The brain is considered to control all bodily functions. A 3-pound organ, made up mostly of fat and water, controls every thought, feeling, and movement in the human body, through neurons and more.

The brain manages automatic behaviors such as breathing, heart rate, sleep, temperature regulation, the fight-or-flight response, organ function, memory, emotion, movement, balance, coordination, sensory processing (including the five senses), speech and language, thought, and decision-making. 

The brain is part of the central nervous system (CNS), and its job is to send, receive, and process signals that carry information from your five senses. Your brain also identifies external factors and files them as information. This includes pain, temperature, and heart rate.

If humans were born without a brain, they would not survive for more than a few minutes as we would also lose all awareness and capacity for thought. Artificial means keep you going for a while, but even then, nothing can keep your organs in check. 

The brain has multiple regions with their own unique functions, organized into three main parts: the cerebrum, cerebellum, and the brainstem. 

The cerebrum interprets the five senses and regulates conscious actions that require thinking, such as speech, personality, movement, reasoning, and more.

The cerebellum maintains fine motor skills, balance, posture, coordination, and more. It’s a small, half-circle shape that is located in the back of your brain. 

The brainstem regulates automatic body functions, including breathing, heart rate, sleep-wake cycles, and swallowing. Your brainstem is the lower part of your brain that connects with the spinal cord.
Another important part surrounding the brain that is often underplayed is called the cranium. Your cranium is part of your skull.  Your brain floats in a liquid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Both the entirety of the skull and CSF protect your brain from injury

Between your brain and your skull, there are layers of tissue called the meninges. These are the dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater. These have no functions other than anatomical purposes that allow the brain to remain protected.

It doesn’t stop there; your brain has 12 cranial nerves. This is where it can get tricky, but think of it like this: Your brain is a big office with 3 main floors. Each floor has sub-units in it that perform a specific job to perfection. However, all these units work together in harmony to get the job done efficiently. 

The 12 cranial nerves are the amygdala, basal ganglia, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and pineal gland. All of these nerves are in different systems and regulate different parts of your body. They allow the brain to work more efficiently. 

There are lobes in your brain as well. The frontal lobe, the occipital lobe, the parietal lobe, and the temporal lobe. These lobes serve anatomical functions as well as actual functions. For instance, the occipital lobe, located in the back of the brain, helps you process visual information from your eyes.

Believe it or not, but gray and white matter have a function, and are two different things. Gray matter helps with day-to-day functioning. White matter sends signals to different parts of your nervous system to help you function.

Each human has around 86 billion nerve cells or neurons, and non-neuronal glial cells. Neurons send and receive electrical and chemical signals. Glial cells help maintain your brain, form myelin (a protective substance composed of fat), and provide nutrition to your brain. 

A common myth is that you can “lose” brain cells, and that is false. However, chronic stress can damage brain cells, shrink the prefrontal cortex, and impair memory and learning. It’s important to keep yourself healthy and make smart lifestyle choices. Support your brain, and try not to be worried. 

In conclusion, the brain is arguably the most complex and most important organ in our bodies. Our brain controls everything from our breathing to our heart rate; without it, we wouldn’t be where we are today as a society.