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Brainy
Facts |
This is the picture of the left-hand and right-hand side of a model of the brain. The average human brain is close to the size and weight of a head of cauliflower. It weighs about 1,400 grams or 3 lbs. When removed from the skull or brain box, the brain is a pinkish-grey colour, not as shown.
The
outer layer of the brain is made up of densely packed cells which have
been folded in order to fit into the brain box or skull. Called the cerebral
cortex, it’s the part of the brain that is most involved
in Alzheimer's disease. It has been said that if the entire surface of the
cerebral cortex were flattened out it would be about the size of a full
page of newspaper. That’s some headline!
If you were to cut the cerebral cortex down the middle lengthwise, you’d come up with two halves called cerebral hemispheres. The Left Brain (left cerebral hemisphere) is the logical side and it specializes in language and mathematical abilities. The Right Brain (right cerebral hemisphere) focuses on the artistic side, creative expression, and visual input. Are you a Left Brain or a Right Brain person? Just like fingerprints, no two brains are exactly alike.
Each of the cerebral hemispheres can be further divided into four areas called lobes (frontal, occipital, parietal, and temporal). The lobes of the brain specialize in different functions and as Alzheimer's disease affects each area, special abilities in that area can be lost.
Images used with permission from the Slice
of Life
FRONTAL LOBES:
- These lobes are at the front of the brain directly behind the forehead.
- This is the place where we do our planning, organizing, and problem-solving.
The Frontal Lobes control our moods, personality, and behaviour.
OCCIPITAL LOBES:
- Located at the very back of the brain, behind the parietal lobe and temporal lobe.
Concerned
with sight and the visual understanding of words.
PARIETAL LOBES:
- The top of the back part of the brain.
Help
us to use words correctly, to put things in order, to help us be aware
of our surroundings and where we are.- Involved in the understanding of written and spoken language.
Touch,
taste, pressure, temperature, and pain sensations are registered here.
TEMPORAL LOBES:
-
These
lobes are located behind our temples and in front of the ears on each
side of the brain. - They control “thinking”, the ability to learn new things, to express ourselves in words, and to make good decisions.
- Hearing and smell are organized here.
- They include an area called the hippocampus that is the first part of the brain to be damaged by Alzheimer's disease. The hippocampus is very important for remembering what we recently have heard, read or said, as well as the recognition of objects, faces, and places.
To find out more about Alzheimer's disease, risk factors, causes, family histories, warning signs, diagnosis, stages of the disease, treatments, statistics, etc. visit the Alzheimer Society of Canada at www.alzheimer.ca
