The brain
The brain controls complex behaviour. It is made of billions of interconnected neurons and has different regions that carry out different functions.
The brain contains the following main areas:
- The outer layer of the brain.
- The part of the brain that controls balance and co-ordination
- The part of the brain controlling breathing, heart rate and peristalsis.
The functions of these areas are:
| Cerebral cortex | Split into two hemispheres and is highly folded. It controls intelligence, personality, conscious thought and high-level functions such as language and verbal memory. |
| Cerebellum | Controls balance, conscious movement and muscular activity. |
| Medulla or brain stem | Controls unconscious activities such as heart rate and breathing rate. |
| Cerebral cortex |
|---|
| Split into two hemispheres and is highly folded. It controls intelligence, personality, conscious thought and high-level functions such as language and verbal memory. |
| Cerebellum |
|---|
| Controls balance, conscious movement and muscular activity. |
| Medulla or brain stem |
|---|
| Controls unconscious activities such as heart rate and breathing rate. |
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