Basic Principles

Functions of the
of Cerebrum and
Functions of Nervous
the Structural System
Organizations

孙长凯
Chang-kai SUN (Sun C.K./Sun CK/Sun C)
MD, PhD, Prof., Directors/Chairmams

T 0411-86110136(AM)/86110289(Noon)
M 13500777607
E cksun110@vip.sina.com
 Cerebrum: the Great Brain with diverse functions
plays central of roles in the mammal body
106The senses; sensation, perception, detecting features of the external & internal
environments:
Olfaction (smell)
Sight (vision)
All the terms listed refer to brain
Touch
Hearing (auditory)
functions expressable by the circuitry
Taste of the cerebrum of any mammals.
Pain
207Basic integrated postural and locomotor movement sequences:
Diversity and complexity of musculature, and the structure and importance of the skeleton and its
components
324Basic instincts and emotions:
Hunger
Love, lust and sex
Anger, hate & fear
Territoriality, possessiveness
Dominance/submissiveness; Irritability and serenity
Sociality, parenting & family ties
Growth of emotions during ontogeny
448Cognitive capabilities: 孙长凯
NPHY Choice, Purpose, Seeking,
Arousal, Attention, Thinking, Evaluating, Insight, Abstraction, Creativity,
Planning, Generalization, Judgement, Introspection, Programming, Interest, Preference,
Discrimination,
Learning, Habituation, Memory, recognition, retention, Knowledge
555Basic Behavioral repertoire/behavioral sequences
Reflexes
Basic action sequences
Instincts; integrated action sequences
Learned and experientially modified percepts and action sequences
Play
Exploratory behavior
Goal Directed behaviors
 Cerebrum is the most important brain subdivision
with higher functions to deal with information for
Integration & Control of the whole mammal body
 Senses information: to detect changes in homeostasis and form
sensory data
 Process information: to generate, transmit and issue an “order”
such as motor commands, usually in the form of a chemical
messenger, to target cells, tissues, organs, etc.
 Responds to information: higher functions of the brain to watch for
response, usually negative feedback, sometimes positive feedback
(1)regulates & integrates activities of all the body;
(2)balances internal (changes in homeostasis) & external
(stimuli) enviroments in the body for the benefit of the organism
as a whole with:
– sensations
– complex movements (gross motor control)
– mental activities
conscious thoughts (cognition, not consciousness)
intellect
memory
Hierarchy of the Functional Structures
Organism
mammals (human and other common mammals)
Organ Systems
nervous system (CNS and PNS)
Organs
brain (subdivisions)
Tissues
cerebral cortex (outer/surface gray matter)
subcortical tracts (deeper white matter)
subcortical nuclei (inner gray matter)
Cells
neuron (“nerve” cell)
glia (“nerve” glue)
Organelles
vesicles
Organic Molecules
neurotrasmitters
Brain
Structural classification
Cerebrum
Thalamus
Epithalamus
Hypothalamus
Cerebellum
Brainstem (midbrain, pon, medulla ob.)
Also classify by developmental region in embryology
At early consists of
Forebrain (cerebrum, thalamus, epithalamus, hypothalamus)
Midbrain
Hindbrain (cerebellum, pon, medulla ob.)
Their further differentiation occurs into five brain vesicles as
“something-cephalon”:
Telencephalon (cerebrum)
Diencephalon (thalamus, epithalamus, hypothalamus)
Mesencephalon (midbrain)
Metencephalon (cerebellum, pon)
Myelencephalon (medulla ob.)
 Cerebrum
(CNS)
afferent efferent
(“nerves” (“nerves”
carry to) bring out)
sensory motor

receptors somatic autonomic

(PNS)
Methods of studying the brain

 Animal models
– Stereotaxic methods
 Natural ablation studies, surgery
 Psychopharmacology
 Imaging techniques
– CT, MRI, PET scans
 Recording methods: EEG and MEG
 Neuroanatomical directions
 Rostral vs.
caudal
 Dorsal vs.
ventral
 Medial vs.
lateral
 Superior
vs. inferior
Neuroanatomical planes
孙长凯 NPHY
 PNS CNS

Again the Great Brain for Human Cerebrum:

No. 1 in function (Most important in the nervous system)
No. 1 in size (Most enlarged) and
The No. 1 is Top 1 in the CNS!
 The No. 1 is Top 1: A Result of
Cephalization in Evolution of the Animals
 Cephalization = clustering of neurons in “brain” at front (anterior)
end of bilaterally symmetrical animals  where sense organs are
associative
neurons

nerve cords

radial
nerve nerve
ribs
nerve
net

Cnidarian Flatworm
Echinoderm Platyhelminthes
Simplest More organization Simplest, defined
nervous system but still based on nerve central nervous system
no control of nets; supports more more complex muscle
complex actions complex movement control 孙长凯 NPHY
Cephalization = Brain evolution
 increase in interneurons in brain region

central nervous system

giant
axon brain

peripheral brain ventral

nerves nerve
cords

Earthworm Mollusk
Arthropod
More complex brains More complex brains Further brain
connected to all other in predators development
parts of body by most sophisticated ganglia = neuron
peripheral nerves invertebrate nervous clusters along
system CNS 孙长凯 NPHY
Brain Landmark: Evolution of the Cerebrum
Mammal

Bird
Fish

Reptile

Shark
Amphibian

Lamprey
Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Tectum Spinal Cord

Olfactory Bulb
Basic Plan of Brain 孙长凯 NPHY
 Vertebrate Cerebrum
hindbrain
forebrain
forebrain dominant cerebrum
Shark

Frog
Crocodile
Cat
Spinal cord forebrain Human
Hind: Medulla oblongata
Hind: Cerebellum
Optic tectum
Midbrain Bird
Fore: Cerebrum
Olfactory tract
孙长凯 NPHY