The brain is one magnificent powerful mechanism. Imagine our lives without it for a second; we wouldn't be able to function! Yeah how scary. The brain holds the power to our bodies; it contains all the necessary "tools" to every day living.
Think of the brain as a business, thriving to do well in society. At a business' core are the many people that help run the company, from the CEO down to the factory workers, all who work together sending and receiving information and products in order for their company to become a success.
That's just how our brain functions. Inside our brain are neurotransmitters that send messages to neurons, which is the brain's communicator. The tiny components of the neuron; (the dendrites, axon and axon terminals) are the "workers" that send and receive information throughout our nervous system, in result, telling our bodies what to do. Giving us the gifts of emotions, thoughts, actions, and behaviors.
The text also explains how important the brain is as it is involved with the Central Nervous System (the brain and spine). The CNS has separate systems that each convey and exert abilities and functions. These systems are
1. The Cortex: The Frontal, Parietal. Temporal, and Occipital Lobes
2. Basal Ganglia: which controls our movements and motor planning
3. Limbic System: The thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus. Which contribute to sensory, overseeing smaller nervous systems, regulating arousal and fear, and processing memory.
4. Cerebellum: controls balance and coordinated movements.
5. Brain stem: The midbrain, pons, and medulla. Which trigger reflexes by sound, convey info between the cortex and cerebellum and regulates breathing and heartbeats.
The most interesting fact that I learned from reading chapter three was about the Endocrine System. Here there was a fun fact that I would never have thought to be true. In both men and women, we carry the opposite sex's hormones. For men the testes manufacture estrogen, but very low levels, and in women we carry 1/20 of testosterone, I know it's a small number, but I find that very odd. Women also (led by theory) get their sex drives influenced by the amount of testosterone in their bodies.
I have to agree the that the endocrine system is very interesting. When I took an anatomy and physiology class, the majority of the men freaked out when they found out they have estrogen in their systems...too funny! All kidding aside, you managed to summarize the biological aspects of the brain in one blog post; that's impressive!