The Midbrain approximately 2 cm long forms a

The Midbrain approximately 2 cm long forms a major part of the brainstem Is the most complex portion of the brain stem

The Midbrain The midbrain helps coordinate sensory information with simple movements. What does that mean? Sensory information is anything you feel using one of your five basic senses. If someone hocks a lugi at your head and you watch the goober travel through the air and track the incoming with your eyes at it races at your head, you are using your vision and eye and neck muscles together. That is what I mean by sensory information with simple movements. Just reading this text now, you are using your midbrain to keep your eyes and head moving.

The Midbrain The key part of the midbrain for psychological purposes is the Reticular Formation It controls arousal. Not sexual arousal, but actual "wake me up" arousal". If you were in a deep sleep and I stimulated your Reticular Formation you would instantly wake up and not be tired at all. If I lesioned (cut out) your Reticular Formation, you would fall into a coma in which you would never wake.

Damage to the Midbrain If a boxer is knocked out, part of the reason lies in the mid-brain. If a person is unconscious due to a damaged midbrain, he might go into a coma because the forebrain can not be aroused

The Hindbrain The area of the brain comprising the pons, medulla and cerebellum The hindbrain functions collectively to co-ordinate various functions

The Pons The word “pons” means bridge It functions as a bridge to interconnect messages between the spinal cord and brain If someone has a serious sleep disorder, it may involve the pons as the pons makes the chemicals involved in sleep Also important in controlling breathing

The Medulla control our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. located directing above our spinal cord if you get hurt in the Medulla you should just pack it in. Injury to the medulla results in instant death

The Medulla If someone dies of a drug overdose, the cause of death probably involved the medulla Large amounts of alcohol, heroin, or other depressant drugs suppress the functions of cells in the medulla and cause death by stopping breathing.

Cerebellum Found at the back of your head under the cerebrum Means “little brain” The Cerebellum helps us coordinate our balance and fine muscle movements. Often takes over learned activities- like riding a bike

Cerebellum A person suspected of drunken driving may fail the test of rapidly touching a finger to the nose because of alcohol’s effects on the cerebellum. Because alcohol is a depressant drug and interferes with the functions of the cerebellum, an intoxicated person would experience decreased coordination and have difficulty rapidly touching a finger to the nose, which is one of the tests for being drunk.

Copyright: Gary Larson