1. The Brain

2. What You Should Know
The Brain consists of 3 interconnected layers, the central core, the limbic system and cerebral cortex
The central core contains the medulla that regulates the basic life processes of breathing, heart rate, arousal and sleep and the cerebellum which is responsible for controlling balance, posture and movement.
Limbic system functions include processing information for memories and influencing emotional and motivational states
The functions of the cerebral cortex in receiving sensory information, coordinating voluntary movement and makes conscious decisions in the light of experience by recalling memories in order to alter behaviour
Localisation of functions to include sensory areas, motor areas and the association areas concerning language, personality, imagination and intelligence.
Information from one side of the body is processed in the opposite side of the cerebrum, transfer of information occurs through the corpus callosum

3. Brain Structure Consists of a Central core Limbic system
Cerebral cortex

4. Central Core Contains the medulla and cerebellum Medulla controls
Breathing
Heart rate
Sleep
Arousal (being awake and aware of the environment)
Cerebellum controls
Balance
Posture
movement

5. Limbic System
Is a composite region of the brain which reaches far into the cerebral area of the brain
Functions include
processing information to form long term memories
influencing emotional states- anxiety, fear, aggression
Influencing biological motivation- hunger, thirst, sex drive
It contains the hypothalamus which is connected to the pituitary gland
The hypothalamus releases hormones to exert control of growth, contraction of smooth muscle, control of body temperature and control of water balance

6. Cerebral Cortex Is split into 2 cerebral hemispheres
The left side processes information from the right visual field and controls the right side of the body
The right side processes information from the left visual field and controls the left side of the body
The 2 hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum which consists of a large bundle of nerves

7. Localisation of Function
The cerebral cortex contains 3 types of functional area
Sensory- receive information from receptors as sensory impulses
Association-analyse and interpret these impulses
Motor-send motor impulses to appropriate effectors e.g. muscle

8. Continued…
Further to this there are 3 more specialised mental processes which take place in the cerebral cortex:
Somatosensory- receives impulses from receptors in skin, organs and muscles
Visual- receives impulses from retina and interprets these as images involving shape, colour etc…
Auditory- receives impulses from cochlea and interprets these as sounds involving pitch, volume etc…
The different parts of the cerebral cortex are linked together by interconnections of tiny nerve fibres

9. Temporal Lobe
Motor area
Sensory area
Visual area
Auditory area