The Brain

The Brain

University Of Phoenix

PSY 240

The Brain

The brain is what we need in order to live. Without the brain the rest of our body would not be able to function. The brain sends signals to the body to allow us to move our limbs and for our organs to function. Our brain allows us to learn how to learn different where different neighborhoods are or how to learn and memorize the names of people we just meet. There are five divisions of the brain which are; Myelencephalon, Metencephalon, Mesencephalon, Telencephalon, and Diencephalon.

The Myelencephalon is also called the medulla. It is located in the posterior division of the brain. It is mainly composed of large tracts that carry signals from the brain to the body. This reticular formation has a network of about 100 tiny nuclei that occupies the central core of the brain stem from the posterior boundary of the mylencephalon to the anterior boundary of the midbrain. (Pinel J.P.J 2009) This part of the brain plays a part in being aroused as well as sleeping, attention, movement, and the maintenance of muscle tone, and various cardiac, circulatory, and respiratory reflexes. (Pinel J.P.J 2009)

The metencephalon also has tracts and is part of the reticular formation that ascends and descends which causes a bugle called the pons. The pons is on the brain stem’s ventral surface and is a major division of the metencephalon and the cerebellum. The cerebellum is on the brain stem’s dorsal surface and it is an important sensorimotor structure. If the cerebellum is damaged it eliminates the ability to precisely control one’s movements and to adapt them to changing conditions. (Pinel J.P.J 2009) Cerebellar damage also can have an effect on cognitive deficits. This means that the functions of the cerebellum are not just restricted to sensorimotor control.

The mesencephalon has two divisions. The divisions are the tectum and the tegmentum. The tectum is the dorsal surface of the midbrain. (Pinel J.P.J 2009) In the...