How do you tell if the brain is working? What is it doing and how do you measure it? The head gear on the right that looks like it's from a work of science fiction measures electrical activity in the brain. These electrical waves are called brain waves.
When neurons send a signal they use electrical currents to pass messages to other nearby neurons. Just one or two neurons signaling is too small a change to be noticed. When a huge group of neurons signal at once, however, they can be recorded and measured with the help of special tools.
Measuring electrical activity in the brain is usually done with electrodes. Electrodes are devices able to record electrical changes over time. These are attached to the surface of the skin in specific places around the head. Recordings of brain wave activity look like a series of waves. These are called electroencephalograms, or EEGs for short.
Measuring activity in the brain can be a very useful tool in scientific studies. They can also be used to help identify sleeping disorders and other medical conditions relating to the brain.
The first human electroencephalogram, recorded in 1924 by Hans Berger.
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Brett Szymik. (2011, May 09). What's Your Brain Doing?. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved August 28, 2024 from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/brain-regions
Brett Szymik. "What's Your Brain Doing?". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 09 May, 2011. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/brain-regions
Brett Szymik. "What's Your Brain Doing?". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 09 May 2011. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. 28 Aug 2024. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/brain-regions
Computer animation image of the human brain. The colors show the frontal lobe (red), parietal lobe (orange), temporal lobe (green), and occipital lobe (yellow).
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Anatomy, Functions, and Conditions
The four lobes, the brain stem, the cerebellum, the limbic system, other parts of the brain, brain conditions, protecting your brain.
The human brain is not only one of the most important organs in the human body; it is also the most complex. The brain is made up of billions of neurons and it also has a number of specialized parts that are each involved in important functions.
While there is still a great deal that researchers do not yet know about the brain, they have learned a great deal about the anatomy and function of the brain. Understanding these parts can help give people a better idea of how disease and damage may affect the brain and its ability to function.
The cerebral cortex is the part of the brain that makes human beings unique. Functions that originate in the cerebral cortex include:
The cerebral cortex is what we see when we look at the brain. It is the outermost portion that can be divided into four lobes. Each bump on the surface of the brain is known as a gyrus , while each groove is known as a sulcus (gyri and sulci are the plural form).
The cerebral cortex is the largest part of the brain and is responsible for a number of complex functions, including conscious thought, information processing, language, memory, behavior, and personality.
The cerebral cortex can be divided into four sections, known as lobes. The frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe have been associated with different functions ranging from reasoning and memory to auditory and visual perception.
This lobe is located at the front of the brain and is associated with reasoning, motor skills, higher-level cognition, and expressive language.
The parietal lobe is located in the middle section of the brain, just behind the frontal lobe. It is associated with processing tactile sensory information such as pressure, touch, and pain .
A portion of the parietal lobe known as the somatosensory cortex is located just behind the central sulcus and is essential to the processing of the body's senses. It is also known as the somatosensory homunculus .
The homunculus is known as the "little person' in the brain because it has a topographical map of the whole human body in a small area of the cerebral cortex. There is one for the motor cortex in the frontal lobe and one for the somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe.
The temporal lobe is located on the bottom section of the brain next to the temples and ears.
Damage to the temporal lobe can lead to problems with memory, sound discrimination, and speech comprehension.
The occipital lobe is located at the back portion of the brain and is associated with interpreting visual stimuli and information. The primary visual cortex , which receives and interprets information from the retinas of the eyes, is located in the occipital lobe.
Damage to this lobe can cause visual problems such as difficulty recognizing objects, an inability to identify colors, and trouble recognizing words.
The brain comprises four lobes, each associated with different functions. The frontal lobe is found at the front of the brain; the parietal lobe is behind the frontal lobe; the temporal lobe is located at the sides of the head; and the occipital lobe is found at the back of the head.
The brainstem is an area located at the base of the brain that contains structures vital for involuntary functions such as heartbeat and breathing. It is comprised of the midbrain, pons, and medulla.
The midbrain is often considered the smallest region of the brain. It acts as a relay station for auditory and visual information and controls many important functions, such as the visual and auditory systems, as well as eye movement.
Portions of the midbrain called the red nucleus and the substantia nigra are involved in the control of body movement. The darkly pigmented substantia nigra contains a large number of dopamine-producing neurons.
The degeneration of neurons in the substantia nigra is associated with Parkinson’s disease.
The medulla is located directly above the spinal cord in the lower part of the brain stem and controls many vital autonomic functions such as heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure.
The pons, meaning "bridge," connects the cerebral cortex to the medulla and to the cerebellum and serves a number of essential functions. It plays a role in several autonomic processes, such as stimulating breathing and controlling sleep cycles.
The brainstem, which includes the midbrain, medulla, and pons, is responsible for involuntary processes, including breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure.
Sometimes referred to as the "little brain," the cerebellum lies on top of the pons behind the brain stem. The cerebellum makes up approximately 10% of the brain's total size , but it accounts for more than 50% of the total number of neurons located in the entire brain .
The cerebellum is comprised of small lobes and serves several functions.
The cerebellum is associated with motor movement and control, but this is not because the motor commands originate here. Instead, the cerebellum modifies these signals and makes motor movements accurate and useful.
The cerebellum is densley packed with neurons and is responsible for managing posture, balance, and the coordination of movement.
Although there is no totally agreed-upon list of the structures that make up the limbic system, four of the main regions include:
The hypothalamus is a grouping of nuclei that lie along the base of the brain near the pituitary gland. It connects with many other regions of the brain and is responsible for controlling hunger, thirst, emotions , body temperature regulation, and circadian rhythms.
The hypothalamus also controls the pituitary gland by secreting hormones. This gives the hypothalamus a great deal of control over many body functions.
The amygdala is a cluster of nuclei located close to the base of the brain. It is primarily involved in functions including memory, emotion, and the body's fight-or-flight response . The structure processes external stimuli and then relays that information to the hippocampus, which can then prompt a response to deal with outside threats.
Located above the brainstem, the thalamus processes and transmits movement and sensory information . It is essentially a relay station, taking in sensory information and then passing it on to the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex also sends information to the thalamus, which then sends this information to other systems.
The hippocampus is a structure located in the temporal lobe. It is important in memory and learning and is considered to be part of the limbic system because it plays an important part in emotional regulation or the control of emotional responses . It plays a role in the body's fight-or-flight response and in the recall of emotional memories.
The limbic system controls behaviors essential for well-being and survival, including emotional regulation, the fight-or-flight response, feeding behavior, and reproduction.
Other important structures play an essential role in supporting the structure and function of the brain. Some of these parts of the brain include:
The meninges are the layers that surround the brain and spinal cord and provide protection. There are three layers of meninges:
The brain also contains 12 cranial nerves. Each nerve plays a vital role in relaying essential information to the brain. These nerves include:
In addition to the main parts of the brain, there are also other important structures that are important for normal functioning. This includes the protective meninges and the cranial nerves that transmit signals to and from the brain.
The brain can also be affected by a number of conditions and damage. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there are more than 600 types of neurological diseases. Some conditions that can affect the brain and its function include:
By studying the brain and learning more about its anatomy and function, researchers are able to develop new treatments and preventative strategies for conditions that affect the brain.
Disease and damage can affect the brain's ability to function. Tumors, strokes, degenerative conditions, trauma, and infectious diseases are just a few of the conditions that can damage the brain.
You can't change your genetics or some other risk factors. But it's important to take steps to help protect the health of your brain.
Research suggests that regular physical activity is essential for brain health. Exercise can help delay brain aging and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. It is also associated with improvements in cognitive abilities and memory.
Similarly, a nutritious, balanced diet that includes omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants is important for brain function (as well as overall health).
It's also essential to protect your brain from injury by, for example, wearing a helmet when participating in physical activities that pose a risk for collision or falls, and always wearing a seatbelt when driving or riding in a car.
Sleep can also play a pivotal role in brain health and mental well-being . Studies have found that sleep can actually play a role in the development and maintenance of some psychiatric conditions, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.
Evidence also suggests that staying mentally engaged can also play an important role in protecting your brain from some degenerative conditions. Activities that may help include learning new things and staying socially active.
The human brain is remarkably complex and researchers are still discovering many of the mysteries of how the mind works. By better understanding how different parts of the brain function, you can also better appreciate how disease or injury may impact it. If you think that you are experiencing symptoms of a brain condition, talk to your doctor for further evaluation.
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On This Page:
The brain controls all functions of the body, interprets information from the outside world, and defines who we are as individuals and how we experience the world.
The brain receives information through our senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing. This information is processed in the brain, allowing us to give meaning to the input it receives.
The brain is part of the central nervous system ( CNS ) along with the spinal cord. There is also a peripheral nervous system (PNS) comprised of 31 pairs of spinal nerves that branch from the spinal cord and cranial nerves that branch from the brain.
The brain is composed of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. The brain has three main parts: the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem.
The cerebrum is the largest and most recognizable part of the brain. It consists of grey matter (the cerebral cortex ) and white matter at the center. The cerebrum is divided into two hemispheres, the left and right, and contains the lobes of the brain (frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes).
The cerebrum produces higher functioning roles such as thinking, learning, memory, language, emotion, movement, and perception.
The cerebellum is located under the cerebrum and monitors and regulates motor behaviors, especially automatic movements.
This structure is also important for regulating posture and balance and has recently been suggested for being involved in learning and attention.
Although the cerebellum only accounts for roughly 10% of the brain’s total weight, this area is thought to contain more neurons (nerve cells) than the rest of the brain combined.
The brainstem is located at the base of the brain. This area connects the cerebrum and the cerebellum to the spinal cord, acting as a relay station for these areas.
The brainstem regulates automatic functions such as sleep cycles, breathing, body temperature, digestion, coughing, and sneezing.
The cerebrum is divided into two halves: the right and left hemispheres (Fig. 2). The left hemisphere controls the right half of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left half.
The two hemispheres are connected by a thick band of neural fibers known as the corpus callosum, consisting of about 200 million axons.
The corpus callosum allows the two hemispheres to communicate and allows information being processed on one side of the brain to be shared with the other.
Figure 2. The cerebrum is divided into left and right hemispheres. The nerve fibers corpus callosum connects the two sides.
Hemispheric lateralization is the idea that each hemisphere is responsible for different functions. Each of these functions is localized to either the right or left side.
The left hemisphere is associated with language functions, such as formulating grammar and vocabulary and containing different language centers (Broca’s and Wernicke’s area).
The right hemisphere is associated with more visuospatial functions such as visualization, depth perception, and spatial navigation. These left and right functions are the case in most people, especially those who are right-handed.
Each cerebral hemisphere can be subdivided into four lobes, each associated with different functions.
The four lobes of the brain are the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes (Figure 3).
Figure 3. The cerebrum is divided into four lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal.
The frontal lobes are located at the front of the brain, behind the forehead (Figure 4).
Their main functions are associated with higher cognitive functions, including problem-solving, decision-making, attention, intelligence, and voluntary behaviors.
The frontal lobes contain the motor cortex responsible for planning and coordinating movements.
It also contains the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for initiating higher-lever cognitive functioning, and Broca’s Area, which is essential for language production.
Figure 4. Frontal lobe structure.
The temporal lobes are located on both sides of the brain, near the temples of the head, hence the name temporal lobes (Figure 5).
The main functions of these lobes include understanding, language, memory acquisition, face recognition, object recognition, perception, and auditory information processing.
There is a temporal lobe in both the left and right hemispheres. The left temporal lobe, which is usually the most dominant in people, is associated with language, learning, memorizing, forming words, and remembering verbal information.
The left lobe also contains a vital language center known as Wernicke’s area, which is essential for language development. The right temporal lobe is usually associated with learning and memorizing non-verbal information and determining facial expressions.
Figure 5. Temporal lobe structure.
The parietal lobe is located at the top of the brain, between the frontal and occipital lobes, and above the temporal lobes (Figure 6).
The parietal lobe is essential for integrating information from the body’s senses to allow us to build a coherent picture of the world around us.
These lobes allow us to perceive our bodies through somatosensory information (e.g., through touch, pressure, and temperature). It can also help with visuospatial processing, reading, and number representations (mathematics).
The parietal lobes also contain the somatosensory cortex, which receives and processes sensory information, integrating this into a representational map of the body.
This means it can pinpoint the exact area of the body where a sensation is felt, as well as perceive the weight of objects, shape, and texture.
Figure 6. Parietal lobe structure.
The occipital lobes are located at the back of the brain behind the temporal and parietal lobes and below the occipital bone of the skull (Figure 7).
The occipital lobes receive sensory information from the eyes’ retinas, which is then encoded into different visual data. Some of the functions of the occipital lobes include being able to assess the size, depth, and distance, determine color information, object and facial recognition, and mapping the visual world.
The occipital lobes also contain the primary visual cortex, which receives sensory information from the retinas, transmitting this information relating to location, spatial data, motion, and the colors of objects in the field of vision.
Figure 7. Occipital lobe structure.
The surface of the cerebrum is called the cerebral cortex and has a wrinkled appearance, consisting of bulges, also known as gyri, and deep furrows, known as sulci (Figure 8).
A gyrus (plural: gyri) is the name given to the bumps and ridges on the cerebral cortex (the outermost layer of the brain). A sulcus (plural: sulci) is another name for a groove in the cerebral cortex.
Figure 8. The cortex contains neurons (grey matter) interconnected to other brain areas by axons (white matter). The cortex has a folded appearance. A fold is called a gyrus, and the valley between is a sulcus.
The cerebral cortex is primarily constructed of grey matter (neural tissue made up of neurons), with between 14 and 16 billion neurons found here.
The many folds and wrinkles of the cerebral cortex allow a wider surface area for an increased number of neurons to live there, permitting large amounts of information to be processed.
The amygdala is a structure deep in the brain that is involved in the processing of emotions and fear learning. The amygdala is a part of the limbic system, a neural network that mediates emotion and memory (Figure 9).
This structure also ties emotional meaning to memories, processes rewards, and helps us make decisions. This structure has also been linked with the fight-or-flight response.
Figure 9. The amygdala in the limbic system plays a key role in how animals assess and respond to environmental threats and challenges by evaluating the emotional importance of sensory information and prompting an appropriate response.
The thalamus relays information between the cerebral cortex, brain stem, and other cortical structures (Figure 10).
Because of its interactive role in relaying sensory and motor information, the thalamus contributes to many processes, including attention, perception, timing, and movement. The hypothalamus modulates a range of behavioral and physiological functions.
It controls autonomic functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sexual activity. To do this, the hypothalamus integrates information from different brain parts and responds to various stimuli such as light, odor, and stress.
Figure 10. The thalamus is often described as the brain’s relay station as a great deal of information that reaches the cerebral cortex first stops in the thalamus before being sent to its destination.
The hippocampus is a curved-shaped structure in the limbic system associated with learning and memory (Figure 11).
This structure is most strongly associated with the formation of memories, is an early storage system for new long-term memories, and plays a role in the transition of these long-term memories to more permanent memories.
Figure 11. Hippocampus location in the brain
The basal ganglia are a group of structures that regulate the coordination of fine motor movements, balance, and posture alongside the cerebellum.
These structures are connected to other motor areas and link the thalamus with the motor cortex. The basal ganglia are also involved in cognitive and emotional behaviors, as well as playing a role in reward and addiction.
Figure 12. The Basal Ganglia Illustration
Within the brain, there are fluid-filled interconnected cavities called ventricles , which are extensions of the spinal cord. These are filled with a substance called cerebrospinal fluid, which is a clear and colorless liquid.
The ventricles produce cerebrospinal fluid and transport and remove this fluid. The ventricles do not have a unique function, but they provide cushioning to the brain and are useful for determining the locations of other brain structures.
Cerebrospinal fluid circulates the brain and spinal cord and functions to cushion the brain within the skull. If damage occurs to the skull, the cerebrospinal fluid will act as a shock absorber to help protect the brain from injury.
As well as providing cushioning, the cerebrospinal fluid circulates nutrients and chemicals filtered from the blood and removes waste products from the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid is constantly absorbed and replenished by the ventricles.
If there were a disruption or blockage, this can cause a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid and can cause enlarged ventricles.
Neurons are the nerve cells of the central nervous system that transmit information through electrochemical signals throughout the body. Neurons contain a soma, a cell body from which the axon extends.
Axons are nerve fibers that are the longest part of the neuron, which conduct electrical impulses away from the soma.
There are dendrites at the end of the neuron, which are branch-like structures that send and receive information from other neurons.
A myelin sheath, a fatty insulating layer, forms around the axon, allowing nerve impulses to travel down the axon quickly.
There are different types of neurons. Sensory neurons transmit sensory information, motor neurons transmit motor information, and relay neurons allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate.
The communication between neurons is called synapses. Neurons communicate with each other via synaptic clefts, which are gaps between the endings of neurons.
During synaptic transmission, chemicals, such as neurotransmitters, are released from the endings of the previous neuron (also known as the presynaptic neuron).
These chemicals enter the synaptic cleft to then be transported to receptors on the next neuron (also known as the postsynaptic neuron).
Once transported to the next neuron, the chemical messengers continue traveling down neurons to influence many functions, such as behavior and movement.
Glial cells are non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system which work to provide the neurons with nourishment, support, and protection.
These are star-shaped cells that function to maintain the environment for neuronal signaling by controlling the levels of neurotransmitters surrounding the synapses.
They also work to clean up what is left behind after synaptic transmission, either recycling any leftover neurotransmitters or cleaning up when a neuron dies.
These types of glial have the appearance of balls with spikes all around them. They function by wrapping around the axons of neurons to form a protective layer called the myelin sheath.
This is a substance that is rich in fat and provides insulation to the neurons to aid neuronal signaling.
Microglial cells have oval bodies and many branches projecting out of them. The primary function of these cells is to respond to injuries or diseases in the central nervous system.
They respond by clearing away any dead cells or removing any harmful toxins or pathogens that may be present, so they are, therefore, important to the brain’s health.
These cells are column-shaped and usually line up together to form a membrane called the ependyma. The ependyma is a thin membrane lining the spinal cord and ventricles of the brain .
In the ventricles, these cells have small hairlike structures called cilia, which help encourage the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.
There are 12 types of cranial nerves which are linked directly to the brain without having to pass through the spinal cord. These allow sensory information to pass from the organs of the face to the brain:
S ome S ay M arry M oney B ut M y B rother S ays B ig B rains M atter M ore
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Guy-Evans, O. (2021, April 13). Temporal lobe: definition, functions, and location. Simply Psychology. www.www.www.www.www.www.simplypsychology.org/temporal-lobe.html
Guy-Evans, O. (2021, April 15). Parietal lobe: definition, functions, and location. Simply Psychology. www.www.www.www.www.www.simplypsychology.org/parietal-lobe.html
Guy-Evans, O. (2021, April 19). Occipital lobe: definition, functions, and location. Simply Psychology. www.www.www.www.www.www.simplypsychology.org/occipital-lobe.html
Guy-Evans, O. (2021, May 08). Frontal lobe function, location in brain, damage, more. Simply Psychology. www.www.www.www.www.www.simplypsychology.org/frontal-lobe.html
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Watch CBS News
By Melissa McNamara
January 18, 2007 / 2:00 PM EST / CBS
Find out which parts of the brain handles which functions, and, for some, when during a person's life these areas are wired.
What Part Of The Brain Controls Movement, Touch?
The Motor Association Cortex area controls coordination of complex movement. The Primary Motor Cortex area controls initiation of voluntary movement. The Primary Somatosensory Cortex area receives tactile information from the body. The Sensory Association area controls the processing of multisensory information.
What Controls Creativity And Problem Solving?
The Corpus Callosum is a rope of nerves that connect the two hemispheres of the brain. Scientists believe it is linked to creativity and problem solving and that it develops greatly through the teen years.
What Controls Vision?
The Visual Association Area controls complex processing of visual information. The Visual Cortex controls detection of simple stimuli.
What Controls Coordination?
The Cerebellum is the area helps control balance and motor coordination and the coordination of thinking processes. This area undergoes great change and growth during the teenage years.
What Controls Hearing?
The Auditory Association area and the Auditory Cortex controls complex processing of auditory information. The Auditory Cortex detects sound quality.
What Controls Impulses?
The Prefrontal Cortex area controls the "executive functions" of the brain including judgment, impulse control, management of aggression, emotional regulation, self regulation, planning, reasoning and social skills. This area has a blossoming period around the age of 12, followed by a period of pruning through adolescence.
To Learn More About The Brain:
• Click here for a CBSNews.com interactive about teen brains. • You can read more about mapping the brain at WebMD .
Executive Control Network
Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff
Executive function describes a set of cognitive processes and mental skills that help an individual plan, monitor, and successfully execute their goals . The “executive functions,” as they’re known, include attentional control, working memory , inhibition, and problem-solving, many of which are thought to originate in the brain’s prefrontal cortex.
Many behaviors in which humans engage, such as breathing or stepping out of the way of an oncoming car, occur without conscious thought. Most others, however, rely on executive function. Any process or goal pursuit that requires time management , decision-making , and storing information in one’s memory makes use of executive function to some degree. Since much of modern life is process-driven and demands that individuals set and meet goals, disruptions in executive function can make it challenging for someone to succeed in school, at work, or in the household.
Many experts believe that t he human mind contains seven different executive functions . These include self-awareness, inhibition, nonverbal working memory ( short-term memory related to sensory and spatial information), verbal working memory (short-term memory related to speech and language), emotional regulation , motivational regulation, and planning and problem-solving.
Studies have found consistent overlap between executive functioning and general intelligence scores; some researchers have even proposed that executive functioning may better predict success than does IQ across a wide array of disciplines. However, some high-IQ individuals struggle with executive functions; thus, there is clearly more to intelligence than executive functioning alone.
The executive functions start to appear in the first year of a child’s life and develop rapidly in the elementary school years. For most people, they will continue to develop into the mid-20s or even early 30s . Children and teens who lag behind their peers in executive functioning may find that they have fewer challenges once they enter adulthood.
Someone who struggles with executive functioning will likely have trouble starting or finishing tasks, executing multiple steps of a project in sequence, and keeping their belongings organized. They may struggle to make decisions or lose important items frequently.
Issues with impulse or emotional control are a less obvious sign of an executive functioning deficit. Someone with underdeveloped executive functioning may act without thinking and may appear overly emotional at times; this is because both behavioral and emotional inhibition are key aspects of executive functioning.
Executive dysfunction—sometimes called executive function disorder, or EFD—may appear similar to ADHD ; indeed, some experts posit that ADHD is itself a disorder of executive function. People with ADHD—especially children—usually struggle with one or more executive functions, in addition to other symptoms such as hyperactivity and distractibility.
The term “executive function disorder,” or EFD, describes a condition in which a child or adult struggles significantly with planning, problem-solving, or other aspects of executive function. EFD is not currently an official diagnosis in the DSM-5 , though executive function-related symptoms do appear in other DSM conditions.
The cause of poor executive functioning is not always clear. Like other developmental challenges such as ADHD, the cause is likely a combination of genetics , prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol , early childhood trauma , or other factors. Sometimes, there is no discernible cause.
Someone with executive functioning challenges will find it more difficult than others in their age group to remember information, plan and execute tasks, keep items and information organized, and maintain motivation . They may also struggle with emotional, impulse, or attentional control.
No, though many experts believe the two are closely related. Though many with ADHD will struggle with one or more executive functions , the core symptoms of ADHD—hyperactivity, impulsivity, and distractibility—are not solely related to executive functioning. What’s more, executive function difficulties can co-occur with other developmental and mood disorders, including autism or depression .
Executive function disorder, or EFD, is not an official diagnosis. However, it is possible—and in fact, quite likely—for someone with ADHD to also have significant challenges with executive functioning.
Children can be disorganized because of ADHD, disobedience, or simply because they’re not interested in neatness. However, some children who wish to be organized but find it difficult may have poor executive functioning . These children may struggle with the motivation, problem-solving, and planning that are required for staying organized.
The ability to plan, problem-solve, organize, and execute can help children and adults in many domains in life. Thus, improving these skills is often a key interest for parents and adults. For some who struggle with executive function, accommodations at work or school can help fill the gaps; strategies aimed specifically at areas of weakness can also be of great help.
However, it’s important to remember that executive function is among the slowest mental processes to develop. Thus, many children who struggle with executive function may find that their skills naturally catch up over time and continue to improve well into adulthood.
Yes. Most children and teens who are behind their peers in executive function will continue to improve with time, particularly if offered specific strategies for doing so; many will catch up by the time they reach adulthood. Adults may find progress to be slower but can also improve executive functions using targeted strategies and accommodations.
Strategies for improving executive function include: breaking a larger task into smaller chunks; externalizing information using to-do lists, notepads, or phone reminders; buddying up with a peer to foster accountability; blocking access to distractions (putting one’s phone in a drawer or blocking tempting websites); and using rewards to motivate periods of consistent effort.
Many children who struggle to keep track of tasks and responsibilities find the simple act of writing them down—and thus externalizing them—to be hugely helpful. Working with the teacher if necessary, parents can help their child establish a consistent routine for writing down tasks, planning the steps for completion, and rewarding themselves when successful.
Yes. Adults should identify which specific executive functions they wish to strengthen —whether planning, problem-solving, working memory, or emotional regulation—when deciding which strategy to use. For example, adults who struggle with motivation can devise a reward system for successfully completing a task, while those who struggle with impulse control can establish consistent routines to strengthen inhibition.
The onset of collecting behaviors in disorders such as frontal-temporal lobe dementia and Parkinson’s disease highlights the profound impact of neurobiological changes on behavior.
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How the brain helps us make good decisions — and bad ones.
(Illustration by Sonia Ruiz, courtesy of Yale University)
A prevailing theory in neuroscience holds that people make decisions based on integrated global calculations that occur within the frontal cortex of the brain.
However, Yale researchers have found that three distinct circuits connecting to different brain regions are involved in making good decisions, bad ones, and determining which of those past choices to store in memory, they report June 25 in the journal Neuron .
The study of decision-making in rats may help scientists find the roots of flawed decision-making common to mental health disorders such as addiction, the authors say.
“ Specific decision-making computations are altered in individuals with mental illness,” said Jane Taylor , professor of psychiatry and senior author of the study. “Our results suggest that these impairments may be linked to dysfunction within distinct neural circuits.”
Researchers used a new tool to manipulate brain circuits in rats while they were making choices between actions that led to them receiving rewards or no rewards. The authors found decision-making is not confined to the orbital frontal cortex, seat of higher order thinking. Instead, brain circuits from the orbital frontal cortex connecting to deeper brain regions performed three different decision-making calculations.
“There are at least three individual processes that combine in unique ways to help us to make good decisions,” said Stephanie Groman , associate research scientist of psychiatry and lead author of the research.
Groman says an analogy would be deciding on a restaurant for dinner. If restaurant A has good food, one brain circuit is activated. If the food is bad, a different circuit is activated. A third circuit records the memories of the experience, good or bad. All three are crucial to decision-making, Groman says.
For instance, without the “good choice” circuit you may not return to the restaurant with good food and without the “bad choice” circuit you might not avoid the restaurant with bad food. The third “memory” circuit is crucial in making decisions such as whether to return to the restaurant after receiving one bad meal after several good ones.
Alterations to these circuits may help explain a hallmark of addiction — why people continue to make harmful choices even after repeated negative experiences, researchers say.
The Yale researchers previously showed that some of the same brain computations were disrupted in animals that had taken methamphetamine.
“ Because we used a test that is equivalent to those used in studies of human decision- making, our findings have direct relevance to humans and could aid in the search for novel treatments for substance abuse in humans,” Groman said.
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Your brain has four lobes that each control different functions. The parietal lobe processes input from your senses of taste and touch. The occipital lobe processes things you see and records the information to memory. The temporal lobe processes information from your senses of smell, taste, and sound. It also helps with storing your memories.
The frontal lobe of the brain controls:
The frontal lobe is the largest of the four lobes and sits behind your nasal cavity, extending behind your ears. The lobe has many different parts that control functions in your body, including:
Your frontal lobe has a dominant side — either left or right — that controls language and speech. This is different for each person, but most people store language and speech on the left side of their brain. You may store language and speech on the right side of your brain if you are left-handed or sustain an injury to the left side of your brain early in life.
Language encompasses:
Speech encompasses:
The frontal lobe stores how you use language, and it also processes how you interpret language. You may have a language disorder if you have difficulty understanding other peoples’ speech or explaining your own ideas, thoughts, or feelings. You may have a speech disorder if you struggle to use the correct word sounds or rhythm of speech.
There are three specific areas in the brain that control language and speech:
Motor movements. The frontal lobe also helps control your voluntary motor movements. Each side of the frontal lobe controls the opposite side of your body. Cortical neurons radiate to your brain stem and down your spinal cord, telling your body what movement to complete. This includes accurately coordinating movements with correct position and timing.
Seizures. Some seizure disorders are caused by damage to — or a malformation in — the brain's frontal lobe. Seizures impact your motor abilities and speech. Your doctor will assess your seizures and determine which region of your frontal lobe may be impacted.
Personality and social skills. Because the frontal lobe is large and in the front of your skull, it is susceptible to damage. Any damage may contribute to changes in your social behavior. Damage may impact your spatial orientation and coordination of your facial muscles.
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By Benedict Carey
Solving a hairy math problem might send a shudder of exultation along your spinal cord. But scientists have historically struggled to deconstruct the exact mental alchemy that occurs when the brain successfully leaps the gap from “Say what?” to “Aha!”
Now, using an innovative combination of brain-imaging analyses, researchers have captured four fleeting stages of creative thinking in math. In a paper published in Psychological Science, a team led by John R. Anderson, a professor of psychology and computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, demonstrated a method for reconstructing how the brain moves from understanding a problem to solving it, including the time the brain spends in each stage.
The imaging analysis found four stages in all: encoding (downloading), planning (strategizing), solving (performing the math), and responding (typing out an answer).
“I’m very happy with the way the study worked out, and I think this precision is about the limit of what we can do” with the brain imaging tools available, said Dr. Anderson, who wrote the report with Aryn A. Pyke and Jon M. Fincham, both also at Carnegie Mellon.
To capture these quicksilver mental operations, the team first taught 80 men and women how to interpret a set of math symbols and equations they had not seen before. The underlying math itself wasn’t difficult, mostly addition and subtraction, but manipulating the newly learned symbols required some thinking. The research team could vary the problems to burden specific stages of the thinking process — some were hard to encode, for instance, while others extended the length of the planning stage.
The scientists used two techniques of M.R.I. data analysis to sort through what the participants’ brains were doing. One technique tracked the neural firing patterns during the solving of each problem; the other identified significant shifts from one kind of mental state to another. The subjects solved 88 problems each, and the research team analyzed the imaging data from those solved successfully.
The analysis found four separate stages that, depending on the problem, varied in length by a second or more. For instance, planning took up more time than the other stages when a clever workaround was required. The same stages are likely applicable to solving many creative problems, not just in math. But knowing how they play out in the brain should help in designing curriculums, especially in mathematics, the paper suggests.
“We didn’t know exactly what students were doing when they solved problems,” said Dr. Anderson, whose lab designs math instruction software. “Having a clearer understanding of that will help us develop better instruction; I think that’s the first place this work will have some impact.”
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The four lobes of the brain are regions of the cerebrum: Frontal Lobe. Location: This is the anterior or front part of the brain. Functions: Decision making, problem solving, control of purposeful behaviors, consciousness, and emotions. Parietal Lobe. Location: Sits behind the frontal lobe.
The cerebrum (front of brain) comprises gray matter (the cerebral cortex) and white matter at its center. The largest part of the brain, the cerebrum initiates and coordinates movement and regulates temperature. Other areas of the cerebrum enable speech, judgment, thinking and reasoning, problem-solving, emotions and learning.
The brain controls your thoughts, feelings, and physical movements. The brain is a unique organ that is responsible for many functions such as problem-solving, thinking, emotions, controlling physical movements, and mediating the perception and responses related to the five senses. The many nerve cells of the brain communicate with each other ...
The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that controls important cognitive skills in humans, such as: emotional expression; problem-solving; memory; language; judgment; sexual behaviors;
The cerebrum, the largest part of the human brain, is associated with higher order functioning, including the control of voluntary behavior. Thinking, perceiving, planning, and understanding language all lie within the cerebrum's control. ... such as problem solving, thinking, planning, and organizing; and for many aspects of personality and ...
The frontal lobe is the brain's largest region, located behind the forehead, at the front of the brain. These lobes are part of the cerebral cortex and are the largest brain structure. The frontal lobe's main functions are typically associated with 'higher' cognitive functions, including decision-making, problem-solving, thought, and ...
The brain's hemispheres have four lobes. The frontal lobes help control thinking, planning, organizing, problem-solving, short-term memory and movement.; The parietal lobes help interpret feeling, known as sensory information. The lobes process taste, texture and temperature. The occipital lobes process images from your eyes and connect them to the images stored in your memory.
Another area of the brain vital to problem solving is the prefrontal cortex, located toward the front of the brain. For a long time, it was thought that some parts of the prefrontal cortex were ...
The idea of processes being localized in one or two parts of the brain has been replaced with newer evidence ... be improved—including problem-solving abilities. "Brain plasticity is a real ...
The brain is a very busy organ. It is the control center for the body. It runs your organs such as your heart and lungs. It is also busy working with other parts of your body. All of your senses - sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste - depend on your brain. Tasting food with the sensors on your tongue is only possible if the signals from ...
The brain stem, situated at the bottom of the brain, is made up of three main parts: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. The midbrain is the highest part of the brain stem. Among other ...
This lobe is located at the front of the brain and is associated with reasoning, motor skills, higher-level cognition, and expressive language. At the front of the frontal lobe is the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for most executive functions, like thinking, paying attention, and self-control. Damage to the frontal lobe can lead to ...
Self-control is related to motivation, in the sense that a motivated action requires self-control to be carried out, particularly in complex situations. When task problem-solving appears complicated and misleading, self-consciousness may become particularly necessary (e.g., Damasio, 2010, Pascual-Leone, 2000).
The human brain is a complex organ, made up of several distinct parts, each responsible for different functions. The cerebrum, the largest part, is responsible for sensory interpretation, thought processing, and voluntary muscle activity. Beneath it is the cerebellum, which controls balance and coordination. The brainstem connects the brain to the spinal cord and oversees automatic processes ...
Find Out Which Parts Of The Brain Handle Which Functions. ... What Controls Creativity And Problem Solving? The Corpus Callosum is a rope of nerves that connect the two hemispheres of the brain ...
2. Next. Executive function describes a set of cognitive processes and mental skills that help an individual plan, monitor, and successfully execute their goals. The "executive functions," as ...
A prevailing theory in neuroscience holds that people make decisions based on integrated global calculations that occur within the frontal cortex of the brain. However, Yale researchers have found that three distinct circuits connecting to different brain regions are involved in making good decisions, bad ones, and determining which of those ...
The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that controls speech, language, and motor skills. Learn more about what it is and how it can impact your health. ... Problem-solving; Short-term memory ...
July 28, 2016. Solving a hairy math problem might send a shudder of exultation along your spinal cord. But scientists have historically struggled to deconstruct the exact mental alchemy that ...