Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Introduction To Different Brain Functions

Most of us would agree that our brain is an amazing organ. It controls virtually every part of our bodies and allows us to learn and process complex information almost instantaneously and easily. The brain is also the organ that consumes the most energy of our body. It is said that the brain is composed of 100 billions neurons (latest study put that number to 70 billions). It is also a very fragile organ and any injury could have a dramatic impact on the cognitive and intellectual abilities of the concerned individual. Understanding the different brain parts is key to better understand your brain and ultimately yourself. So let’s explore brain function in different areas of our minds.

The cerebral cortex is a very large portion of our brain. It is the outermost layer and allows us to analyze sensory data like sight and sound. It also controls many memory functions and helps us to learn new information and make decisions.

The frontal lobe is another very critical part of our brain. It plays a critical role in cognition and memory. The prefrontal area of the frontal lobe provides us with the ability to concentrate. It is also called the Gatekeeper since it provides us with judgment and inhibition. This area also controls and influences many personality and emotional traits.

This area of our brain also plays a very important role in controlling our movements and in balance. We could not stand or walk otherwise.

And our ability to speak is controlled in this area of our brains as well.

The parietal lobe helps us to keep our bodies in balance as well as process sensory information.

And the occipital lobe is a critical area which provides us with the ability to discriminate visual information. Without this function, we might be able to discern an object but we would have no idea what it was or what it meant.

The temporal lobe is the area most closely associated with language and response to auditory stimuli. It is also the area where memory is accessed and processed.

The hypothalamus performs some automatic functions such as regulation of body temperature and endocrine function. And it can control a stress function such as a fight or flight response.

This area can also control appetite and it is the pleasure center of our brains.

The thalamus is the processing center of the cortex. It controls both automatic functions as well as some controlled functions such as affection.

Our ability to assess and understand different functions of the brain has developed and improved over many years. Scientists have amassed a great deal of knowledge in these areas.

However there is still much to be learned. And there have been many instances where certain areas of the brain which have been damaged can have other areas retrained to perform the same functions.

In any case this research and study has helped us to better understand how different areas of our brain function and how they can be affected by a variety of circumstances and situations. For example, brain training can have a great impact on your brain and cognitive abilities. New research has shown that a healthy brain is a fundamental aspect of a healthy lifestyle.

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