The Structure of the Human Brain

The human brain is the most complex organ in the human body.
It produces our every thought, emotion, feeling and
experience. Here are some facts and figures
about nature's extraordinaire:

The typical adult brain weighs around 1500 grams (3lb)
within a 1.6 litre volume. It contains more than one hundred
billion neurons (nerve cells) each of them is capable of a
direct electrical and chemical communication with
approximately 10,000 others. The connection gap between
every pair of neurons is called a "Synapse". The human's little
three pound organ contains more than one quadrillion
synaptic connections overall, In addition to 10-30 trillion other nerve
supporting cells called "Glia", or "glial cells".

Learn More about Large Numbers to grasp the brain's capacity

These increadible numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.
Even the most conservative estimations regarding the amount
of possible neuro-circuits inside our head circle around
the astronomical figure of 10 in the power of 1,000,000.
This amount of neuro-connectivity implies that the capacity
of the human mind is beyond measure.






The human brain's extraordinary capacity is mainly
due to it's complex structure. Here's a quick outline
of the brain's internal structure including the
neurological functions related to each area:

Brainstem - The lower extension of the brain where it
connects to the spinal cord. The neurological
functions of the brainstem include survival functions
such as heart rate, blood pressure, breathing,
digestion and arousel.

Click here to find out more about Brainstem




Cerebellum - Located at the back of the brain. The
cerebellum's functions include balance,
movement and coordination.

Click here to find out more about the Cerebellum




Frontal Lobe - hosts our "higher cognitive functions".
involved in organizing and planning, problem solving,
attention and concentration, behavior and emotions.
Click here to find out more about Frontal lobe



Occipital Lobe - processes visual information, including
visual preception and association zones supporting visual
recognition of color and shape.
Click here to find out more about the Occipital lobe



Parietal Lobes - There are two parietal lobes in the
brain (right and left). They are located right behind
the frontal lobe and contain the primary sensory cortex
which processes sensations such as pressure and
touch. In proximity to the sensory cortex lies
an association area that controls fine sensations such as
weight, size, shape and texture.

Click here to find more about the Parietal lobes



Temporal Lobes - There are two temporal lobes, one on
each side of the brain located at about the level of
the ears. These lobes allow us to differentiate smells
and sounds. Their functions also include sorting new
information and storing it for short-term memory.

Click here to find out more about the Temporal Lobes



The next few pages contain detailed information
about brain structure. Click "next" to continue.

Next
Back to Brain-Guide Home