How Brain Works and Why Does It Matter?

Many misconceptions running around our mind when we are thinking about the Brain, but these are understandable. We can look at our arms, hands, legs, and foot, and learning how these work, obviously we cannot learn everything in this way. But this is impossible if we think about the Brain. This is as a black box for us; we are not able to look at our brains directly. Even if somebody wants to understand how works it, it will need more than a good eyes and a microscope. Of course, to do it will be necessary another brain. In any case, understanding the Brain require to pass through of several knowledge levels that begin from a knowledge about a single neuron until the knowledge of Neuronal Network Universe and their relationships with Voluntary Movement and Cognitive Functions (and other things that does not matter by the time).

Therefore, if we wish to get all the brain secrets to understand our minds and actions, we are going to take a long trip for different issues and by diverse ways. Chemical, Physic, Biology, Neuroanatomy, Cognitive Psychology and other disciplines and sciences making possible to figured out how brain works? Not just to know how treat different illnesses related with memory, attention, movement as well know as Alzheimer disease, ADHD and Parkinson disease, but to comprehend how brain works on everyday life. Even though some people think we are more than a pack of neurons, we need to recognize that our own brain is essential to be who we are. How is that possible?

Well, we could say everyday begins with the first light that impact our retinas, no matter the brain have been working all the time trough the night to regulate our body homeostasis, making dreams, saving information, and many things that we do not know yet, while we were sleeping. Then, nobody asks when it wake up what the things are or where the things are, or something like that. Brain knows almost everything after a long experience that has helped this to perceive in a good way our world. But not just that, our brain have learned how solve many problems without push our mind to think a lot about it. He knows which kind of patterns use to go to the bathroom, taking shower, taking care our teeth, etc. In short, our brain is a big master about decision-making. Nevertheless, many people think that we use just 10 % of this.

Anyhow, this matter with around two and half pounds that every human have inside of their skull is amazing. Its divided in four lobes with different functions that working together, as a team, to solve a lot of problems from routine problems until the most complicated problem that you can imagine. Doing the best to allow human kind having fun, creating wars, helping people and another animals, and getting a conscious of themselves. From back to front, beginning with Occipital lobe on the posterior side which make possible to build our visual world (Colors, shapes, movement); passing for Parietal lobe which is related with spatial skills, the image or representation of our own body (Right Hemisphere), and language skills (comprehending language/ Left Hemisphere); looking down of Parietal, after the lateral sulcus, we will find the Temporal lobe our audition center and inside of this, even if it is not the best description, we can find the Hippocampus our long-term memory drive. Coming to anterior side, after the central sulcus that is like a landscape between anterior and posterior side, we can locate the Frontal lobe our motor center. Following, we will find the most import part of our brain. The Frontal Cortex that have made us what and who we are. The top of humankind evolution that is correlated with several executive functions as planning, forecasting, control emotions and decision-making.

But nothing of these things that I have mentioned about the brain could be imaginable if other parts like the brainstem and cerebellum were not helping. The first one, it support basic functions that the brain needs as arousal, circadian rhythm (sleep cycle), breathing, cardiac function, blood pressure, without talk about a import aspect that is that many sensorial and motor nerves connections have to pass trough of this. On the other hand, the second one, it helps that our motor patterns can be smoother and coordinated. Cerebellum integrates information that is coming from our body and perception of world with information that the brain is using on-line to move around of the world. Matching as well as possible this representation about how we want to do something with the representation about how we are doing it that we want to do. Its really amazing whether we think that we never have to worry about it.

Maybe, somebody wants to ask me about the basal ganglia because they are so important in our motricity too. Regarding basal ganglia we could underlay their key role into activation and performing actions, also keeping our behavior for an extended period of time (Direct Pathway of the basal ganglia), as well as inhibition of motor patterns that could interfere with the accuracy of movements (Indirect Pathway of the basal ganglia). In addition we can remember the relationship between the basal ganglia and Parkinson and Huntington disease.

Just to finish it, in order with what I wrote, brain works as a complex system connecting different parts of this at the same time to create everything that we keep and will have on our minds. Brain is more than an addition of simple reflexes. Hence the brain becomes the most significant puzzle to solve right now. Many people disagree with Francis Crick (1994) when he said:

You, your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules. Who you are is nothing but a pack of neurons.

For sure it is true, but it does not sound as pleasant as they wanted. However as Crick (1988) also said:

It is essential to understand our brains in some detail if we are to assess correctly our place in this vast and complicated universe we see all around us.

References

Crick, F. (1988). What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Science (New York: Basic Books).

Crick, F. (1994). The Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul (New York: Charles Scribners Sons).