Your Brain and Nervous Your Brain and Nervous SystemSystem

Science 2009-2010Science 2009-2010

Mrs. NealonMrs. Nealon

Your BrainYour Brain

How do you remember the way to your How do you remember the way to your friend's house? friend's house?

Why do your eyes blink without you ever Why do your eyes blink without you ever thinking about it? thinking about it?

Where do dreams come from? Where do dreams come from? Your brain is in charge of these things and a Your brain is in charge of these things and a

lot more. lot more.

The Biggest Part: the Cerebrum The Biggest Part: the Cerebrum

85% of the brain's weight 85% of the brain's weight thinking part of the brain thinking part of the brain controls your voluntary controls your voluntary

muscles — the ones that muscles — the ones that move when you want them move when you want them to to

solve math problems, figure solve math problems, figure out a video game, and draw out a video game, and draw a picture a picture

The Biggest Part: the CerebrumThe Biggest Part: the Cerebrum

memory lives in the cerebrum memory lives in the cerebrum short-term memory (what you ate for dinner last short-term memory (what you ate for dinner last

night)night) long-term memory (the name of that roller-coaster long-term memory (the name of that roller-coaster

you rode on two summers ago)you rode on two summers ago) helps you reason helps you reason

The Biggest Part: the CerebrumThe Biggest Part: the Cerebrum

has two halveshas two halves right half helps you think about abstract things like right half helps you think about abstract things like

music, colors, and shapesmusic, colors, and shapes Left half is analytical, helping you with math, Left half is analytical, helping you with math,

logic, and speech logic, and speech right half of the cerebrum controls the left side of right half of the cerebrum controls the left side of

your body, and the left half controls the right side. your body, and the left half controls the right side.

The Cerebellum's Balancing The Cerebellum's Balancing Act Act

Is at the back of the brain, Is at the back of the brain, below the cerebrum.below the cerebrum. Only 1/8 of the cerebrum Only 1/8 of the cerebrum

its size. its size. It controls balance, It controls balance,

movement, and movement, and coordination (how your coordination (how your muscles work together). muscles work together).

You can stand upright, You can stand upright, keep your balance, and keep your balance, and move around. move around.

Brain Stem Keeps You Breathing — Brain Stem Keeps You Breathing — and More and More

It connects the rest of the brain to It connects the rest of the brain to the spinal cordthe spinal cord

In charge of: In charge of: breathing air, digesting food, breathing air, digesting food,

and circulating blood.and circulating blood.

Controls your involuntary muscles Controls your involuntary muscles (heart and stomach)(heart and stomach) tells your heart to pump more tells your heart to pump more

blood when you're biking or blood when you're biking or your stomach to start digesting your stomach to start digesting your lunchyour lunch

Sorts through the millions of Sorts through the millions of messages that the brain and the rest messages that the brain and the rest of the body send back and forthof the body send back and forth

Pituitary Gland Controls Growth Pituitary Gland Controls Growth

Produce and release Produce and release hormones into your bodyhormones into your body Makes you growMakes you grow Helps with puberty.Helps with puberty.

Control the amount of sugars Control the amount of sugars and water in your body. and water in your body.

Keeps your metabolism Keeps your metabolism going. going. like breathing, digesting like breathing, digesting

food, and moving your food, and moving your blood around.blood around.

You Have Some Nerve!You Have Some Nerve!

The spinal cord and nerves The spinal cord and nerves (the nervous system) let (the nervous system) let messages flow back and messages flow back and forth between the brain and forth between the brain and bodybody

Neurons which are Neurons which are microscopic cells. Each microscopic cells. Each neuron has tiny branches neuron has tiny branches coming off it that let it coming off it that let it connect to many other connect to many other neurons.neurons.

You are born with neurons You are born with neurons but many of them were not but many of them were not connected to each other. connected to each other.

You Have Some Nerve!You Have Some Nerve!

When you learn things, the messages When you learn things, the messages travel from one neuron to another, over travel from one neuron to another, over and over. Eventually, the brain starts to and over. Eventually, the brain starts to create connections (or pathways) between create connections (or pathways) between the neurons, so things become easier and the neurons, so things become easier and you can do them better and better.you can do them better and better.

Think back to the first time you rode a Think back to the first time you rode a bike. Your brain had to think about bike. Your brain had to think about pedaling, staying balanced, steering with pedaling, staying balanced, steering with the handlebars, watching the road, and the handlebars, watching the road, and maybe even hitting the brakes — all at maybe even hitting the brakes — all at once. Hard work, right? But eventually, as once. Hard work, right? But eventually, as you got more practice, the neurons sent you got more practice, the neurons sent messages back and forth until a pathway messages back and forth until a pathway was created in your brain. Now you can was created in your brain. Now you can ride your bike without thinking about it ride your bike without thinking about it because the neurons have successfully because the neurons have successfully created a "bike riding" pathway.created a "bike riding" pathway.

Hypothalamus Hypothalamus The hypothalamus knows what The hypothalamus knows what

temperature your body should be temperature your body should be (about 98.6° Fahrenheit or 37° (about 98.6° Fahrenheit or 37° Celsius). Celsius).

If your body is too hot, the If your body is too hot, the hypothalamus tells it to sweat. hypothalamus tells it to sweat.

If you're too cold, the If you're too cold, the hypothalamus gets you shivering. hypothalamus gets you shivering.

Both shivering and sweating are Both shivering and sweating are attempts to get your body's attempts to get your body's temperature back where it needs temperature back where it needs to be.to be.

Emotion LocationEmotion Location

The brain runs your emotionsThe brain runs your emotions

- It has a little bunch of cells on each side called the - It has a little bunch of cells on each side called the amygdala Scientists believe that this is responsible for amygdala Scientists believe that this is responsible for emotion. It's normal to feel all different kinds of emotions, emotion. It's normal to feel all different kinds of emotions, good and bad. (sad, scared, or silly, or glad).good and bad. (sad, scared, or silly, or glad).

Be Good to Your BrainBe Good to Your Brain

Eat healthy foods. Potassium Eat healthy foods. Potassium and calcium are two minerals and calcium are two minerals that are important. that are important.

Get a lot of exercise. Get a lot of exercise. Wear a helmet when you ride Wear a helmet when you ride

your bike or play other sports your bike or play other sports that require head protection. that require head protection.

Don't drink alcohol, take drugs, Don't drink alcohol, take drugs, or use tobacco. or use tobacco.

Use your brain by doing Use your brain by doing challenging activities, such as challenging activities, such as puzzles, reading, playing music, puzzles, reading, playing music, making art, or anything else making art, or anything else that gives your brain a workout!that gives your brain a workout!