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The Brain
Together, the brain and spinal cord form the central
nervous system. This complex system is part of everything we do. It
controls the things we choose to do--like walk and talk--and the things
our body does automatically--like breathe and digest food. The central
nervous system is also involved with our senses--seeing, hearing,
touching, tasting, and smelling--as well as our emotions, thoughts, and
memory.
The brain is a soft, spongy mass of nerve cells
and supportive tissue.
It has three major parts: the cerebrum,
the cerebellum,
and the brain
stem. The parts work together, but each has special functions.
The cerebrum, the largest part of the brain, fills
most of the upper skull. It has two halves called the left and right cerebral
hemispheres. The cerebrum uses information from our senses to tell
us what is going on around us and tells our body how to respond. The
right hemisphere controls the muscles on the left side of the body, and
the left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the body.
This part of the brain also controls speech and emotions as well as
reading, thinking, and learning.
The cerebellum, under the cerebrum at the back of
the brain, controls balance and complex actions like walking and
talking.
The brain stem connects the brain with the spinal
cord. It controls hunger and thirst and some of the most basic body
functions, such as body temperature, blood pressure, and breathing.
The brain is protected by the bones of the skull
and by a covering of three thin membranes
called meninges.
The brain is also cushioned and protected by cerebrospinal
fluid. This watery fluid is produced by special cells in the four
hollow spaces in the brain, called ventricles.
It flows through the ventricles and in spaces between the meninges.
Cerebrospinal fluid also brings nutrients from the blood to the brain
and removes waste products from the brain.
The spinal cord is made up of bundles of nerve
fibers. It runs down from the brain through a canal in the center of the
bones of the spine. These bones protect the spinal cord. Like the brain,
the spinal cord is covered by the meninges and cushioned by
cerebrospinal fluid.
Spinal nerves connect the brain with the nerves in
most parts of the body. Other nerves go directly from the brain to the
eyes, ears, and other parts of the head. This network of nerves carries
messages back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body.
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