Brain Hemispheres and Corpus Callosum

Study Notes

The cerebrum is divided into left and right hemispheres, connected by the corpus callosum, a bundle of nerve fibers that transmits messages between the two sides.
Each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body.

The left hemisphere controls speech, comprehension, arithmetic, and writing, and is dominant in hand use and language in about 92% of people.
The right hemisphere controls creativity, spatial ability, artistic, and musical skills.

The cerebral hemispheres are divided into four lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.
Each lobe serves specific functions, such as:
- Frontal lobe: personality, behavior, emotions, judgment, planning, and problem-solving.
- Parietal lobe: interprets language, words, sense of touch, pain, temperature, and spatial and visual perception.
- Temporal lobe: understanding language, interpreting vision, hearing, and sensory information.
- Occipital lobe: interprets vision, including color, light, and movement.

The left hemisphere is responsible for language and speech, and is called the "dominant" hemisphere.
The right hemisphere plays a large part in interpreting visual information and spatial processing.
In about one-third of people who are left-handed, speech function may be located on the right side of the brain.

The brain controls all functions of the body, interprets information from the outside world, and embodies the essence of the mind and soul.
It assembles information from the five senses and stores it in memory.
The brain controls thoughts, memory, and speech, movement of the arms and legs, and the function of many organs within the body.

The CNS is composed of the brain and spinal cord.
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is composed of spinal nerves that branch from the spinal cord and cranial nerves that branch from the brain.

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, composed of right and left hemispheres, and performs higher functions like interpreting touch, vision, and hearing, as well as speech, reasoning, emotions, learning, and fine control of movement.
The cerebellum is located under the cerebrum and coordinates muscle movements, maintains posture, and balances.
The brainstem acts as a relay center connecting the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord, and performs many automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and body temperature.

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