http://www.aichi-gakuin.ac.jp/~jeffreyb/dental/brain.html
rough machine translation ...
[ Eng=>Jpn ]
The brain is the processing center of the nervous system in all vertebrates. In addition to regulating involuntary behavior (such as breathing and circulation), it controls emotions, awareness, pleasure, pain, and conscious behavior. The brain also stores information in its memory.
The brain receives electrochemical signals via
neurons
scattered throughout the body, processes this data, and then sends similar signals to muscles and glands or simply stores the information. Processing takes place as signals move through complex brain circuits, networks of billions of nerve cells.
A single neuron may receive information from as many as 1,000 other neurons.
The adult human brain weighs 1,000 to 1,500 grams and has several parts, each with a loosely associated function. It contains somewhere on the order of 100 billion neurons and uses about one-fifth of the body's blood and energy supply.
The brainstem monitors involuntary activity such as breathing and contains the reticular formation
medulla (oblongata)
cranial nerves VIII-XII
pons
cranial nerves V-VII
midbrain (mesencephalon)
The cerebellum, coordinates muscular movements and posture, and together with the brainstem forms the basic machinery for survival and reproduction.
The forebrain (cerebrum) regulates higher functions.
diencephalon
epithalamus (including pineal body)
thalamus
hypothalamus
telencephalon
basal ganglia
The cerebral cortex has some areas concerned with
muscle control and the senses
and others concerned with language, anticipation of action, and other thought processes. It is split into
two hemispheres
, each controlling the side of the body opposite to it. In addition, the right hemisphere is associated with perception of melody, nonverbal visual patterns, and emotion, while the left hemisphere is associated with verbal skills.
temporal lobe
occipital lobe
parietal lobe
frontal lobe
rhombencephalon
The limbic system (including the cingulate gyrus of the frontal lobe, parahippocampal gyrus of the temporal lobe), thalamus, part of the hypothalamus, pituitary, fornix, amygdala, hippocampus, and olfactory cortex (sepital area)) is associated with vivid emotions, memory, sexuality, and smell.
peripheral
Cranial Nerves (see Luciano, Vander, and Sherman, 1978, pp. 269-270)
Luciano, Vander, and Sherman (1978). Human Function and Structure. London and Tokyo:McGraw-Hill.
Unknown (1996). The World Almanac and Book of Facts. Funk and Wagnalls Corporation.
Wales, J. et. al. (2005). Human brain. http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki /Human_brain .
The Brain
Nerves
Links (other than references)
Photos--Used with Permission
Photos--Permission Pending
Discussion Questions
How big is a human brain? How many cells does it have?
What is the brain made of? Why is it wrinkled?
Is the brain easily affected by heat? More so than other parts of the body? Why?
How much does the brain weigh?
What is the brain covered with?
What kind of signals does the brain receive? send? How does it do that?
What nerves enter the brain? What arteries?
What nerves emerge from the brain? What veins?
Are all brain cells nerve cells? What other kinds of cells are there?
What color is the brain? What gives it its color?
What differences are there between gray matter and white matter?
What differences are there between the brain and other body organs?
What is the structure of the brain? What are the main parts of a human brain?
What do they do? Which are important? Which aren't so important?
What parts are phylogenetically more primitive? more modern?
What is the function of the Optic Chiasm? the endocrine gland?
Is there a connection between the eyes and the limbic system? What?
How are the left and right hemispheres similar? different?
Do all living organisms have brains? Do all those with brains have emotions?
What is different between a fish brain, a reptile brain, and a mammal brain?
What is different between a monkey brain, a gorilla brain, a chimp brain, and a human brain?
How will the human brain evolve in the future?
How does the brain change from birth to adulthood?
What individual differences are there in human brains?
How big is an elephant's brain? How many cells does it have?
What did you think when you saw a real human brain?
What percentage of the brain is active?
How does the brain store memories? Why does it forget things?
<>Can humans increase the capacity or efficiency of their memory? How?
How is the brain like a computer? How is it different?
What different states of mind are there? How do they affect the brain?
How does the brain or brain processes change during sleep? meditation?
What are brain waves?
How can the brain be stimulated with an electrode? What happens?
Do headaches have something to do with the brain?
What brain diseases can you name?
What symptoms emerge when the brain loses hypothalamic function?
Have there been any epidemics of cerebrospinal diseases? When? Where? What happened?
What is "brain death"?
What does smoking do to brain cells? drinking?
How many nerves are there in the body?
Where do the electrical impulses start? How do they begin?
How many nerves can you name? What do they do?
What nerve diseases can you name?
How long is the longest nerve? Which one is it?
Why does blood destroy nerve cells that it comes in contact with?
How does nutrition get from the blood system to nerve cells?
What does the vegas nerve do?
How fast do impulses move along the nerve?
What is the function of the otic ganglion? the submandibular ganglion? the pterygopalatine ganglion? the ciliary ganglion?
What
nerves
control the face?
Photos and Links
http://www.innerbody.com/image/nerv06.html
none
http://www.innerbody.com/image/nerv06.gif etc.
http://www.m-w.com/mw/art/neuron.gif
Copyright (C) 2001-2006 by Jeff Blair
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