Summary
Human brain anatomy. 3 levels of observation:- lobes
- areas
- sagittal section
Learning goals
- To list the different parts of the brain.
- To understand brain structure as viewed in saggital section.
- To locate different cerebral functions in lobes and areas.
Learn more
The encephalon, or brain, is that part of the nervous system that lies inside the cranium. It includes the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brain stem. The mass of the brain (about 1.35 kg) makes it the most massive organ in the body.In animal and human anatomy, the cerebrum is the central organ that supervises the whole nervous system. It is divided into two hemispheres (left and right), each of which controls the opposite side of the body. The surface of the cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes (frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal). The fifth lobe, visible in a sagittal section, is hidden in the interior of the fold that separates the temporal and parietal lobes: it is known as the limbic lobe or the cingulated gyrus.
On the functional level, the brain is divided into several areas having specific functions. We distinguish primarily between the motor, sensory, visual and auditory areas. Unlike the motor and sensory areas, the associative areas of the cerebral cortex do not show bilateral symmetry. In these areas, each side of the brain can have a different function. Speech, language use and calculation depend on the left hemisphere, whereas artistic abilities and spatial perception depend on the right.
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