Table of contents:
- What is the brain made of?
- What are the main parts of the brain?
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Brain stem
- How to keep your brain healthy?
Our brain is made of about 100 billion nerve cells called neurons. It is the most important part of the central nervous system that controls the ability to think, speak, feel, see, hear, breathe and create memories.
What is the brain made of?
The human brain weighs 1.3 to 1.4 kg and is made up of a collection of soft, jelly-like support tissue and nerves that connect to the spinal cord. The cells that make up the brain are called neurons. Neurons have different shapes depending on where in the body and the roles they play. Each neuron has finger-like projection called dendrites and long fibers called axons.
There are two types of matter in the brain: gray matter and white matter. Gray matter receives and stores impulses and is the main nerve cell in the brain. White matter in the brain carries impulses to and from gray matter. White matter contains nerve fibers (axons). White matter also covers most nervous systems where they can deliver and collect electrochemical signals. White matter makes up a network of millions of nerve fibers.
Some of the nerves in the brain go directly to the eyes, ears and other parts of the brain. Other nerves connect the brain to other parts of the body through the spinal cord.
What are the main parts of the brain?
The brain has 3 main parts: the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem.
Cerebrum
The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, 85% of the total brain weight. The cerebrum has a wrinkled surface, namely the cerebral cortex, which is made up of gray matter. Below the cerebral cortex is gray matter.
The cerebrum in humans is very large and is more important than the rest of the brain. The large outer part of the brain regulates reading, thinking, learning, speaking, emotions and planned muscle movements such as walking. The cerebrum also controls vision, hearing and other senses.
The cerebrum is divided into 2 parts. The left part of the cerebrum controls the right side of the body and the left part of the cerebrum controls the left side of the body. The cerebrum is divided into 4 parts:
- Frontal lobe: responsible for cognitive function and decision making.
- Temporal lobe: responsible for processing memory, combining it with taste, sound, sight, touch and emotional sensations.
- Parietal lobe: responsible for processing information about temperature, taste, touch, movement and spatial orientation.
- Occipital lobe: responsible for vision.
Cerebellum
The second largest part of the brain is the cerebellum, which is below the back of the cerebrum. The cerebellum has an important function in motor control and is responsible for coordinating muscle movement and controlling balance. The cerebellum consists of gray and white matter and carries information to the spinal cord and other parts of the brain.
Brain stem
The brain stem is located at the bottom of the brain, connecting the cerebrum with the spinal cord.
How to keep your brain healthy?
Like your body, your brain can be trained to stay healthy. Here are some things you can do to keep your brain healthy.
It is clear that the more you train and use your brain, the better your brain will perform. Your brain health can be affected by eating a healthy and genetically good diet. In theory, you can train your brain from a young age, where it is at its most active and builds habits and cognitive memory. You can train your brain with activities like sudoku, crossword puzzles and reading. Maintaining physical health can also help your brain.
Like other parts of the body, the brain needs blood to supply nutrients and oxygen. Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol can cause blockages in blood vessels leading to the brain. To prevent this, provide nutrients to the brain such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, and vitamins B and D.
The complexity of the brain has not been explored further, but the brain is the organ that makes us human, providing the capacity for art, language, morals and rational thought.