The brain is a fascinating yet complex organ that controls thoughts, emotions, memories, touch, motor skills, vision, hunger, temperature, breathing and every process that regulates our body. Together with spinal cord that extends from it, they make up the central nervous system, or CNS.
The brain weighs about 3 pounds in the average adult, and is made of about 60% fat. The other 40% is a combination of water, protein, carbohydrates and salts. The brain itself is not a muscle. It contains blood vessels and nerves, including neurons and glial cells.
The brain is made up of several parts called lobes. The cerebellum is the size of a fist and it is located at the back of the head, between the temporal and occipital lobes. The outer portion contains neurons, and the inner area communicates with the cerebral cortex. The cerebellum is in charge of coordinating voluntary muscle movements and maintaining posture, balance and equilibrium.
The largest lobe of the brain is the frontal lobe. As its name suggests, it is located in the front of the head, and it is involved in personality characteristics, decision-making and movement. Some parts of the frontal lobe are also involved in smell recognition. The frontal lobe contains Broca’s area, which is associated with speech ability.
The parietal lobe helps a person identify objects and understand spatial relationships, in terms of comprehending where a person is in relation to the objects surrounding them. Interpretation of pain and the sense of touch are also associated with the parietal lobe. It is located in the middle of the brain, and inside the parietal lobe is Wernicke’s area, which helps the brain understand spoken language.
The occipital lobe is the back part of the brain that is involved with vision. The sides of the brain, temporal lobes are involved in short-term memory, speech, musical rhythm and some degree of smell recognition.