How brain Functions

The human brain is the center of the human nervous system. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

The human brain is the center of the nervous system in animals. All vertebrates, and the majority of invertebrates, have a brain.

Brain Anatomy and Functions Video

The brain has the size and appearance of a small cauliflower. But thanks to its 100 billion nerve cells, we can think, plan, talk, imagine, and so much more. The brain has two cerebral hemispheres. Each takes care of one side of the body, but the controls are crossed: the right hemisphere takes care of the left side, and vice versa. If each hemisphere were unfolded, it would be the size of an extra-large pizza! For this reason, the brain must fold over on itself many times to fit into the skull.

The brain monitors and regulates the body's actions and reactions. It continuously receives sensory information, and rapidly analyzes this data and then responds, controlling bodily actions and functions. The brainstem controls breathing, heart rate, and other autonomic processes that are independent of conscious brain functions. The neocortex is the center of higher-order thinking, learning, and memory. The cerebellum is responsible for the body's balance, posture, and the coordination of movement.

The human brain controls the central nervous system by way of the cranial nerves and spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system and regulates virtually all human activity. The human brain is made up of over 100 billion nerve cells with each brain cell connected to around 10,000 other cells, which equals around 1000 trillion connections in your brain. View further Human Brain Facts and Answers.

Glossary of words used to define various parts and actions relating to the human brain. There are more named components to the human brain than you may think, as per usual medical naming most of the glossary of terms used to describe parts of the brain are from Latin, see the Definitions of Human Brain Components.