The human brain, just like all the other parts of our body is unique. It gives us the power to speak, think and to solve problems. It works by using the electrical and chemical process to take in, organize, interpret, store and use information. The nervous system is divided into central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord and they are the decision makers of the body. Sensory information gathering and action transmission occurs in the PNS. The brain consists of approximately 100 billion neurons and it is the smallest building block in the brain. They connect and carry messages to and from the nervous systems. There are different types of neurons namely afferent or sensory which
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They also consist of Myelin sheath- a white fatty covering, Glial cell which insulates and supports neurons. The messages that neurons carry are the nerve impulses called action potentials which travel down axons at different speeds. Neurons are so closely interweaved that it is difficult to see where one ends even with a microscope. These tiny gaps between the axon of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell of the receiving neuron is called the synapses. Each neuron is a miniature decision-making device, reacting to signals it receives from hundreds, even thousands, of other neurons. Some of these neurons are excitatory and others are inhibitory. If the excitatory signals exceed the inhibitory signals by a minimum intensity, the combined signals trigger an action potential and the neurons then fires, sending an impulse down its axon, carrying information to the other cells. These neurons either fire or they don’t. It doesn’t vary in intensity and this is known as all-or-none responses. At the synapse, these impulses trigger the release of neuron-produced chemicals that cross synapses to carry messages to other neurons or cells. These chemical messages are called …show more content…
Brain structures determine our abilities. In advanced mammals, such as humans, can process information and plan. These complexities arise from the new brain systems built on the top of the old. The brains oldest and innermost region is the brain stem. It is where the spinal cord swells slightly after entering the skull. This slight swelling is the medulla. It crosses from side to the opposite side of the brain. Medulla controls the heartbeat and breathing. Just above the medulla is the Pons, a brainstem area that helps coordinate movements. It helps regulate sleep and wake cycle. At the top of the brain stem is the thalamus. It is the brain’s sensory control center. Thalamus receives information from all your senses except smell. Inside the brain stem, between the ears, lies your reticular formation. These neuron network extends upward from the spinal cord through the brainstem and into the thalamus. It acts as a filter for some of the sensory messages, relaying important information to other brain areas, and controlling arousal. Then comes the cerebellum, also called the “Little brain”. It coordinates voluntary but unconscious movements like walking and speaking. The cerebellum helps judge time, discriminate sounds and textures, and control emotions. It also helps process and store memories for things that cannot be consciously recalled such as driving a car. Between the oldest and newest areas lies the limbic
They also consist of Myelin sheath- a white fatty covering, Glial cell which insulates and supports neurons. The messages that neurons carry are the nerve impulses called action potentials which travel down axons at different speeds. Neurons are so closely interweaved that it is difficult to see where one ends even with a microscope. These tiny gaps between the axon of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell of the receiving neuron is called the synapses. Each neuron is a miniature decision-making device, reacting to signals it receives from hundreds, even thousands, of other neurons. Some of these neurons are excitatory and others are inhibitory. If the excitatory signals exceed the inhibitory signals by a minimum intensity, the combined signals trigger an action potential and the neurons then fires, sending an impulse down its axon, carrying information to the other cells. These neurons either fire or they don’t. It doesn’t vary in intensity and this is known as all-or-none responses. At the synapse, these impulses trigger the release of neuron-produced chemicals that cross synapses to carry messages to other neurons or cells. These chemical messages are called …show more content…
Brain structures determine our abilities. In advanced mammals, such as humans, can process information and plan. These complexities arise from the new brain systems built on the top of the old. The brains oldest and innermost region is the brain stem. It is where the spinal cord swells slightly after entering the skull. This slight swelling is the medulla. It crosses from side to the opposite side of the brain. Medulla controls the heartbeat and breathing. Just above the medulla is the Pons, a brainstem area that helps coordinate movements. It helps regulate sleep and wake cycle. At the top of the brain stem is the thalamus. It is the brain’s sensory control center. Thalamus receives information from all your senses except smell. Inside the brain stem, between the ears, lies your reticular formation. These neuron network extends upward from the spinal cord through the brainstem and into the thalamus. It acts as a filter for some of the sensory messages, relaying important information to other brain areas, and controlling arousal. Then comes the cerebellum, also called the “Little brain”. It coordinates voluntary but unconscious movements like walking and speaking. The cerebellum helps judge time, discriminate sounds and textures, and control emotions. It also helps process and store memories for things that cannot be consciously recalled such as driving a car. Between the oldest and newest areas lies the limbic