is protected by a buffer zone. This, in the form of fluid, may be the source of "water on the brain," but it is very necessary to our survival. Only these pools of fluid and the skull protect the brain from the bumps and grinds of daily living which would damage this fragile organ. With them, we are able to think, reason, love, forgive, create and remember, as well as to survive through automatic processes such as breathing and digesting, and we have reflexes which signal in case of "fight or flight" emergencies.

It is so complex that some theorists believe we will never be able to fully understand it. We do, however, know that each part of the brain has a specific, important function, often a profoundly important function, and each part contributes to the healthy functioning of our body. Brain Stem is located at the bottom of the brain and connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord.

The brain stem controls many vitally important functions including motor and sensory pathways, cardiac and Respiratory functions, and reflexes. Broca’s Area is located in the opercular and triangular sections of the inferior frontal gyrus. The function of this area is the understanding of language, speech, and the control of facial neurons. Cerebellum is located at the lower back of the head and is connected to the brain stem. It is the second largest structure of the brain and is made up of two hemispheres. The cerebellum controls complex motor functions such as walking, balance, posture, and general motor coordination. Cerebrospinal Fluid, also called CSF, is a clear substance that circulates through the brain and spinal cord. It provides nutrients and serves to cushion the brain and therefore protect it from injury. As this fluid gets absorbed, more is produced from the choroid plexus, a structure located in the ventricles. A brain tumor can cause a build-up or blockage of CSF. Cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is associated with conscious thought, movement and sensation. It consists of two halves, each controlling the opposite side of the body. The halves are connected by the corpus callosum, which delivers messages between them. Four lobes make up the cerebrum, the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital.

Frontal lobe is one of the four sections of the cerebral hemisphere. It controls attention, behavior, abstract thinking, problem solving, creative thought, emotion, intellect, initiative, judgment, coordinated movements, muscle movements, smell, physical reactions, and personality. Hypothalamus is a region of the brain in partnership with the Pituitary gland that controls the hormonal processes of the body as well as temperature, mood, hunger, and thirst. Meninges are the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord. A tumor arising from this tissue is called a meningioma. Motor Cortex is an area located in the middle, top part of the brain that helps control movement in various parts of the body. Occipital Lobe of the cerebral hemisphere is located in the back of the head and controls vision. Optic Chiasm is located beneath the hypothalamus and is where the optic nerve crosses over to the opposite side of the brain. Parietal Lobe is one of the four lobes of the cerebral hemisphere. It controls tactile sensation, response to internal stimuli, sensory comprehension, some language, reading, and some visual functions. Pineal gland controls the response to light and dark. The exact role of the Pineal gland is not certain. Pituitary gland is a small, bean-sized organ that is located at the base of the brain and is connected to the hypothalamus by a stalk. The Pituitary gland secretes many essential hormones for growth and sexual maturation. Sensory cortex is located in the front part of the parietal lobe, or in other words, the middle area of the brain. The sensory cortex receives information from the spinal cord about the sense of touch, pressure, pain, and the perception of the position of body parts and their movements. Temporal lobe is one of the four lobes of the cerebral hemisphere of the cerebral hemisphere. It controls auditory and visual memories, language, some hearing and speech, language, plus some behavior. Thalamus is located near the center of the brain and controls input and output to and from the brain, as well as the sensation of pain and attention. Four Ventricles of the brain are connected cavities within the brain, where cerebrospinal fluid is produced. Wernicke’s Area is part of the temporal lobe that surrounds the auditory cortex and is thought to be essential for understanding and formulating speech. Damage in Wernicke’s area causes deficits in understanding spoken language.

The human brain is a complex organ that allows us to think, move, feel, see, hear, taste, and smell. It controls our body, receives information, analyzes information, and stores information (our memories). The brain produces electrical signals, which, together with chemical reactions, let the parts of the body communicate. Nerves send these signals throughout the body.

Cerebral Cortex:

The outermost layer of the cerebral hemisphere which is composed of gray matter. Cortices are asymmetrical. Both hemispheres are able to analyze sensory data, perform memory functions, learn new information, form thoughts and make decisions. Sequential Analysis: systematic, logical interpretation of information. Interpretation and production of symbolic information:language, mathematics, abstraction and reasoning. Memory stored in a language format.

Holistic Functioning: processing multi-sensory input simultaneously to provide "holistic" picture of one's environment. Visual spatial skills. Holistic functions such as dancing and gymnastics are coordinated by the right hemisphere. Memory is stored in auditory, visual and spatial modalities.

Corpus Callosum:

Connects right and left hemisphere to allow for communication between the hemispheres. Forms roof of the lateral and third ventricles.

Frontal Lobe:

Front part of the brain; involved in planning, organizing, problem solving, selective attention, personality and a variety of "higher cognitive functions" including behavior and emotions. The anterior (front) portion of the frontal lobe is called the prefrontal cortex. It is very important for the "higher cognitive functions" and the determination of the personality. The posterior (back) of the frontal lobe consists of the premotor and motor areas. Nerve cells that produce movement are located in the motor areas. The premotor areas serve to modify movements.

Parietal Lobe:

The parietal lobes contain the primary sensory cortex which controls sensation (touch, pressure). Behind the primary sensory cortex is a large association area that controls fine sensation (judgment of texture, weight, size, shape).

Occipital Lobe:

Region in the back of the brain which processes visual information. Not only is the occipital lobe mainly responsible for visual reception, it also contains association areas that help in the visual recognition of shapes and colors. Damage to this lobe can cause visual deficits.

Temporal Lobe:

These lobes allow a person to tell one smell from another and one sound from another. They also help in sorting new information and are believed to be responsible for short-term memory. Right Lobe - Mainly involved in visual memory (i.e., memory for pictures and faces). Left Lobe - Mainly involved in verbal memory (i.e., memory for words and names).

Cerebellum:

The portion of the brain (located at the back) which helps coordinate movement (balance and muscle coordination). Damage may result in ataxia which is a problem of muscle coordination. This can interfere with a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, and to perform other self care tasks.

Brain stem:

The lower extension of the brain where it connects to the spinal cord. Neurological functions located in the brainstem include those necessary for survival (breathing, digestion, Heart rate, blood pressure) and for arousal (being awake and alert). Most of the cranial nerves come from the brainstem. The brainstem is the pathway for all fiber tracts passing up and down from peripheral nerves and spinal cord to the highest parts of the brain.

No Pain in Brain :There is no sense of pain within the brain itself. This fact allows neurosurgeons to probe areas of the brain while the patient is awake. Feedback from the patient during these probes is useful for identifying important regions, such as those for speech, that are spared if possible. Miles and Miles of Neurons: There are one hundred billion neurons in the brain. A stack of one hundred billion pieces of paper would be about 5000 miles high, the distance from San Francisco to London. The "Little Brain": The human cerebellum, or "little brain", weighs about 150 grams. Located at the lower back of the brain, the cerebellum is key to maintaining posture, walking, and performing coordinated movements. It is also thought to play a role in olfaction or smell. Early Brain Growth: During the first month of life, the number of connections or synapses, dramatically increases from 50 trillion to 1 quadrillion. If an infant's body grew at a comparable rate, his weight would increase from 8.5 pounds at birth to 170 pounds at one month old. Brain Uses 20 Percent of Blood: Approximately 20% of the blood flowing from the Heart is pumped to the brain. The brain needs constant blood flow in order to keep up with the heavy metabolic demands of the neurons. Brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) rely on this relationship between neural activity and blood flow to produce images of deduced brain activity. Brain Uses 20% of Oxygen Breathed: Although the brain accounts for only 2% of the whole body's mass, it uses 20% of all the oxygen we breathe. A continuous supply of oxygen is necessary for survival. A loss of oxygen for 10 minutes can result in significant neural damage. Child Brain Development: Measures of brain activity show that during the second half of a child's first year, the prefrontal cortex, the seat of forethought and logic, forms synapses at such a rate that it consumes twice as much energy as an adult brain. That furious pace continues for the child's first decade of life. Abused Children Have Smaller Brains: Parts of the brain of a severely abused and neglected child can be substantially smaller than that of a healthy child. Babies Lose Half their Neurons at Birth: It is estimated that a baby loses about half their neurons before they are born. This process is sometimes referred to as pruning and may eliminate neurons that do not receive sufficient input from other neurons.