Explainer: This is your brain

TOP: There are many different parts of the brain with their own specific function. There are times when these parts work

together. MIDDLE: The main parts of the brain featuring the four different lobes and the lower levels of the brainstem.

BOTTOM: The Broca's and Wernicke's areas of the brain, which help process language. Photos: Wikimedia Commons

Fifteen years ago, it would have been fairly easy to write a short piece about what the

different parts of the brain do. Not now.

Over the last 15 years, the methods used to study the brain have improved significantly.

Scientists also understand the brain better. This makes the job of explaining the most

complicated organ in the body pretty complicated.

The structure of the brain is well-defined. The most simple of its functions, or activities,

have also been thoroughly figured out. For example, the "lower levels" such as the

brainstem, control heart rate and breathing.

Looking Inside The Cerebellum And Cortex

The cerebellum is located above the brainstem at the back of the skull. It helps to control

and regulate movement. It has also been shown to play a part in "higher functions" such as

thinking and feeling.

By The Conversation, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.24.17

Word Count 666

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1

The "higher levels" of the brain include parts like the cerebral cortex. This is the outer layer

of the brain, which controls more complicated functions. For example, it helps people to

think, memorize and learn languages. This part of the brain is very complicated. The

relationship between different areas and functions is not always clear.

The cortex is divided into two sides, or hemispheres, simply called the left and the right.

Each hemisphere has four sections or lobes. These are known as the occipital, parietal,

temporal and frontal lobes.

Brain functions have been traditionally assigned to one lobe or hemisphere of the brain.

These include functions like vision, language and memory.

This division of functions has caused some confusion.

It's More Complicated Than Just Right Or Left

The most popular misunderstanding is the idea that the left brain is "logical" while the right

brain is "creative." In fact, "logic" and "creativity" are much more complicated than this.

They are not controlled by a single brain area or even a single hemisphere.

Scientists believe that complicated functions are a result of several brain areas working

together. These brain areas work together in what are called "networks."

Scientists know this because of tools such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). It

allows them to scan the brain and see what is going on inside. MRI helps scientists see the

areas involved in certain functions. It also helps them to see the connections between

these areas.

This is not to say that certain areas of the brain do not have particular jobs. They do, but

they are never acting alone. Each area is always working together with other brain areas

through network connections.

To understand this, it helps to think of the brain as a train system. Certain train stations

perform special jobs, but they do so together with other stations. They are all connected

and "communicate" through the train network.

The Important Language Center

Language is a good example of how this happens in the brain. Although language is often

thought of as a "left brain" function, the truth is more complicated.

There are certain parts of the brain that allow people to produce and understand speech.

Usually, they are located in the left hemisphere of the brain.

But the other hemisphere is also involved in language. It is thought to help people

recognize and produce the emotional features of speech.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2

Still, other areas of the brain also play a part, such as mapping words to their meaning. All

of these brain areas together make up the "language network." They work together to help

people communicate with each other.

Our Brains Keep Changing

The brain is not a fixed thing. It is adaptable, which means it can change to meet different

needs. If part of the brain gets hurt, the brain can use new areas or networks to take over

the job of the damaged area.

So the parts of the brain are not as simple as they first seem. What they do involves a

complicated relationship between different areas and functions. That's what scientists

believe – at least for now. They keep making new discoveries all the time.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3