DIAGRAM OF BRAIN: BRAINSTEM

DIAGRAM OF BRAIN:     BRAINSTEM

🧩 THE BRAINSTEM

The Brainstem is the lowest part of the brain, connecting the cerebrum (the upper brain) to the spinal cord.
Though small in size, it controls many essential life functions — including breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure — that keep you alive every second.

It acts like the brain’s “autopilot system”, managing all the automatic processes your body performs without you having to think about them.

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📍 LOCATION

• The brainstem sits at the base of the brain, just above the spinal cord and below the cerebrum.

• It connects the brain to the spinal cord, forming a bridge between the brain and the rest of the body.

• It is made up of three main parts:

  1. Midbrain

  2. Pons

  3. Medulla Oblongata

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⚙️ PARTS AND FUNCTIONS

1. Midbrain (Mesencephalon)

• The uppermost part of the brainstem.

• Controls eye movements, hearing, visual processing, and reflexes (like turning your head toward a sudden sound).

• Plays a role in maintaining alertness and motor control.

2. Pons

• The middle section of the brainstem, located below the midbrain.

• Acts as a bridge between the cerebrum and cerebellum.

• Helps regulate sleep, respiration (breathing), swallowing, facial expressions, and eye movement.

• It also assists in transmitting sensory messages to higher parts of the brain.

3. Medulla Oblongata

• The lowest part of the brainstem, connecting directly to the spinal cord.

• Controls vital autonomic functions that are necessary for life:

  • Heartbeat and blood pressure

  • Breathing rate and rhythm

  • Coughing, sneezing, swallowing, and vomiting reflexes

• Because of these critical roles, damage to the medulla can be fatal.

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💡 MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAINSTEM

Function	Description
Autonomic Control	Regulates breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure automatically.
Reflex Actions	Controls reflexes like blinking, coughing, and swallowing.
Motor and Sensory Pathways	Acts as a relay center, sending messages between the brain and the body.
Sleep and Arousal	Helps maintain alertness, wakefulness, and the sleep cycle.
Balance and Coordination	Works with the cerebellum to maintain posture and balance.

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⚠️ DAMAGE OR DISORDERS OF THE BRAINSTEM

Injury or disease affecting the brainstem can cause serious problems, such as:

• Difficulty breathing or irregular heartbeat

• Loss of consciousness or coma

• Trouble swallowing or speaking

• Loss of balance and coordination

• Paralysis or loss of sensation

Because the brainstem controls basic life functions, any damage can be life-threatening.

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❤️ IN SUMMARY

The Brainstem is the life-support center of the human body.
It connects the brain and spinal cord, relays vital information, and controls automatic functions like breathing and heartbeat.
Without the brainstem, survival would not be possible.

Brainstem - The lower extension of the brain where it connects to the spinal cord. Neurological functions located in the brainstem include those necessary for survival (breathing, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure) and for arousal (being awake and alert).

Most of the cranial nerves come from the brainstem. The brainstem is the pathway for all fiber tracts passing up and down from peripheral nerves and spinal cord to the highest parts of the brain.

Diagram of brainVIDEO

FRONTAL LOBES--Planning, Organizing, Controlling

FRONTAL LOBES--Planning, Organizing, Controlling

🧩 THE FRONTAL LOBES

The frontal lobes are the largest lobes of the brain and are located at the front part of each cerebral hemisphere, just behind the forehead. They are often called the “control panel” or “command center” of the brain because they are responsible for complex thinking, planning, decision-making, emotions, and voluntary movement.

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📍 LOCATION

• Found at the front of the brain, directly behind the forehead.

• They are part of the cerebrum, the brain’s largest region.

• The central sulcus (a deep groove) separates the frontal lobes from the parietal lobes, while the lateral sulcus divides them from the temporal lobes.

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⚙️ MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE FRONTAL LOBES

The frontal lobes are involved in higher-level brain functions that make us uniquely human — our ability to think, plan, and behave socially and emotionally.

Here’s what they do:

1. Motor Function (Movement Control)

   • The primary motor cortex, located in the rear part of the frontal lobe, controls voluntary muscle movement (like walking, talking, or writing).

   • Each side of the frontal lobe controls movement on the opposite side of the body.

2. Planning and Decision-Making

   • Helps you set goals, organize thoughts, and make choices.

   • Used in reasoning, judgment, and problem-solving — critical for everyday decisions.

3. Speech and Language Production

   • The Broca’s area (in the left frontal lobe for most people) controls speech production.

   • Damage here can cause Broca’s aphasia, leading to difficulty speaking or forming sentences.

4. Emotional Regulation and Behavior

   • The prefrontal cortex helps manage emotions, social behavior, and impulse control.

   • It helps you act appropriately in different situations (e.g., staying calm under stress).

5. Memory and Attention

   • Involved in working memory — the ability to hold and use information temporarily (like remembering a phone number).

   • Helps maintain focus and attention on tasks.

6. Personality and Creativity

   • The frontal lobes shape your personality traits, motivation, and moral values.

   • It’s where creative ideas, initiative, and individuality come from.

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⚠️ EFFECTS OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONTAL LOBES

Injury or damage to this region can cause noticeable changes in behavior, thinking, and movement, such as:

• Poor judgment or impulse control

• Difficulty planning or concentrating

• Changes in personality or mood

• Trouble speaking or forming sentences

• Loss of coordination or weakness on one side of the body

For example, famous patient Phineas Gage (1848) survived a severe frontal lobe injury but experienced a dramatic personality change — proving how critical this area is for personality and behavior.

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💡 IN SUMMARY

Function	Description
Movement Control	Directs voluntary muscle actions.
Thinking & Planning	Handles reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Speech Production	Controls speech via Broca’s area.
Emotion & Behavior	Regulates mood, impulse, and social interaction.
Memory & Focus	Supports working memory and concentration.
Personality	Shapes identity, creativity, and motivation.

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🧠 The frontal lobes make you who you are — the seat of your personality, intelligence, and control over your actions. They help you think ahead, speak clearly, behave responsibly, and live meaningfully.

Diagram of Brain

The biggest and most advanced part of the brain is the frontal lobe. (It's called the frontal lobe because it's in the front part of brain.) One job of the frontal lobe is planning. You have probably heard of "frontal lobotomies." At the turn of the century, this surgery was done on people who were very violent or who were in a psychiatric hospital because they were very agitated. Doctors used surgery to damage this area of the brain. 

Following this surgery, people became very passive and less violent. At first, scientists saw this as a great thing. Neurosurgery could stop behavioral problems such as violence. The problem was that the patients stopped doing a lot of other things. They didn't take care of themselves and they stopped many activities of daily living. 

They basically sat there. In head injury, individuals with frontal lobe impairment seem to lack motivation and have difficulty doing any task that requires multiple steps (e.g., fixing a car or planning a meal). They have problems with planning.

The frontal lobe is also involved in organizing. For a lot of activities, we need to do step A, then step B, then step C. We have to do things in order. That's what the frontal lobes help us do. When the frontal lobe is injured, there is a breakdown in the ability to sequence and organize. A common example is people who cook and leave out a step in the sequence. 

They forget to add an important ingredient or they don't turn the stove off. I've met a lot of patients who've burned or melted a lot of pans.

Additionally, the frontal lobes also play a very important role in controlling emotions. Deep in the middle of the brain are sections that control emotions. They're very primitive emotions that deal with hunger, aggression, and sexual drive. 

These areas send messages to other parts of the brain to DO SOMETHING. If you're mad, hit something or someone. If you're hungry, grab something and eat it. The frontal lobes "manage" emotions. In general, the frontal lobe has a NO or STOP function. If your emotions tell you to punch your boss, it's the frontal lobes that say "STOP or you are going to lose your job." People have often said to me "a little thing will set me off and I'm really mad." The frontal lobes failed to stop or turn off the emotional system.

On the other hand, we have talked about how the frontal lobes plan activities. The frontal lobes may fail to plan for some types of emotion. For example, sexual interest involves some level of planning or preparation. Without this planning, there is a lack of sexual interest. 

A lack of planning can also affect the expression of anger. I've had some family members say "You know, the head injury actually improved him, he's not such a hot-head anymore." If you listen very carefully, you're also going to hear "he's not as motivated anymore." Remember, the frontal lobe plans activities as well as controls emotions.

Diagram of Brain Video

UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN WORKS

UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN WORKS

🧠 UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN WORKS

The human brain is the control center of the body. It manages everything we do — from breathing and heartbeat to thinking, emotions, memory, movement, and imagination. It communicates with the rest of the body through the nervous system, using billions of specialized cells called neurons.

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⚙️ 1. Structure of the Brain

The brain is divided into three major parts, each responsible for specific functions:

🧩 A. The Cerebrum

• Largest part of the brain, divided into the right and left hemispheres.

• Responsible for thinking, memory, emotions, movement, and sensory processing.

• Covered by a wrinkled layer called the cerebral cortex, which helps with advanced thought and reasoning.

Each hemisphere is divided into four lobes:

1. Frontal Lobe – controls decision-making, problem-solving, movement, and personality.

2. Parietal Lobe – processes touch, pressure, pain, and spatial awareness.

3. Temporal Lobe – handles hearing, memory, and language comprehension.

4. Occipital Lobe – responsible for vision and interpreting what we see.

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🧠 B. The Cerebellum

• Located at the back of the brain, below the cerebrum.

• Coordinates balance, posture, and muscle movement.

• Ensures that all movements are smooth and accurate.

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🌡️ C. The Brainstem

• Connects the brain to the spinal cord.

• Controls vital automatic functions like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion.

• Has three parts: midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

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🧬 2. How the Brain Communicates

The brain communicates through a vast network of neurons — about 86 billion of them!

Each neuron sends and receives messages using electrical and chemical signals. These signals travel through tiny gaps called synapses, allowing the brain to:

• Interpret sensations (like pain or sound)

• Control muscle movements

• Form thoughts, memories, and emotions

💡 Think of it as an ultra-fast communication network — your brain’s version of Wi-Fi!

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❤️ 3. The Limbic System: The Emotional Brain

Located deep within the cerebrum, the limbic system controls emotions, motivation, and memory.
It includes:

• Amygdala – regulates fear, anger, and emotional responses

• Hippocampus – stores and retrieves memories

• Thalamus – relays sensory information

• Hypothalamus – controls hunger, thirst, temperature, and hormones

This system helps explain why emotions strongly affect memory and behavior.

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🌈 4. The Brain and Body Connection

The nervous system has two main parts:

1. Central Nervous System (CNS) – brain and spinal cord

2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) – nerves throughout the body

Together, they send and receive signals that allow you to:

• Move your muscles

• Feel sensations (heat, pain, pressure)

• Think and remember

• React to danger

• Experience joy, sadness, or excitement

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⚡ 5. The Brain’s Amazing Abilities

• Neuroplasticity: The brain can reorganize and adapt by forming new connections — even after injury or trauma.

• Memory Storage: Information is stored in different parts of the brain; short-term and long-term memories are managed separately.

• Learning: Repeated experiences strengthen neural connections — the basis for learning new skills.

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🧘 6. Keeping the Brain Healthy

To keep your brain sharp and strong:

• 🥦 Eat a balanced diet (rich in omega-3s, fruits, and vegetables)

• 💤 Get enough sleep

• 🏃 Exercise regularly (improves blood flow and memory)

• 🧩 Challenge your mind (puzzles, reading, learning new things)

• 😊 Manage stress and stay socially connected

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💡 In Summary

The brain is your body’s command center — controlling thoughts, feelings, movements, and every function that keeps you alive.
It works through a complex system of neurons and lobes, balancing emotion, reason, and reflex.
Taking care of your brain means caring for your entire self — body, mind, and spirit. 

OTHER SOURCES

The human brain weighs only three pounds and is estimated to have more or less 100 billion cells. It is hard to get a handle on a number that large (or connections that small). 

Let's try to get an understanding of this complexity by comparing it with something humans have created--the entire phone system for the planet earth .

If we took all the phones in the world and all the wires (there are over four billion people on the planet), the number of connections and the trillions of messages per day would NOT equal the complexity or activity of a single human brain.

Now let's take a "small problem"--break every phone in Los Angeles and cut every wire in the state. 

How long would it take for the entire state (about 16 million people) to get phone service back? 

A week, a month, or several years? 

If you guessed several years, you are now beginning to see the complexity of recovering from a head injury. 

In the example LA residents would be without phone service while the rest of the world had phone service that worked fine. 

This is also true with people who have a head injury. 

Some parts of the brain will work fine while others are in need of repair or are slowly being reconnected.

Diagram of Brain: thalamus.