From the simple to the complex
SUB-TOPICS

Anatomy by Level of Organization

Function by Level of Organization

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Link : 3-D brain anatomy Link : Phineas Gage - A Man Who Hurt His Brain Link : The Story of Phineas Gage Link : The Phineas Gage Information Page
Link : What Became of Albert Einstein's Brain? Link : L'être biologique : les trois cerveaux de MacLean Link : Frontal lobe Link : Parietal lobe
Link : Temporal lobe Link : Occipital lobe Link : Physical brain History : Des idées sur le cerveau
Link : Le Cerveau ! Sciences & Découverte (Arte) Link : Brain Geography Linked Module : Canada’s first Brain Bank

The brain accounts for only about 2% of the total weight of the human body, but constantly accounts for about
20% of its blood and oxygen use.


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THE BRAIN
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

The brain has the size and appearance of a small cauliflower. But thanks to its 100 billion nerve cells (as many as there are stars in our galaxy!), we can think, plan, talk, imagine, and so much more.

Top View of The Brain
The brain has two cerebral hemispheres. Each takes care of one side of the body, but the controls are crossed: the right hemisphere takes care of the left side, and vice versa.

If each hemisphere were unfolded, it would be the size of an extra-large pizza! For this reason, the brain must fold over on itself many times to fit into the skull.

Linked Module: Part Two : The Brain's Hemispheres

 
       
Linked Module: "Do we use only 10% of our brain?" Linked Module: Part Five - Do We Really Use Only 10% of Our Brain? Linked Module: Myths About the Brain: 10 percent


 

 

 
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
THE BRAIN

The brain is something like the body’s control tower. It must be kept quickly informed of the body’s needs and of the resources available in the environment to satisfy them.

For this purpose, the brain relies on a vast network of “wiring” distributed throughout the body: the nerves. Together with the brain and the spinal cord, the nerves constitute the nervous system.

To distinguish the control centres from the information pathways, we divide the nervous system into two sub-systems (to see them, run your cursor over their names in the following diagram):

CENTRAL
NERVOUS
SYSTEM

The central nervous system consists of the brain and its natural extension, the spinal cord, which runs through the centre of the spinal column. The spinal column, together with the skull, provides a veritable suit of armour for the precious central nervous system.

PERIPHERAL
NERVOUS
SYSTEM

The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves, some of which gather information while others transmit orders. The facial nerves enter and leave the brain directly through the skull. Other nerves reach the brain via the spinal cord. The nerves in the peripheral nervous system are in turn divided into two categories.
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