ANATOMY OF BRAIN

BY: DR. NAMRA KANWAL

BRAIN

• The brain is a complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion,

touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and every
process that regulates our body. Together, the brain and spinal cord that
extends from it make up the central nervous system, or CNS.
WHAT IS THE BRAIN MADE OF?

• Weighing about 3 pounds in the average adult, the brain is about 60% fat.
The remaining 40% is a combination of water, protein, carbohydrates and
salts. The brain itself is a not a muscle. It contains blood vessels and nerves,
including neurons and glial cells.
• (Glial cells are a type of cell that provides physical and chemical support to neurons and
maintain their environment. Located in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous
system, glial cells are sometimes called the "glue" of the nervous system, as well as
neuroglia or just glia.)
GREY MATTER AND WHITE MATTER

• Gray and white matter are two different regions of the central nervous
system. In the brain, gray matter refers to the darker, outer portion, while
white matter describes the lighter, inner section underneath.
• In the spinal cord, this order is reversed: The white matter is on the outside,
and the gray matter sits within.
• Gray matter is primarily composed of neuron somas (the round central cell
bodies), and white matter is mostly made of axons (the long stems that
connects neurons together) wrapped in myelin (a protective coating). The
different composition of neuron parts is why the two appear as separate
shades on certain scans.
• Each region serves a different role. Gray matter is primarily responsible for
processing and interpreting information, while white matter transmits that
information to other parts of the nervous system.
HOW DOES THE BRAIN WORK?

• The brain sends and receives chemical and electrical signals throughout the
body. Different signals control different processes, and your brain interprets
each. Some make you feel tired, for example, while others make you feel
pain.
• Some messages are kept within the brain, while others are relayed through
the spine and across the body’s vast network of nerves to distant extremities.
To do this, the central nervous system relies on billions of neurons (nerve
cells).
MAIN PARTS

• Cerebrum
• Cerebellum
• Brainstem
ANATOMY

• At a high level, the brain can be divided into the cerebrum, brainstem and
cerebellum.
CEREBRUM

• The cerebrum (front of brain) comprises gray matter (the cerebral cortex)
and white matter at its center. The largest part of the brain, the cerebrum
initiates and coordinates movement and regulates temperature. Other areas
of the cerebrum enable speech, judgment, thinking and reasoning, problem-
solving, emotions and learning. Other functions relate to vision, hearing,
touch and other senses.
CEREBRAL CORTEX

• Cortex is Latin for “bark,” and describes the outer gray matter covering of the
cerebrum. The cortex has a large surface area due to its folds, and comprises
about half of the brain’s weight.
• The cerebral cortex is divided into two halves, or hemispheres. It is covered with
ridges (gyri) and folds (sulci). The two halves join at a large, deep.
• The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body, and the left half controls
the right side of the body. The two halves communicate with one another
through a large, C-shaped structure of white matter and nerve pathways called
the corpus callosum. The corpus callosum is in the center of the cerebrum.
BRAINSTEM

• The brainstem (middle of brain) connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord.
The brainstem includes the midbrain, the pons and the medulla.
• Midbrain. The midbrain (or mesencephalon) is a very complex structure with
a range of different neuron clusters (nuclei and colliculi), neural pathways
and other structures. These features facilitate various functions, from
hearing and movement to calculating responses and environmental
changes. The midbrain also contains the substantia nigra, an area affected
by Parkinson’s disease that is rich in dopamine neurons and part of the basal
ganglia, which enables movement and coordination.
• Pons. The pons is the origin for four of the 12 cranial nerves, which enable a
range of activities such as tear production, chewing, blinking, focusing
vision, balance, hearing and facial expression. Named for the Latin word for
“bridge,” the pons is the connection between the midbrain and the medulla.
• Medulla. At the bottom of the brainstem, the medulla is where the brain
meets the spinal cord. The medulla is essential to survival. Functions of the
medulla regulate many bodily activities, including heart rhythm, breathing,
blood flow, and oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. The medulla produces
reflexive activities such as sneezing, vomiting, coughing and swallowing.
CEREBELLUM

• The cerebellum (“little brain”) is a fist-sized portion of the brain located at the
back of the head, below the temporal and occipital lobes and above the
brainstem. Like the cerebral cortex, it has two hemispheres. The outer
portion contains neurons, and the inner area communicates with the
cerebral cortex. Its function is to coordinate voluntary muscle movements
and to maintain posture, balance and equilibrium.
MENINGES OF BRAIN (BRAIN COVERING)

• Three layers of protective covering called meninges surround the brain and
the spinal cord.
• The outermost layer, the dura mater, is thick and tough. It includes two
layers: The periosteal layer of the dura mater lines the inner dome of the
skull (cranium) and the meningeal layer is below that. Spaces between the
layers allow for the passage of veins and arteries that supply blood flow to
the brain.
• The arachnoid mater is a thin, weblike layer of connective tissue that does
not contain nerves or blood vessels. Below the arachnoid mater is the
cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF. This fluid cushions the entire central nervous
system (brain and spinal cord) and continually circulates around these
structures to remove impurities.
• The pia mater is a thin membrane that attaches to the surface of the brain
and follows its contours. The pia mater is rich with veins and arteries.
LOBES OF THE BRAIN AND WHAT THEY CONTROL

• Each brain hemisphere (parts of the cerebrum) has four sections, called
lobes:
• frontal,
• parietal,
• temporal
• occipital.
Each lobe controls specific functions.
• Frontal lobe. The largest lobe of the brain, located in the front of the head,
the frontal lobe is involved in personality characteristics, decision-making
and movement. Recognition of smell usually involves parts of the frontal
lobe. The frontal lobe contains Broca’s area, which is associated with speech
ability.
• Occipital lobe. The occipital lobe is the back part of the brain that is involved
with vision.
• Parietal lobe. The middle part of the brain, the parietal lobe helps a person
identify objects and understand spatial relationships (where one’s body is
compared with objects around the person). The parietal lobe is also involved
in interpreting pain and touch in the body. The parietal lobe houses
Wernicke’s area, which helps the brain understand spoken language.
Temporal lobe. The sides of the brain, temporal lobes are involved in short-
term memory, speech, musical rhythm and some degree of smell
recognition.
DEEPER STRUCTURES IN BRAIN

• Pituitary Gland
• Sometimes called the “master gland,” the pituitary gland is a pea-sized structure
found deep in the brain behind the bridge of the nose. The pituitary gland
governs the function of other glands in the body,
• Hypothalamus
• The hypothalamus is located above the pituitary gland and sends it chemical
messages that control its function. It regulates body temperature, synchronizes
sleep patterns, controls hunger and thirst and also plays a role in some aspects of
memory and emotions
• Amygdala
• Small, almond-shaped structures, an amygdala is located under each half (hemisphere) of
the brain. The amygdalae regulate emotion and memory and are associated with the
brain’s reward system, stress, and the “fight or flight” response when someone perceives a
threat.
• Hippocampus
• A curved seahorse-shaped organ on the underside of each temporal lobe, the
hippocampus is part of a larger structure called the hippocampal formation. It supports
memory, learning, navigation and perception of space. It receives information from the
cerebral cortex and may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease.
• Pineal Gland
• The pineal gland is located deep in the brain and attached by a stalk to the
top of the third ventricle. The pineal gland responds to light and dark and
secretes melatonin, which regulates circadian rhythms and the sleep-wake
cycle.
VENTRICLES

• Deep in the brain are four open areas with passageways between them. They
also open into the central spinal canal and the area beneath arachnoid layer of
the meninges.
• The ventricles manufacture cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, a watery fluid that
circulates in and around the ventricles and the spinal cord, and between the
meninges. CSF surrounds and cushions the spinal cord and brain, washes out
waste and impurities, and delivers nutrients.
BLOOD SUPPLY

• Two sets of blood vessels supply blood and oxygen to the brain: the vertebral arteries and
the carotid arteries.
• The external carotid arteries extend up the sides of your neck, and are where you can feel your
pulse when you touch the area with your fingertips. The internal carotid arteries branch into
the skull and circulate blood to the front part of the brain.
• The vertebral arteries follow the spinal column into the skull, where they join together at the
brainstem and form the basilar artery, which supplies blood to the rear portions of the brain.
• The circle of Willis, a loop of blood vessels near the bottom of the brain that connects major
arteries, circulates blood from the front of the brain to the back and helps the arterial systems
communicate with one another.