Brain Structure and Evolution

Brain Structure and Function

• The brain can be imagined as a whole, with the front, back, top, and bottom sides, similar to a person's profile.
• A sagittal slice is a type of cutting of the brain, and a midsagittal slice is when it's cut directly through the middle.

Brain Evolution and Complexity

• Brains become more complex as animals evolve, with more developed brains in higher species.
• Despite increasing complexity, older structures are still present, with simpler structures at the center and more complex ones at the outer layers.

Brainstem and Old Brain

• The brainstem is located in the middle of the brain and controls basic functions like heartbeat and breathing.
• It's split into two parts: Medulla and Pons, with the Medulla located at the base of the brain.
• The brainstem serves as a crossover point for nerves from the body, with the right side of the brain controlling the left side of the body and vice versa.

Reticular Formation

• The reticular formation is a structure inside the brainstem, extending into other brain areas.
• It acts as a filter for information, sending important data to other brain areas, specifically the Thalamus.
• It also plays a role in sleep-wake cycles, arousal, and alertness.

Thalamus

• The Thalamus is an egg-shaped structure above the brainstem, relaying sensory information from the senses (except smell) to the brain.
• It's also responsible for relaying information from higher brain areas down to the brainstem and spinal cord.

Cerebellum

• The Cerebellum is a squishy, baseball-sized structure around the brainstem, involved in coordinating voluntary movement.
• It helps with tasks like running and kicking a soccer ball simultaneously.
• Damage to the Cerebellum can cause jerky and awkward movements.
• The Cerebellum is also affected by alcohol consumption, leading to coordination issues.

Brain Structure and Function

• The brain has four sides: front, back, top, and bottom, similar to a person's profile.
• A sagittal slice is a type of cutting of the brain, and a midsagittal slice is when it's cut directly through the middle.

Brain Evolution and Complexity

• Brain complexity increases as animals evolve, with higher species having more developed brains.
• Despite increasing complexity, older structures are still present, with simpler structures at the center and more complex ones at the outer layers.

Brainstem and Old Brain

• The brainstem is located in the middle of the brain and controls basic functions like heartbeat and breathing.
• The brainstem has two parts: Medulla and Pons, with the Medulla located at the base of the brain.
• The brainstem serves as a crossover point for nerves from the body, with the right side of the brain controlling the left side of the body and vice versa.

Reticular Formation

• The reticular formation is a structure inside the brainstem that extends into other brain areas.
• It acts as a filter for information, sending important data to other brain areas, specifically the Thalamus.
• It also plays a role in sleep-wake cycles, arousal, and alertness.

Thalamus

• The Thalamus is an egg-shaped structure above the brainstem that relays sensory information from the senses (except smell) to the brain.
• It relays information from higher brain areas down to the brainstem and spinal cord.

Cerebellum

• The Cerebellum is a squishy, baseball-sized structure around the brainstem involved in coordinating voluntary movement.
• It helps with tasks that require coordination, such as running and kicking a soccer ball simultaneously.
• Damage to the Cerebellum can cause jerky and awkward movements.
• The Cerebellum is also affected by alcohol consumption, leading to coordination issues.

Brain Structure and Function

• The brain has four sides: front, back, top, and bottom, similar to a person's profile.
• A sagittal slice is a type of cutting of the brain, and a midsagittal slice is when it's cut directly through the middle.

Brain Evolution and Complexity

• Brain complexity increases as animals evolve, with higher species having more developed brains.
• Despite increasing complexity, older structures are still present, with simpler structures at the center and more complex ones at the outer layers.

Brainstem and Old Brain

• The brainstem is located in the middle of the brain and controls basic functions like heartbeat and breathing.
• The brainstem has two parts: Medulla and Pons, with the Medulla located at the base of the brain.
• The brainstem serves as a crossover point for nerves from the body, with the right side of the brain controlling the left side of the body and vice versa.

Reticular Formation

• The reticular formation is a structure inside the brainstem that extends into other brain areas.
• It acts as a filter for information, sending important data to other brain areas, specifically the Thalamus.
• It also plays a role in sleep-wake cycles, arousal, and alertness.

Thalamus

• The Thalamus is an egg-shaped structure above the brainstem that relays sensory information from the senses (except smell) to the brain.
• It relays information from higher brain areas down to the brainstem and spinal cord.

Cerebellum

• The Cerebellum is a squishy, baseball-sized structure around the brainstem involved in coordinating voluntary movement.
• It helps with tasks that require coordination, such as running and kicking a soccer ball simultaneously.
• Damage to the Cerebellum can cause jerky and awkward movements.
• The Cerebellum is also affected by alcohol consumption, leading to coordination issues.

Brain Structure and Function

• The brain has four sides: front, back, top, and bottom, similar to a person's profile.
• A sagittal slice is a type of cutting of the brain, and a midsagittal slice is when it's cut directly through the middle.

Brain Evolution and Complexity

• Brain complexity increases as animals evolve, with higher species having more developed brains.
• Despite increasing complexity, older structures are still present, with simpler structures at the center and more complex ones at the outer layers.

Brainstem and Old Brain

• The brainstem is located in the middle of the brain and controls basic functions like heartbeat and breathing.
• The brainstem has two parts: Medulla and Pons, with the Medulla located at the base of the brain.
• The brainstem serves as a crossover point for nerves from the body, with the right side of the brain controlling the left side of the body and vice versa.

Reticular Formation

• The reticular formation is a structure inside the brainstem that extends into other brain areas.
• It acts as a filter for information, sending important data to other brain areas, specifically the Thalamus.
• It also plays a role in sleep-wake cycles, arousal, and alertness.

Thalamus

• The Thalamus is an egg-shaped structure above the brainstem that relays sensory information from the senses (except smell) to the brain.
• It relays information from higher brain areas down to the brainstem and spinal cord.

Cerebellum

• The Cerebellum is a squishy, baseball-sized structure around the brainstem involved in coordinating voluntary movement.
• It helps with tasks that require coordination, such as running and kicking a soccer ball simultaneously.
• Damage to the Cerebellum can cause jerky and awkward movements.
• The Cerebellum is also affected by alcohol consumption, leading to coordination issues.