How the Brain Works: The Facts Visually Explained (How Things Work)

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In honor of Brain Awareness Week, try out this easy experiment from How Your Brain Works to gain a better understanding of the brain’s reaction time: The pia mater is a thin membrane that hugs the surface of the brain and follows its contours. The pia mater is rich with veins and arteries. MIT Press began publishing journals in 1970 with the first volumes of Linguistic Inquiry and the Journal of Interdisciplinary History. Today we publish over 30 titles in the arts and humanities, social sciences, and science and technology.

Midbrain. The midbrain (or mesencephalon) is a very complex structure with a range of different neuron clusters (nuclei and colliculi), neural pathways and other structures. These features facilitate various functions, from hearing and movement to calculating responses and environmental changes. The midbrain also contains the substantia nigra, an area affected by Parkinson’s disease that is rich in dopamine neurons and part of the basal ganglia, which enables movement and coordination. Cortex is Latin for “bark,” and describes the outer gray matter covering of the cerebrum. The cortex has a large surface area due to its folds, and comprises about half of the brain’s weight. The pineal gland is located deep in the brain and attached by a stalk to the top of the third ventricle. The pineal gland responds to light and dark and secretes melatonin, which regulates circadian rhythms and the sleep-wake cycle. Ventricles and Cerebrospinal Fluid A curved seahorse-shaped organ on the underside of each temporal lobe, the hippocampus is part of a larger structure called the hippocampal formation. It supports memory, learning, navigation and perception of space. It receives information from the cerebral cortex and may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. Pineal Gland

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Temporal lobe. The sides of the brain, temporal lobes are involved in short-term memory, speech, musical rhythm and some degree of smell recognition.

Tell your friend that when they see you release the ruler, they are to pinch shut and grab it as fast as possible. Try not to make any sounds, gestures, or other hints that you are releasing the ruler. They have to react to the visual stimulus of seeing the ruler being released. Record the centimeter mark where they pinched the ruler, and repeat this a few times. Have your friend sit at a table with their dominant hand exposed over the edge, and have them make a pinching hold with their fingers. Grab a hold of the ruler by pinching it on the short side near the 30 cm mark and hold it upright such that the 0 cm end is just between your friend’s fingers. Frontal lobe. The largest lobe of the brain, located in the front of the head, the frontal lobe is involved in personality characteristics, decision-making and movement. Recognition of smell usually involves parts of the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe contains Broca’s area, which is associated with speech ability.

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