In I/GCSE Biology, you would need to know the basic structure of our brain as below.
Cerebellum – At the base of the brain is the cerebellum. It is divided into two halves and controls balance and posture. It also coordinates the timing and fine control the muscle acivity, making sure that the movements are smooth.
Cerebral cortex – We now know that it is used for most of our sences, language, memory, behavior and consciousness. It is divided into two cerebral hemispheres, each with slightly different functions. The right hemisphere communicates with the left side of the body and vise versa.
Medulla Oblongata –It controls your heart rate and your breathing rate. It is also responsible for reflexes such as swallowing and vomiting.
Brain and spinal cord problems 🧠
Damage to the spinal cord reduces the flow of information between the brain and the parts of the body. Nerve damage in the lower spinal cord can cause a loss of feeling. Damage in the neck (quadriplegia) can make you lose a sense of feeling in your legs and arms. There are no stems cells that can become neurons, so the damage cannot be repaired.
CT SCANS – shows the shape and the structure of the brain. An x-ray beam moves in a circle around the head, and detectors mesure the absorpition of x-rays. The computer uses this to build up an image.
PET SCANS –A pet scan shows brain activity. The patient is injected with radioactive glucose. More active cells take in more glucose than less active cells. The radioactive atoms cause gamma rays, with the scanner defects. More gamma rays come from the parts containing more active cells.
That's the end of the topic!
Drafted by Joey (Biology)