
The visual cortex is in the lower back part of the brain and is where our brain registers what we see. Many of the signals our brain receives from our senses are registered in the cerebral cortex. It is where our conscious thoughts and actions take place. The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain, called gray matter. The surface of the cerebrum is made up of gyri and sulci.Ī cortex is the outer layer of any organ. A mass of nerve fibers known as the corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres and allows communication between the two. The left half controls the right side of the body and the right half controls the left side of the body. The cerebrum is divided in to left and right hemispheres. The basal ganglia is found in the white matter. The inner layer is made of a different type of nerve fibers called white matter. The outer layer, the cerebral cortex, is made of nerve fibers called gray matter.

It houses the nerve center that controls sensory, motor activities and intelligence. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is part of the forebrain. The brain’s outer layer is only 1/4 inch thick but if flattened out would cover the size of an office desk. The forebrain deals with homeostasis, emotions and conscious actions. The cerebral cortex, limbic system and basal ganglia make up the forebrain. The brain stem, the most primitive part of the brain, is made up of the medulla, pons, cerebellum, midbrain, hypothalamus and thalamus. The brain stem sits above the spinal cord and has many connections between them. The brain can be divided into two major parts: the lower brain stem and the higher forebrain. diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus).

The top of the brain appears as a soggy, pinkish-gray mass that looks like a walnut. Like the spinal cord, the brain is made of mainly gray matter and white matter arranged in distinct layers. A human brain can weigh up to 3 pounds and is one of the largest organs of the body. The brain, which is housed in and protected by the bones of the skull, makes up all parts of the central nervous system above the spinal cord. There are 86 main nerves branching off from the CNS – 12 pairs of cranial nerves that branch off from the brain and 31 pairs of spinal nerves that branch off from the spinal cord. Cerebrospinal fluid cushions the CNS from damage. The CNS is protected by bones and the meninges (the dura mater, arachnoid and pia mater). The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and the spinal cord.
