Function of cerebrum

\( \newcommand\) • • • • • • • Cerebellar function was once believed to be motor-specific, but newer findings suggest the cerebellum is also involved in higher-level brain processing. Key Points • The cerebellum is essential for making fine adjustments to motor actions. Cerebellar dysfunction primarily results in problems with motor control. • Four principles are important to cerebellar processing: feedforward processing, divergence and convergence, modularity, and plasticity. • Signal processing in the cerebellum is almost entirely feedforward. Signals move through the system from input to output with very little internal transmission. • The cerebellum both receives input and transmits output via a limited number of cells. • The cerebellar system is divided into thousands of independent modules with similar structure. Key Terms • neural divergence: When a neuron fires and the signal is sent to many other neurons. • neuroplasticity: Changes in neural pathways and synapses due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, or bodily injury. • feedforward processing: A property of some neural circuits where signals move unidirectionally through the system from input to output with very little recurrent internal transmission. Examining the consequences of damage to the the cerebellum provides the strongest clues to its function. Animals and humans with cerebellar dysfunction show problems with motor control. They can still generate motor activity, but lose precision a...

What is the 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. What is the gray 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 brai...

Enter search terms to find related medical topics, multimedia and more. Advanced Search: • Use “ “ for phrases o [ “pediatric abdominal pain” ] • Use – to remove results with certain terms o [ “abdominal pain” –pediatric ] • Use OR to account for alternate terms o [teenager OR adolescent ] Search A-Z The frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes cover the brain’s surface (see figure Lobes of the brain ); the insula is hidden under the Sylvian fissure. The limbic lobe (limbic system) is a C-shaped area on the most medial edge of each cerebral hemisphere; it includes some parts of the adjacent lobes. Although specific functions are attributed to each lobe, most activities require coordination of multiple areas in both hemispheres. For example, although the occipital lobe is essential to visual processing, parts of the parietal, temporal, and frontal lobes on both sides also process complex visual stimuli. Brain function is extensively lateralized. Visual, tactile, and motor activities of the left side of the body are directed predominantly by the right hemisphere and vice versa. Certain complex functions involve both hemispheres but are directed predominantly by one (cerebral dominance). For example, the left hemisphere is typically dominant for language, and the right is dominant for spatial attention. The primary sensory areas receive somesthetic, auditory, visual, and gustatory stimuli from the thalamus, which receives stimuli from specialized sensory organs and pe...

Overview What is the brain? Your brain is an essential organ. All of your emotions, sensations, aspirations and everything that makes you uniquely individual come from your brain. This complex organ has many functions. It receives, processes and interprets information. Your brain also stores memories and controls your movements. Your brain is one component of your central Function What is the brain’s function? Your brain receives information from your five senses: sight, smell, sound, touch and taste. Your brain also receives inputs including touch, vibration, pain and temperature from the rest of your body as well as autonomic (involuntary) inputs from your organs. It interprets this information so you can understand and associate meaning with what goes on around you. Your brain enables: • Thoughts and decisions. • Memories and emotions. • Movements (motor function), balance and coordination. • Perception of various sensations including pain. • Automatic behavior such as breathing, heart rate, sleep and temperature control. • Regulation of organ function. • Speech and language functions. • Fight or flight response ( Anatomy What are the main parts of the brain? Your brain’s structure is complex. It has three main sections: • Cerebrum : Your cerebrum interprets sights, sounds and touches. It also regulates emotions, reasoning and learning. Your cerebrum makes up about 80% of your brain. • Cerebellum : Your cerebellum maintains your balance, posture, coordination and fine m...

Synonyms: Forebrain, Endbrain , The cerebrum, also called the telencephalon, refers to the two The surface of the cerebrum is formed by an outer grey matter layer, which is thrown into a convoluted pattern of ridges and furrows called Terminology English: Cerebrum Latin: Prosencephalon Function High-order cognitive processes, control of voluntary movement, perception of sensory stimuli All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our Haines, D. E., Mihailoff, G. A., Cunningham, W., Schenk, M., Armstrong, G. W., & Runyan, C. P. (2018). Fundamental neuroscience for basic and clinical applications. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier. Standring, S. (2016). Gray's anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. Philadelphia: Elsevier Limited.

Your cerebrum is the largest part of your brain and handles conscious thoughts and actions. Different areas within your cerebrum also have different responsibilities like language, behavior, sensory processing and more. Areas of your brain also commonly work together on the same tasks, helping you understand what’s happening in the world around you. Overview The cerebrum is the upper part of the brain, handling many different functions, including muscle movements, language, processing what your senses pick up and more. What is the cerebrum? Your cerebrum is the largest part of your Your cerebrum is instrumental in everything you do in day-to-day life, ranging from thoughts to actions. In essence, it’s responsible for the brain functions that allow us to interact with our environment and make us who we are. Scientists have been studying the brain for years, trying to unlock just how it works and how to diagnose and treat conditions that affect it. While experts know a lot about how the cerebrum works, there’s much that’s not fully understood. Fortunately, advances in technology and medical science have helped drive growth in what experts understand about the brain. What’s the difference between the cerebellum and cerebrum? Your cerebrum is the largest part of your brain and includes parts above and forward of your cerebellum. Your cerebrum is the part of your brain that starts and manages conscious thoughts; meaning, things that you actively think about or do. Your cerebell...

• Gray matter, which is named for its gray-brown color, forms the outer surface of the brain and consists of the neurons' cell bodies. This outer layer of gray matter is the cerebral cortex and it is associated with most information processing, including language, perception, and thought. • White matter is an inner core of brain tissue that's mostly composed of axons, or nerve fibers, that are covered by myelin (a type of fat). The myelin gives white matter its white color. The wrinkly outer layer of the cerebrum is called the cerebral cortex and it's all gray matter. The gray matter consists of the central part of nerve cells. The rest of the cerebrum is mostly white matter, which has branches of nerve fibers for sending messages between nerve cells. Lobes The gray matter of the cerebral cortex is divided lengthwise into two halves, separated by a deep crease called the longitudinal fissure. • Frontal lobes reside at the very front of the brain behind the forehead and are responsible for many key functions, such as attention, learning, and speech. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), a forward-facing region of each frontal lobe, allows for planning and complex decision making and is said to house your personality. A rear-facing region is involved in voluntary movements. • Parietal lobes are located near the middle of the brain behind the frontal lobes and are sensory areas that process pain, taste, temperature, and textures along with spatial relationships (such as the distance b...

\( \newcommand\): The cerebrum is a large component of the CNS in humans, and the most obvious aspect of it is the folded surface called the cerebral cortex.(CC-BY-4.0, OpenStax, Cerebral Cortex The cerebrum is covered by a continuous layer of gray matter that wraps around either side of the forebrain—the cerebral cortex. This thin, extensive region of wrinkled gray matter is responsible for the higher functions of the nervous system. A gyrus (plural = gyri) is the ridge of one of those wrinkles, and a sulcus (plural = sulci) is the groove between two gyri. The pattern of these folds of tissue indicates specific regions of the cerebral cortex. The head is limited by the size of the birth canal, and the brain must fit inside the cranial cavity of the skull. Extensive folding in the cerebral cortex enables more gray matter to fit into this limited space. If the gray matter of the cortex were peeled off of the cerebrum and laid out flat, its surface area would be roughly equal to one square meter. The folding of the cortex maximizes the amount of gray matter in the cranial cavity. During embryonic development, as the telencephalon expands within the skull, the brain goes through a regular course of growth that results in everyone’s brain having a similar pattern of folds. The surface of the brain can be mapped on the basis of the locations of large gyri and sulci. Using these landmarks, the cortex can be separated into four major regions, or lobes ( Figure 11.2). The lateral...