Human brain: its structures and main areas

The thinking organ. Our brain is one of the most important areas of the body., since it regulates the different vital functions that allow our survival. Also, it allows us to be who we are.

Reason, emotion, motivation... all this originates in the nervous system and especially in the brain. But this organ is not something homogeneous, but is structured in different areas. That is why in this article we are going to mention the different structures of the brain.

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What do we understand by brain?

we call brain to the functional center of the nervous system, located at the upper end of the neural tube. Located inside the skull and protected by it and the meninges against external damage and aggression, it is the most important organ important to be the one that regulates and controls all the functions of the organism, allowing the life and survival of the being human. Furthermore, thanks to it we are able to think, reflect, have feelings and emotions, identify with something or someone and, in general, even be aware of ourselves.

The brain proper is considered to be primarily configured by the cortex and subcortex, not entering the brain stem or cerebellum. Nonetheless, brain and brain are often used synonymously and generally when we talk about the brain we will be referring to the entire brain.

Main brain structures

The brain is made up of a large number of structures, the brain can be divided into different parts. During our development we can find three main areas of the brain, the hindbrain or rhombencephalon, the midbrain or mesencephalon and the forebrain or prosencephalon (later divided into diencephalon and telencephalon), each with various structures of the brain.

1. rhombencephalon

Located in the lower part of the brain, the rhombencephalon is the part of the brain in which the most primitive structures are located of this one. It is the part of the brain that contacts the spinal cord and that regulates the most basic vital functions.

In this division of the brain we can observe two subdivisions, located in each of them different structures of the brain. Along with the midbrain It is part of the also known as the brainstem either brain stem.

medulla oblongata

It is one of the brain structures that are part of the rhombencephalon, derived from the myelencephalon. He medulla oblongataIt is the connection point between the spinal cord and the brain., being an essential part of the brain for survival since it is in charge of managing processes such as heart rate, motor skills and digestion.

Varolian pons or bridge

The pons is another of the most vital brain structures for mere survival, may cause injury to death. It is responsible for the movement of the viscera, homeostatic processes such as temperature maintenance and participates in the regulation of consciousness and breathing.

Cerebellum

This part of the brain is known for its involvement in a large number of processes and functions of the body. Especially recognized for his role in the control of muscle movement, also participates in aspects such as emotional regulation or cognitive processes such as memory and intelligence.

• Related article: "Human cerebellum: its parts and functions"

2. Midbrain

The midbrain or midbrain is the part of the brain located between the forebrain and rhombencephalon. It unites both regions and allows communication between them, also having great importance for the control of vital processes. Like the rhombencephalon, it is part of the brainstem or brain stem. Contributes to integrate information from different channels and is related to the level of consciousness. In this region we can find basically two structures of the brain.

tectum

Lying in the most dorsal part of the midbrain, this structure is linked to the reaction to sound stimuli and the reflex control of eye movements.

tegmentum

Formed in turn by structures such as the black substance, the red nucleus or the periaqueductal gray matter, this structure of the brain is involved in functions such as movement, pain management and fight or flight reactions.

3. forebrain

It is the part of the brain that is most developed and has the most structures, taking care of higher mental functions. We can differentiate two large areas, diencephalon and telencephalon.

3.1. diencephalon

Located deep within the brain, the diencephalon is an inner part of the forebrain that is mainly made up of two large brain structures, thalamus and hypothalamus.

thalamus

This brain region It is the main nucleus of integration of sensitive information., allowing to maintain a coordinated perception regarding external stimulation before being able to send it to other brain areas in which the information is processed. In addition to this, thanks to its connection with the limbic system, it allows perception and emotion to be linked.

hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is one of the structures of the brain linked to the regulation of different hormones that allow the management of the organism. Connected to the pituitary gland, it participates in a large number of processes coordinated jointly with the autonomic nervous system, such as wakefulness, sexual behavior, hunger and thirst, or affectivity. It is fundamental in the control of body homeostasis.

• Related article: "Types of hormones and their functions in the human body"

3.2. telencephalon

If we consider the brain as a part of the brain and not as a synonym of it, the brain would be the part of the brain equivalent to the telencephalon. Within it we can find different systems that in turn are made up of different structures.

Cerebral cortex

The most visible and recognizable part of the brain, the cerebral cortex is the area of ​​the brain in which the integration and processing of information is finalized and thanks to which the most complex functions are carried out, allowing aspects such as reasoning, speech, executive functions or fine motor skills.

the bark Divides into two cerebral hemispheres. In addition to this we can establish five differentiated lobes specialized in various functions, the frontal, occipital, temporal and parietal lobes, as well as the insula.

basal ganglia

A small group of brain structures that lie below the crust, the basal ganglia They are very important when it comes to controlling functions automatically. They are related to learning and task automation, as well as memory or movement. Putamen, globus pallidus, and caudate nucleus are its main components.

Limbic system

The limbic system is a system of different brain structures which are responsible for managing emotions, learning and memory. Some of its main components are the amygdala, the hippocampus, the hypothalamus or the mammillary bodies.