Parts of the Brain and What They Do

Even though the brain constitutes mere 2 percent of the body, it consumes approximately 20 percent of the total energy required for the body to function. Interestingly, the fact that it is so small doesn't make it less important. Although different parts of the body undertake different tasks, it's the brain that actually guides these parts to perform them. When you touch a hot object, the message is sent to the brain, wherein it is processed, and your hand is directed to move away from the hot object - the entire process takes place within fractions of second.

Parts of the Brain and their Functions

The human brain can be divided into three parts - the cerebrum, cerebellum and the brain stem. Each of these parts of the brain are designated certain tasks to perform. Given below are the details of the functions that each of these parts are assigned to do.

Cerebrum
Cerebrum functions are mostly associated with our thoughts and actions. The largest part of the brain, cerebrum constitutes to about 85 percent of its total weight. The outermost layer of cerebrum - the cerebral cortex is designed in such a manner that it increases the surface area of the brain. This, in turn increases the amount of neurons, and adds to the efficiency of the entire nervous system. This part of the brain can also be divided into four segments referred to as lobes. The functions of each of these four lobes of the brain differ from each other. While the frontal lobe is used for reasoning and problem solving, the occipital lobe is primarily used for visual information processing. The cerebral cortex constitutes a major part of the cerebrum, and any damage to it can affect the human body functions associated with it.

Cerebellum
Also known as the little brain, the cerebellum is located at the rear portion of your head. It is designated to perform various motor activities of the human body by coordinating with other parts of the brain and sensory system. The movement of our body, our balance, posture etc. are guided by the cerebellum, and thus any damage caused to it can either paralyze the entire body or a particular organ. The cerebellum along with the cerebrum is divided into two hemispheres referred to as the right brain and the left brain. While the right brain functions are most often associated with a holistic approach, the left brain functions are more inclined towards factual tasks.

Brain Stem
The brain stem is important because it carries out various life functions of the body, including the regulation of breathing and blood pressure. It is also important because it connects the brain to the spinal cord. The brain stem consists of midbrain, pons and medula, each of which are associated with different human body systems. For instance, the medula regulates breathing and heartbeat, while the pons carry out the sensory functions associated with it.

One has to understand that the brain is the most crucial component of the human nervous system, and thus any damage induced upon it can result is some serious repercussions on the body. Even though it is secured inside the skull, which is hardest part of the head, the chances of brain injury cannot be entirely ruled out.