Right frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe of the brain and its defeat

In the frontal lobe, the precentral sulcus, the superior and inferior frontal sulci, located on its upper lateral surface, and the olfactory sulcus, located on the lower surface of the lobe, are distinguished.

On the upper lateral surface of the frontal lobe, four convolutions are visible - one vertical precentral and three horizontal: superior, middle and inferior. The inferior frontal gyrus is divided by branches of the lateral sulcus into three parts: the posterior tegmental, middle, or triangular, and anterior ophthalmic. At the base of the frontal lobe is the direct gyrus. The paracentral lobule also belongs to the frontal lobe.

Centers of the frontal lobe and their defeat:

1. Motor zone- the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe precentral gyrus, in its upper third there are neurons that innervate the leg, in the middle - the arm, in the lower - the face, tongue, larynx and pharynx. In case of irritation of this area, a spasm may occur in an isolated muscle group (in the arm, leg, face) - Jacksonian epilepsy, which can then turn into a general convulsive seizure. With compression or destruction of areas of the precentral gyrus, paresis or paralysis of the limbs of the opposite side appears according to the type of monoparesis or monoplegia.

2. Center of combined head and eye rotation in the middle frontal gyrus; bilateral, rotates in the opposite direction. When it is irritated, a spasm occurs, starting with turning the head and eyes in the opposite direction, the spasm can turn into a general convulsive seizure. If this center is compressed or destroyed, then paresis or paralysis of the gaze occurs and the patient cannot make a combined turn of the head and eyes in the direction opposite to the lesion. In this case, the head and eyes are turned towards the lesion

3. Motor speech center (Broca's center)- in the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus (in the right-hander on the left, in the left-hander on the right). When it is damaged, motor aphasia (impaired oral speech) occurs, which can be combined with agraphia (writing disorder). Such a patient is not able to speak, but understands the speech addressed to him. With partial motor aphasia, the patient speaks with difficulty, pronouncing individual words or sentences. At the same time, he makes mistakes - “agrammatisms”, which he notices. In a number of cases, his speech acquires a "telegraphic style", losing verbs and copulas. Sometimes the patient is only able to repeat one word or sentence (speech embolus).

4. Center for Writing (Graphics)- in the posterior sections of the middle frontal gyrus. When he is defeated, the letter (agraphia) is upset.

Syndrome pFrontal lobe lesions.

1. Spastic contralateral hemiparesis and hemiparalysis

2. Central paresis of the VII and XII pairs of cranial nerves

3. Paresis of the center of gaze (eyes contemplate the lesion)

4. Motor aphasia (inability to speak)

5. Yanyshevsky's grasping phenomenon (grabs, but does not hold), a symptom of resistance (involuntary tension of antagonist muscles during passive movement)

6. Pseudobulbar syndrome (dysphagia, dysphonia, dysarthria, symptoms of oral automatism, the phenomenon of violent laughter or crying)

7. Syndrome of the frontal psyche

8. Apatoabulic syndrome (inactivity, taciturnity, lack of initiative)

9. Frontal Apraxia (Difficulty Performing Complex Movements)

10. Agraphia (writing disorder)

11. Secondary alexia (loss of ability to read, understand what is written)

12. Hyperkinesis (involuntary or violent excess movements)

13. Motor freezing

14. Frontal ataxia

If the basal regions are affected - anosmia and amaurosis. With a tumor of the frontal lobe - Bruns syndrome (paroxysmal pain in the back of the head and neck with a forced position of the head), Foster-Kennedy syndrome (primary atrophy of the optic discs due to compression on the side of the lesion and congestive optic disc on the opposite side due to intracranial hypertension).

Syndrome of irritation of the frontal lobe.

1. Motor Jackson epilepsy

2. Anterior adversive seizures (their beginning is a violent turn of the head / eyes)

3. Opercular seizures (determined by swallowing, chewing and sucking movements, which sometimes precede a convulsive seizure).

4. Kozhevnikov's epilepsy (permanent clonic convulsions in the muscles of one group, sometimes transforming into a general seizure)

Namely, to its part, which makes a person a person - the frontal lobes.

Frontal lobes highlighted in blue

A little about terms

This is one of the youngest parts of the human brain, accounting for about 30%. And it is located in front of our head, from where it takes the name “frontal” (in Latin it sounds like lobus frontalis, and lobus is “share”, not “frontal”). It is separated from the parietal lobe by the central sulcus (sulcus centralis). There are four convolutions in each frontal lobe: one vertical and three horizontal - the upper, middle and lower frontal gyrus (that is, gyrus frontalis superior, medius and inferior, respectively - in English texts you can simply find these Latin terms).

The frontal lobes regulate the system of distribution of voluntary movements, motor processes of speech, the regulation of complex forms of behavior, the functions of thinking, and even control urination.

At the temples there is a part of the shares, "responsible" for intellectual processes.

The left share forms the qualities that determine a person's personality: attention, abstract thinking, the desire for initiative, the ability to solve problems, self-control and critical self-assessment. For most people, the speech center is also located here, but there are approximately 2-5 inhabitants of the planet in whom it is based in the right frontal lobe. But in fact, the ability to speak does not change depending on the location of the "control booth".

The convolutions, of course, also have their own unique functions. The anterior central gyrus is responsible for the motor abilities of certain parts of the body. In fact, it turns out an “inverted person”: the lower third of the gyrus, the one closer to the forehead, controls the face, and the upper third, the one closer to the parietal region, controls the legs.

In the posterior sections of the superior frontal gyrus is the extrapyramidal center, that is, the extrapyramidal system. It is responsible for the function of voluntary movements, the "readiness" of the central motor apparatus to perform the movement for the redistribution of muscle tone during the performance of actions. And also she takes part in maintaining a normal posture. In the posterior part of the middle frontal gyrus is the frontal oculomotor center, which is responsible for the simultaneous rotation of the head and eyes. Irritation of this center turns the head and eyes in the opposite direction.

The main function of the frontal lobe is "legislative". She controls behavior. Only this part of the brain gives a command that does not allow a person to carry out socially undesirable impulses. For example, if emotions dictate hitting the boss, the frontal lobes signal: "Stop or lose your job." Of course, they only notify that it is not necessary to do this, but they cannot stop actions and turn off emotions. What is interesting: the frontal lobes work even when we sleep.

In addition, they are also a conductor, helping all areas of the brain to work in concert.

And it was in the frontal lobes that neurons were discovered, which have been called the most outstanding development in neuroscience in recent decades. In 1992, Giacomo Rizzolati, a native of Kiev, Italian by passport, discovered and in 1996 published the so-called mirror neurons. They are excited both when performing a certain action, and when observing the performance of this action. It is believed that it is to them that we owe the ability to learn. Later, such neurons were found in other lobes, but it was in the frontal lobes that they were found first.

Damage to the frontal lobes leads to carelessness, useless goals and a tendency to inappropriate ridiculous jokes. A person loses the meaning of life, interest in the environment and can sleep all day. So if you know such a person, perhaps he is not a lazy and quitter, but his cells of the frontal lobes are dying!

Violation of the activity of these areas of the cortex subordinates the actions of a person to random impulses or stereotypes. At the same time, noticeable changes affect the very personality of the patient, and his mental abilities inevitably decrease. Such injuries are especially hard on individuals whose basis of life is creativity. They are no longer able to create something new.

Damage to this area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe brain can be detected using pathological reflexes that are normally absent: for example, grasping (Yanishevsky-Bekhterev reflex), when a person’s hand closes when any object touches the hand. Less commonly, this phenomenon is manifested by obsessive grasping of objects that appear before the eyes. There are other similar violations: the closing of the lips, jaw and even eyelids.

Neurologist Alexei Yanishevsky

In 1861, the French physician Paul Broca described an interesting case. He knew an old man who only said, "Tan-tang-tang." After the death of the patient, it turned out that softening was present in the posterior third of the lower frontal gyrus of the left hemisphere - a trace of hemorrhage. This is how the medical-anatomical term "Broca's center" was born, and for the first time, the purpose of a few cubic centimeters of the human brain lying on its very surface was revealed to the eyes of scientists.

There are quite a lot of examples when people lived with significant damage to the frontal lobe. We even wrote about this more than once, for example, about the “case with a crowbar”. So why don't people die when the largest and most complex region of the brain, which is formed only by the age of 18, is destroyed? So far they have not been able to explain this, but still the behavior of people “without frontal lobes” is rather strange: after a conversation with a doctor, one calmly entered the ajar closet, the other sat down to write a letter and filled the entire page with the words “How are you?”.

The famous Phineas Gage, the survivor of the defeat of the frontal lobe with a crowbar

frontal lobe syndrome

All such patients develop frontal lobe syndrome, which occurs with massive lesions of this part of the brain (neuropsychological syndrome or personality disorder of organic etiology, according to ICD-10). Since it is the frontal lobe that is responsible for the functions of information processing and control of mental activity, its destruction as a result of traumatic brain injury, the development of tumors, vascular and neurodegenerative diseases leads to a wide variety of disorders.

For example, during perception, the recognition of simple elements, symbols, images does not particularly suffer, but the ability to adequately analyze any complex situations disappears: a person reacts to standard stimuli presented with random and impulsive responses that are born under the influence of a direct impression.

The same impulsive behavior is also manifested in the motor sphere: a person loses the ability to purposefully thought out movements. Instead, stereotyped actions and uncontrolled motor reactions appear. Attention also suffers: it is difficult for the patient to concentrate, he is extremely distracted and easily switches from one to another, which prevents him from completing his tasks. This also includes disorders of memory and thinking, “due to” which the so-called active memorization becomes impossible, the ability to see the task “as a whole” is lost, which makes it lose its semantic structure, the possibility of its complex analysis is lost and therefore - the search for a solution program, as well as awareness their mistakes.

In patients with such lesions, the emotional-personal sphere almost always suffers, which, in fact, was observed in the same Gage. Patients do not adequately relate to themselves, their condition and others, they often experience a state of euphoria, which can quickly change into aggression, turn into depressive moods and emotional indifference. With frontal syndrome, the spiritual sphere of a person is disturbed - interest in work is lost, preferences and tastes change or completely disappear.

By the way, one of the worst operations, lobotomy, breaks the connection between the frontal lobes, and the result is the same as with ordinary injuries: a person stops worrying, but gets a lot of “side effects” (epileptic seizures, partial paralysis, urinary incontinence, weight gain). , impaired motor skills) and actually turns into a "plant".

As a result, let's say: it is possible to live without the frontal lobe, but it is undesirable, otherwise we will lose everything human.

Rizzolatti G., Fadiga L., Gallese V., Fogassi L.

Premotor cortex and the recognition of motor actions.

Cogn. Brain Res., 3 (1996).

Gallese V., Fadiga L., Fogassi L., Rizzolatti G

Action recognition in the premotor cortex.

Anastasia Sheshukova, Anna Khoruzhaya

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brain anatomy

The human brain is still a mystery to scientists. It is not only one of the most important organs of the human body, but also the most complex and poorly understood. Learn more about the most mysterious organ of the human body by reading this article.

"Brain Introduction" - cerebral cortex

In this article, you will learn about the main components of the brain, as well as how the brain works. This is by no means an in-depth overview of all research on the features of the brain, because such information would take up entire stacks of books. The main purpose of this review is to familiarize you with the main components of the brain and the functions that they perform.

The cerebral cortex is the component that makes the human being unique. The cerebral cortex is responsible for all the traits inherent exclusively in man, including a more perfect mental development, speech, consciousness, as well as the ability to think, reason and imagine, since all these processes take place in it.

The cerebral cortex is exactly what we see when we look at the brain. This is the outer part of the brain, which can be divided into four lobes. Each bulge on the surface of the brain is known as a gyrus, and each indentation is known as a sulcus.

Four lobes of the brain

The cerebral cortex can be divided into four sections, which are known as lobes (see image above). Each of the lobes, namely the frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal, is responsible for certain functions, ranging from the ability to reason to auditory perception.

  • The frontal lobe is located in the front of the brain and is responsible for reasoning, motor skills, cognition, and speech. At the back of the frontal lobe, next to the central sulcus, lies the motor cortex. This area receives impulses from different parts of the brain and uses this information to set parts of the body in motion. Damage to the frontal lobe of the brain can lead to sexual dysfunction, problems with social adaptation, decreased concentration, or increase the risk of such consequences.
  • The parietal lobe is located in the middle part of the brain and is responsible for processing tactile and sensory impulses. These include pressure, touch, and pain. The part of the brain known as the somatosensory cortex is located in this lobe and is of great importance for the perception of sensations. Damage to the parietal lobe can lead to problems with verbal memory, impaired eye control, and speech problems.
  • The temporal lobe is located in the lower part of the brain. This lobe also houses the primary auditory cortex needed to interpret the sounds and speech we hear. The hippocampus is also located in the temporal lobe, which is why this part of the brain is associated with memory formation. Damage to the temporal lobe can lead to problems with memory, language skills, and speech perception.
  • The occipital lobe is located at the back of the brain and is responsible for interpreting visual information. The primary visual cortex, which receives and processes information from the retina, is located in the occipital lobe. Damage to this lobe can cause vision problems such as difficulty recognizing objects, texts, and colors.

brain stem

The brain stem consists of the so-called hindbrain and midbrain. The hindbrain, in turn, consists of the medulla oblongata, the pons varolii, and the reticular formation.

Hind brain

The hindbrain is the structure that connects the spinal cord to the brain.

  • The medulla oblongata is located just above the spinal cord and controls many of the vital functions of the autonomic nervous system, including heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure.
  • The pons connects the medulla oblongata to the cerebellum and helps in coordinating the movement of all parts of the body.
  • The reticular formation is a neural network located in the medulla oblongata that helps control functions such as sleep and attention.

midbrain

The midbrain is the smallest area of ​​the brain that acts as a kind of relay station for auditory and visual information.

The midbrain controls many important functions, including the visual and auditory systems, as well as eye movement. Parts of the midbrain, referred to as the "red nucleus" and "black matter", are involved in the control of body movement. The substantia nigra contains a large number of dopamine-producing neurons located in it. Degeneration of neurons in the substantia nigra can lead to Parkinson's disease.

Cerebellum

The cerebellum, also sometimes referred to as the "little brain", lies on top of the pons, behind the brainstem. The cerebellum consists of small lobes and receives impulses from the vestibular apparatus, afferent (sensory) nerves, auditory and visual systems. It is involved in the coordination of movement, and is also responsible for memory and learning ability.

thalamus

Located above the brainstem, the thalamus processes and transmits motor and sensory impulses. In essence, the thalamus is a relay station that receives sensory impulses and transmits them to the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex, in turn, also sends impulses to the thalamus, which then sends them to other systems.

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a group of nuclei located along the base of the brain next to the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus connects to many other areas of the brain and is responsible for controlling hunger, thirst, emotions, regulating body temperature, and circadian (circadian) rhythms. The hypothalamus also controls the pituitary gland by secreting hormones that allow the hypothalamus to exercise control over many bodily functions.

limbic system

The limbic system is made up of four major elements, namely the amygdala, the hippocampus, the limbic cortex, and the septal area of ​​the brain. These elements form connections between the limbic system and the hypothalamus, thalamus, and cerebral cortex. The hippocampus plays an important role in memory and learning, while the limbic system itself is central to the control of emotional responses.

Basal ganglia

The basal ganglia are a group of large nuclei partially surrounding the thalamus. These nuclei play an important role in the control of movement. The red nucleus and the substantia nigra of the midbrain are also associated with the basal ganglia.

Biology and medicine

Frontal lobe of the terminal (large) brain (lobus frontalis telencephali)

The frontal lobes of the hemispheres are highly developed - their surface is about 29% of the entire surface of the cortex, and their mass is more than 50% of the mass of the brain. Apparently, the frontal lobes are the morphological basis of the mental functions of a person and his mind. When awake, there is a higher activity of neurons in the frontal lobes. Certain areas of the frontal lobes (the so-called prefrontal cortex) are connected by numerous connections with various parts of the limbic nervous system, which allows us to consider them cortical parts of the limbic system. Associative zones of the brain are found in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes.

The frontal lobe of the brain is responsible for decision making, personality, movement, speech. The frontal lobe is subdivided into the motor area, premotor area, dorsolateral prefrontal area, medial prefrontal area, and orbitofrontal area.

The prefrontal region includes the last three zones, most developed in primates, and especially in humans. It is with the defeat of this area that the so-called frontal syndrome occurs. The prefrontal region and its associated subcortical structures (head of the caudate nucleus, mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus) form the prefrontal system responsible for complex cognitive and behavioral functions.

Pathways converge in the orbitofrontal cortex from the association areas of the cortex, the paralimbic areas of the cortex, and the limbic areas of the cortex. Thus, the prefrontal system and the limbic system intersect here. Such an organization determines the involvement of the prefrontal system in complex forms of behavior, where coordination of cognitive, emotional and motivational processes is necessary. Determining the function of the prefrontal system is not easy. Its integrity is necessary for assessing the current situation, possible actions and their consequences, and thus for making decisions and developing programs of behavior.

Frontal lobes: anatomy

The lower edge of the frontal lobe is limited by the anterior edge of the Sylvian furrow. The frontal lobe includes the following most frequently repeated furrows and convolutions (Fig. 47, Fig. 52):

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Frontal lobes. Functions

The brain is located in the brain part of the skull. It consists of five sections: oblong, middle, intermediate and cerebellum.

Consider - the frontal lobes of the hemispheres, which are highly developed about 30% of the entire surface of the cortex. The lobe is separated from the parietal by a deep central sulcus. The frontal lobes are the morphological structure of human mental functions.

It is separated from the parietal lobe by the central sulcus, from the temporal-lateral sulcus. There are four gyri in this lobe: one vertical and three horizontal - the superior, middle and inferior frontal gyrus. The function of the frontal lobes is associated with the system of distribution of voluntary movements, motor processes of speech, the regulation of complex forms of behavior and the function of thinking.

Functions of the frontal lobe

Functionally important centers are fastened in the convolutions of the frontal lobe. The anterior central gyrus is the primary motor area of ​​certain parts of the body.

The face "is" in the lower third of the gyrus, the upper limb is in the middle third, the lower limb is in the upper third, the trunk is represented in the posterior sections of the superior frontal gyrus.

As a result, a person is projected in the anterior main gyrus upside down and down. As well as established in the cortex of the frontal lobes, there are various efferent motor systems. In the posterior sections of the superior frontal gyrus, there is an extra pyramidal center, that is, an extra pyramidal system.

This system is responsible for the function of voluntary movements. The extrapyramidal system provides automatic regulation in order to maintain overall muscle tone, the "readiness" of the central motor apparatus to perform movement, and the redistribution of muscle tone when performing actions. And also she takes part in maintaining a normal posture.

In the posterior part of the middle frontal gyrus, the frontal oculomotor center is located, which performs the function of simultaneously turning the head and eye. Irritation of this center causes a movement of turning the head and eyes in the opposite direction.

In a passive state, when a person is sleeping, there is an increased activity of neurons in the frontal lobes. The frontal lobes are located in front of the Romans groove and include the precentral gyrus, premotor and polis-prefrontal zones.

The role of the frontal oculomotor center is great, it is it that helps in orientation. In the posterior part of the lower frontal part is the motor center of speech.

The frontal part of the cerebral cortex is responsible for the formation of thinking, planning various actions. Damage to the frontal lobes leads to carelessness, useless goals and a tendency to inappropriate ridiculous jokes.

With the loss of motivation during the necrosis of the cells of the frontal lobes, a person becomes simply passive, loses the meaning of life, to others and can sleep for days on end.

An important function of the frontal lobes is that it exercises control and direction in behavior. Only this part of the brain is able to receive a command that prevents the implementation of socially undesirable impulses, for example, a grasping reflex or aggressive behavior towards others.

In the case when dementia people are affected, this is a zone that previously blocks the manifestation of obscenity and the use of obscene words.

Thanks to the frontal zone, complex tasks or problems that have arisen in work, which seems to be without a day off, then become automatic and do not need special help, but cope on their own.

The structure of the brain - what is each department responsible for?

The human brain is a big mystery even for modern biology. Despite all the successes in the development of medicine, in particular, and science in general, we still cannot clearly answer the question: “How exactly do we think?”. In addition, understanding the difference between the conscious and the subconscious, it is also not possible to clearly identify their location, and even more so to separate them.

However, to clarify some aspects for yourself, even people from medicine and anatomy are distant. Therefore, in this article we will consider the structure and functionality of the brain.

Definition of the brain

The brain is not the prerogative of only a person. Most of the chordates (which include homo sapiens) have this organ and enjoy all its advantages as a reference point for the central nervous system.

How the brain works

The brain is an organ that has been studied rather poorly due to the complexity of its design. Its structure is still the subject of controversy in scientific circles.

However, there are some basic facts:

  1. The adult human brain consists of twenty-five billion neurons (approximately). This mass makes up the gray matter.
  2. There are three skins:
    • solid;
    • soft;
    • Cobweb (liquor circulation channels);

They perform protective functions, being responsible for safety during strikes and any other damage.

In the most common aspect, the brain is divided into three parts, such as:

It is impossible not to highlight another common view of this organ:

In addition, it is necessary to mention the structure of the telencephalon, the combined hemispheres:

Functions and tasks

A rather difficult topic to discuss, since the brain does almost everything that you yourself do (or manage these processes).

You need to start with the fact that it is the brain that performs the highest function that determines the rationality of a person as a species - thinking. It also processes signals received from all receptors - sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. In addition, the brain controls sensations, in the form of emotions, feelings, etc.

What is each part of the brain responsible for?

As mentioned before, the number of functions performed by the brain is very, very extensive. Some of them are very important because they are noticeable, some vice versa. Nevertheless, it is far from always possible to determine exactly which part of the brain is responsible for what. The imperfection of even modern medicine is obvious. However, those aspects that have already been sufficiently explored are presented below.

In addition to the various departments that are highlighted in separate paragraphs below, just a few departments need to be mentioned, without which your life would be a real nightmare:

  • The medulla oblongata is responsible for all protective reflexes of the body. This includes sneezing, vomiting and coughing, as well as some of the most important reflexes.
  • The thalamus is a translator of information about the environment and the state of the body received by receptors into signals understandable to humans. So, it controls pain, muscle, auditory, olfactory, visual (partially), temperature and other signals entering the brain from various centers.
  • The hypothalamus simply controls your life. Keeps a finger on the pulse, so to speak. It regulates the heart rate. In turn, this also affects the regulation of blood pressure, thermoregulation. In addition, the hypothalamus can influence the production of hormones in case of stress. It also controls feelings such as hunger, thirst, sexuality and pleasure.
  • Epithalamus - controls your biorhythms, that is, it makes it possible to fall asleep at night and feel alert during the day. In addition, he is also responsible for metabolism, "managing".

This is by no means a complete list, even if you add here what you read below. However, most of the functions are displayed, and there are still disputes about others.

Left hemisphere

The left cerebral hemisphere is the controller of such functions as:

  • Oral speech;
  • Analytical activities of various kinds (logic);
  • Mathematical calculations;

In addition, this hemisphere is also responsible for the formation of abstract thinking, which distinguishes humans from other animal species. It also controls the movement of the left limbs.

Right hemisphere

The right cerebral hemisphere is a kind of human hard drive. That is, it is there that memories of the world around you are stored. But in itself, such information is of little use, which means that, along with the preservation of this knowledge, algorithms for interaction with various objects of the surrounding world based on past experience are also stored in the right hemisphere.

Cerebellum and ventricles

The cerebellum is, to a certain extent, an offshoot from the junction of the spinal cord and the cerebral cortex. Such a location is quite logical, since it makes it possible to obtain duplicate information about the position of the body in space and the transmission of signals to various muscles.

The cerebellum is mainly engaged in the fact that it constantly corrects the position of the body in space, being responsible for automatic, reflex, movements, and for conscious actions. Thus, it is the source of such a necessary function as the coordination of movements in space. You might be interested in reading about how to test your coordination.

In addition, the cerebellum is also responsible for regulating balance and muscle tone, while at the same time working with muscle memory.

frontal lobes

The frontal lobes are a kind of dashboard of the human body. She supports him in an upright position, making it possible to move freely.

In addition, it is precisely due to the frontal lobes that curiosity, initiative, activity and independence of a person are “calculated” at the time of making any decisions.

Also one of the main functions of this department is critical self-assessment. Thus, this makes the frontal lobes a kind of conscience, at least in relation to social markers of behavior. That is, any social deviations that are unacceptable in society do not pass the control of the frontal lobe, and, accordingly, are not performed.

Any injury in this part of the brain is fraught with:

  • behavioral disorders;
  • mood swings;
  • general inadequacy;
  • senselessness of actions.

Another function of the frontal lobes is arbitrary decisions and their planning. Also, the development of various skills and abilities depends precisely on the activity of this department. The dominant share of this department is responsible for the development of speech, and its further control. Equally important is the ability to think abstractly.

Pituitary

The pituitary gland is often referred to as a cerebral appendage. Its functions are reduced to the production of hormones responsible for puberty, development and functioning in general.

In fact, the pituitary gland is something like a chemical laboratory, which decides what exactly you will become in the process of growing up of the body.

Coordination

Coordination, as the ability to navigate in space and not touch objects with different parts of the body in a random order, is controlled by the cerebellum.

In addition, the cerebellum controls such a brain function as kinetic awareness - in general, this is the highest level of coordination that allows you to navigate in the surrounding space, noting the distance to objects and calculating the ability to move in free zones.

Such an important function as speech is managed by several departments at once:

  • The dominant part of the frontal lobe (above), which is responsible for the control of oral speech.
  • The temporal lobes are responsible for speech recognition.

Basically, we can say that the left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for speech, if we do not take into account the division of the telencephalon into various lobes and departments.

Emotions

Emotional regulation is an area controlled by the hypothalamus, along with a number of other critical functions.

Strictly speaking, emotions are not created in the hypothalamus, but it is there that the influence on the human endocrine system is produced. Already after a certain set of hormones has been produced, a person feels something, however, the gap between the orders of the hypothalamus and the production of hormones can be completely insignificant.

prefrontal cortex

The functions of the prefrontal cortex lie in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mental and motor activity of the body, which correlates with future goals and plans.

In addition, the prefrontal cortex plays a significant role in the creation of complex mental schemes, plans and action algorithms.

The main feature is that this part of the brain does not "see" the difference between the regulation of the body's internal processes and following the social framework of external behavior.

When you find yourself faced with a difficult choice that has arisen mainly due to your own conflicting thoughts, thank the prefrontal cortex of the brain for this. It is there that differentiation and/or integration of various concepts and objects takes place.

Also in this department, the result of your actions is predicted, and an adjustment is made in comparison with the result that you want to get.

Thus, we are talking about volitional control, concentration on the subject of work and emotional regulation. That is, if you are constantly distracted during work, you cannot concentrate, then the conclusion made by the prefrontal cortex was disappointing, and you will not be able to achieve the desired result in this way.

The most recently proven function of the prefrontal cortex is one of the substrates of short-term memory.

Memory

Memory is a very broad concept that includes descriptions of higher mental functions that allow you to reproduce previously acquired knowledge, skills and abilities at the right time. All higher animals possess it, however, it is naturally most developed in humans.

The mechanism of action of memory is as follows - in the brain, a certain combination of neurons is excited in a strict sequence. These sequences and combinations are called neural networks. Previously, the more common theory was that individual neurons were responsible for memories.

Brain diseases

The brain is the same organ as all the others in the human body, which means it is also susceptible to various diseases. The list of such diseases is quite extensive.

It will be easier to consider it if we divide them into several groups:

  1. Viral diseases. The most common of these are viral encephalitis (weakness in the muscles, severe drowsiness, coma, confusion and difficulty thinking in general), encephalomyelitis (fever, vomiting, impaired coordination and motor skills of the limbs, dizziness, loss of consciousness), meningitis (high temperature, general weakness, vomiting), etc.
  2. Tumor diseases. Their number is also quite large, although not all of them are malignant. Any tumor appears as the final stage of failure in the production of cells. Instead of the usual death and subsequent replacement, the cell begins to multiply, filling all the space free from healthy tissues. Symptoms of tumors are headaches and convulsions. Also, their presence is easy to determine by hallucinations from various receptors, confusion and problems with speech.
  3. Neurodegenerative diseases. By a common definition, these are also disturbances in the life cycle of cells in different parts of the brain. So, Alzheimer's disease is described as impaired conduction of nerve cells, which leads to memory loss. Huntington's disease, in turn, is the result of atrophy of the cerebral cortex. There are other options. The general symptoms are as follows - problems with memory, thinking, gait and motor skills, the presence of convulsions, tremors, spasms or pain. Also read our article on the difference between seizures and tremors.
  4. Vascular diseases are also quite different, although, in fact, they are reduced to violations in the structure of blood vessels. So, an aneurysm is nothing more than a protrusion of the wall of a certain vessel - which does not make it less dangerous. Atherosclerosis is a narrowing of blood vessels in the brain, but vascular dementia is characterized by their complete destruction.

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In addition, the cerebellum is also responsible for regulation balance and muscle tone, while also working with muscle memory.

Also interesting is the ability of the cerebellum to adapt to any changes in the perception of information in the shortest possible time. It is assumed that even with impaired vision (an experiment with an invertoscope), a person adapts to a new state in just a few days and can again coordinate the position of the body, relying on the cerebellum.

frontal lobes

frontal lobes is a kind of dashboard of the human body. She supports him in an upright position, making it possible to move freely.

Moreover, precisely due to frontal lobes curiosity, initiative, activity and independence of a person at the time of making any decisions are “calculated”.

Also, one of the main functions of this department is critical self-assessment. Thus, this makes the frontal lobes a kind of conscience, at least in relation to social markers of behavior. That is, any social deviations that are unacceptable in society do not pass the control of the frontal lobe, and, accordingly, are not performed.

Any injury in this part of the brain is fraught with:

  • behavioral disorders;
  • mood swings;
  • general inadequacy;
  • senselessness of actions.

Another function of the frontal lobes is arbitrary decisions and their planning. Also, the development of various skills and abilities depends precisely on the activity of this department. The dominant share of this department is responsible for the development of speech, and its further control. Equally important is the ability to think abstractly.

Pituitary

Pituitary often referred to as a brain appendage. Its functions are reduced to the production of hormones responsible for puberty, development and functioning in general.

In fact, the pituitary gland is something like a chemical laboratory, which decides what exactly you will become in the process of growing up of the body.

Coordination

Coordination, as a skill to navigate in space and not to touch objects with different parts of the body in a random order, is controlled by the cerebellum.

In addition, the cerebellum controls such functions of the brain as kinetic awareness- in general, this is the highest level of coordination that allows you to navigate in the surrounding space, noting the distance to objects and calculating the ability to move in free zones.

Speech

Such an important function as speech is managed by several departments at once:

  • Dominant part of the frontal lobe(above), which is responsible for the control of oral speech.
  • temporal lobes responsible for speech recognition.

Basically, we can say that it is responsible for speech left hemisphere brain, if you do not take into account the division of the telencephalon into different lobes and departments.

Emotions

Emotional regulation- This is the area controlled by the hypothalamus, along with a number of other important functions.

Strictly speaking, emotions are not created in the hypothalamus, but it is there that the influence on endocrine system person. Already after a certain set of hormones has been produced, a person feels something, however, the gap between the orders of the hypothalamus and the production of hormones can be completely insignificant.

prefrontal cortex

Functions prefrontal cortex lie in the field of mental and motor activity of the body, which correlates with future goals and plans.

In addition, the prefrontal cortex plays a significant role in creating complex thought patterns,
plans and algorithms of action.

home peculiarity the fact that this part of the brain does not "see" the difference between the regulation of the internal processes of the body and following the social framework of external behavior.

When you are faced with a difficult choice, which appeared mainly due to your own conflicting thoughts - give thanks for it. prefrontal cortex brain. It is there that differentiation and/or integration of various concepts and objects takes place.

Also in this department is predicted the result of your actions, and an adjustment is made in comparison with the result that you want to get.

Thus, we are talking about volitional control, concentration on the subject of work and emotional regulation. That is, if you are constantly distracted during work, you cannot concentrate, then the conclusion drawn prefrontal cortex, was disappointing, and you will not be able to achieve the desired result in this way.

The last proven function of the prefrontal cortex to date is one of the substrates short term memory.

Memory

Memory- this is a very broad concept that includes descriptions of higher mental functions that allow you to reproduce previously acquired knowledge, skills and abilities at the right time. All higher animals possess it, however, it is naturally most developed in humans.

It is almost impossible to determine exactly which part of the brain is responsible for memory (long-term or short-term). Physiological studies show that the areas responsible for storing memories are distributed over the entire surface of the cerebral cortex.

Mechanism The action of memory is as follows - in the brain, a certain combination of neurons is excited in a strict sequence. These sequences and combinations are called neural networks. Previously, the more common theory was that individual neurons were responsible for memories.

Brain diseases

The brain is the same organ as all the others in the human body, which means it is also susceptible to various diseases. The list of such diseases is quite extensive.

It will be easier to consider it if we divide them into several groups:

  1. Viral diseases. The most common of these are viral encephalitis (weakness in the muscles, severe drowsiness, coma, confusion and difficulty thinking in general), encephalomyelitis (fever, vomiting, impaired coordination and motor skills of the limbs, dizziness, loss of consciousness), meningitis (high temperature, general weakness, vomiting), etc.
  2. Tumor diseases. Their number is also quite large, although not all of them are malignant. Any tumor appears as the final stage of failure in the production of cells. Instead of the usual death and subsequent replacement, the cell begins to multiply, filling all the space free from healthy tissues. Symptoms of tumors are headaches and convulsions. Also, their presence is easy to determine by hallucinations from various receptors, confusion and problems with speech.
  3. Neurodegenerative diseases. By a common definition, these are also disturbances in the life cycle of cells in different parts of the brain. So, Alzheimer's disease is described as impaired conduction of nerve cells, which leads to memory loss. Huntington's disease, in turn, is the result of atrophy of the cerebral cortex. There are other options. The general symptoms are as follows - problems with memory, thinking, gait and motor skills, the presence of convulsions, tremors, spasms or pain. Also read our article about.
  4. Vascular diseases are also quite different, although, in fact, they are reduced to violations in the structure of blood vessels. So, an aneurysm is nothing more than a protrusion of the wall of a certain vessel - which does not make it less dangerous. Atherosclerosis is a narrowing of blood vessels in the brain, but vascular dementia is characterized by their complete destruction.

What is the carrier of consciousness - brain cells or electrical signals generated by them? Where do the consciousness and personality of a person come from and where do they go at the end of their journey? These questions concern many.

The human brain is one of the most mysterious organs of the human body. Scientists still cannot fully understand the mechanism of mental activity, the functioning of consciousness and subconsciousness.

Structure

In the course of evolution, a strong cranium has formed around the human brain, protecting this organ that is vulnerable to physical influences. The brain occupies more than 90% of the space of the skull. It consists of three main parts:
  • large hemispheres;
  • brain stem;
  • cerebellum.

It is also customary to distinguish five sections of the brain:
  • forebrain (large hemispheres);

  • hindbrain (cerebellum, pons Varolii);

  • medulla;

  • midbrain;

  • intermediate brain.

The first on the way from the spinal cord begins medulla, being its actual continuation. It consists of gray matter - the nuclei of the nerves of the skull, as well as white matter - the conducting channels of both brains (the brain and spinal cord).

Next comes Pons- This is a roller of nerve transverse fibers and gray matter. The main artery that feeds the brain passes through it. It starts above the medulla oblongata and passes into the cerebellum.

Cerebellum consists of two small hemispheres connected by a "worm", as well as white matter and gray matter covering it. This department is connected by pairs of "legs" to the oblong bridge, the cerebellum and the midbrain.

midbrain consists of two visual hillocks, and two auditory (quadrigemina). Nerve fibers that connect the brain with the spinal cord depart from these tubercles.

Large hemispheres of the brain separated by a deep fissure with the corpus callosum inside, which connects these two sections of the brain. Each hemisphere has a frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital. The hemispheres are covered by the cerebral cortex, in which all thought processes take place.

In addition, there are three layers of the brain:

  • Hard, which is the periosteum of the inner surface of the skull. A large number of pain receptors are concentrated in this shell.

  • Arachnoid, which is closely adjacent to the cerebral cortex, but does not line the gyrus. The space between it and the hard shell is filled with serous fluid, and the space between it and the cerebral cortex is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

  • Soft, consisting of a system of blood vessels and connective tissue, in contact with the entire surface of the substance of the brain, and nourishing it.

Functions and tasks


Our brain takes part in the processing of information coming from the entire set of receptors, controls the movements of the human body, and also carries out the highest function of the human body - thinking. Each part of the brain is responsible for performing certain functions.

Medulla contains nerve centers that ensure the normal functioning of protective reflexes - sneezing, coughing, blinking, vomiting. He also "rules" the respiratory and swallowing reflexes, salivation and secretion of gastric juice.

Pons responsible for the normal movement of the eyeballs and the coordination of the facial muscles.

Cerebellum exercises control over the consistency and coordination of movement.

midbrain provides a regulatory function in relation to the acuity of hearing and clarity of vision. This part of the brain controls the expansion-constriction of the pupil, changes in the curvature of the lens of the eye, and is responsible for the muscle tone of the eye. It also contains the nerve centers of the orientation reflex in space.



diencephalon includes:
  • thalamus- a kind of "switch" that processes and forms sensations from information from temperature, pain, vibration, muscle, taste, tactile, auditory, olfactory receptors, one of the subcortical visual centers. Also, this site is responsible for changing the states of sleep and wakefulness in the body.

  • Hypothalamus- this small area performs the most important task of controlling heart rate, thermoregulation of the body, blood pressure. It also "manages" the mechanisms of emotional regulation - it affects the endocrine system in order to develop the hormones necessary to overcome stressful situations. The hypothalamus regulates hunger, thirst and satiety. It is the center of pleasure and sexuality.

  • Pituitary- this brain appendage produces growth hormones of puberty, development and functioning.

  • Epithalamus- includes the pineal gland, which regulates daily biological rhythms, releasing hormones at night for normal and long falling asleep, and during the day - for a normal mode of wakefulness and activity. Directly with the regulation of sleep and wakefulness is associated with the control of the body's adaptation to lighting conditions. The pineal gland is able to pick up vibrations of light waves even through the cranium, and respond to them by releasing the necessary hormones. Also, this small part of the brain regulates the rate of metabolism in the body (metabolism).

Right cerebral hemisphere- is responsible for the preservation of information about the surrounding world, the experience of human interaction with it, the motor activity of the right limbs.

Left cerebral hemisphere- exercises control over the speech functions of the body, the implementation of analytical activities, mathematical calculations. Here abstract thinking is formed, the movement of the left limbs is controlled.

Each of the hemispheres of the brain is divided into 4 lobes:

1. Frontal lobes- they can be compared with the navigational cabin of the ship. They ensure the maintenance of the vertical position of the human body. Also, this site is responsible for how active and inquisitive a person is, initiative and independent in making decisions.

In the frontal lobes, processes of critical self-evaluation take place. Any violations in the frontal lobes lead to the manifestation of inadequacy in behavior, senselessness of actions, apathy and sudden mood swings. Also, "logging" manages human behavior and control over it - the prevention of deviations, socially unacceptable actions.



Actions of an arbitrary nature, their planning, mastery of skills and abilities also depend on the frontal lobes. Here, frequently repeated actions are brought to automatism.

In the left (dominant) lobe, control is exercised over human speech, ensuring abstract thinking.

2. Temporal lobes- this is a long-term storage. The left (dominant) share stores information about the specific names of objects, the links between them. The right lobe is responsible for visual memory and imagery.

Their important function is also speech recognition. The left lobe deciphers for consciousness the semantic load of the spoken words, and the right lobe provides an understanding of their intonational coloring and facial expressions, explaining the mood of the speaker and the degree of his goodwill towards us.

The temporal lobes also provide the perception of olfactory information.

3. Parietal lobes- participate in the perception of pain, feelings of cold, heat. The functions of the right and left lobes are different.

The left (dominant) share provides the processes of synthesizing information fragments, combining them into a single system, allows a person to read and count. This share is responsible for the assimilation of a certain algorithm of movements leading to a specific result, the feeling of individual parts of one's own body and a sense of its integrity, the definition of the right and left sides.

The right (non-dominant) lobe transforms the entire set of information coming from the occipital lobes, forming a three-dimensional picture of the world, provides orientation in space, determining the distance between objects and to them.

4. Occipital lobes- processing visual information. perceive objects of the surrounding world as a set of stimuli that reflect light on the retina in different ways. The occipital lobes convert light signals into information about the color, movement and shape of objects that are understandable to the parietal lobes, which form three-dimensional images in our minds.

Brain diseases

The list of brain diseases is quite large, we will give the most common and dangerous of them.

Conventionally, they can be divided into:

  • tumor;

  • viral;

  • vascular;

  • neurodegenerative.


Tumor diseases. The number of brain tumors is very diverse. They can be malignant or benign. Tumors arise as a result of a failure in cell reproduction, when cells must die and give way to others. Instead, they multiply uncontrollably and rapidly, crowding out healthy tissue.

Symptoms may include: nausea,