The Brain

Cerebrum

The cerebrum is the largest part of the human brain, associated with:

Higher brain function such as thought and action

Each hemisphere is divided into 4 sections called “lobes”

Frontal Lobe

Parietal Lobe

Occipital Lobe

Temporal Lobe

Frontal LobesLocated behind the forehead, the frontal lobes are the largest lobes of the brain.

It is involved in:

Planning

Organizing

Problem Solving

Memory

Impulse Control

Decision making

Controlling our behaviour and emotions

The left frontal lobe plays a large role in speech and language

The Story of Phineas Gage

Parietal Lobes

Located behind the frontal lobes, the parietal lobes are responsible for:

Orientation

Recognition

Perception of stimuli (e.g. touch, hot or cold, pain)

Temporal Lobes

The temporal lobes are located on the sides of the brain under the parietal lobes and behind the front lobes about the level of the ears. They are responsible for:

Recognizing and processing sound

Understanding and producing speech

Various aspects of memory

Occipital Lobes

Located at the lower back of the head, the occipital lobes:

Receive and process visual information

Contain areas that help in perceiving shapes and colours

CerebellumLocated at the back of the brain, the cerebellum controls:

Balance

Movement

Coordination

The cerebellum also allows us to:

Stand upright

Keep our balance

Move around

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is located above the pituitary gland. It is responsible for:

Homeostasis (helps the body regulate its body temperature)

Motivational behaviour (e.g. hunger, thirst)

Pituitary Gland

Located at the base of the brain, the pituitary glands:

Regulates and releases important hormones to our body (e.g. growth and reproductive hormones)

Brain StemLocated at the base of

the brain, the brainstem is composed of the midbrain, the pons and the medulla. It regulates basic involuntary functions necessary for survival such as:

Breathing

Heart rate

Blood pressure

Swallowing

It also plays a role in alertness and sensation

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerve fibers located inside the backbone that connects the brain to different sensory and motor parts of the body

Prac: Sheep Brain Dissection

- Follow the instructions on how to handle the dissection specimen and instruments *BE CAREFUL*

- If the smell of the brain is bothering you, try breathing through your mouth

- Read the discussion questions before you start the prac so you can think about these while you’re dissecting.

- Don’t forget to wash your hands after dissecting

- STAY AT YOUR OWN BENCH. DO NOT MOVE BETWEEN BENCHES

- BE SAFE! SCALPELS ARE SHARP! These must not leave the benches. DO NOT WASH THE SCALPELS. This will be done for you.

- Clean Up: Get the OK from me to clean up first. Fold the newspaper to enclose all the parts of the dissected brain. Place this into the garbage bag specifically for brain waste. DO NOT PUT IT IN THE GARBAGE BIN.

Dorsal

Ventral

Lateral View