All about that Brain, about that Brain, (it’s) no Trouble

The brain is a fascinating organ! It is responsible for everything- how we think, how we talk or write, all our senses. Everything you do is controlled by the amazing organ up in your noggin! But how does it all work? What areas of the brain are responsible for specific skills- like what we see, or how we talk? Every area of your brain is in charge of something- and we all need to make sure our brains are working to the best of their abilities, so we are working at the best of ours!

The brain is split right down the middle into two hemispheres- the left side and the right side. Within each hemisphere, there are four lobes: the Frontal lobe, the Parietal lobe, the Occipital lobe, and the Temporal lobe. Each lobe is responsible for controlling different actions in the body; these actions are happening on both the right and the left sides of the brain. The two hemispheres are connected by a bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum. This area is responsible for sending signals from one side of the brain to the other; it is the messenger for the two sides to be able to talk to each other. 

The first lobe to talk about is the frontal lobe- it sits right behind your forehead, at the front of your brain. This area of the brain is in charge of a lot. It helps you with concentration, problem solving, and planning. It is also in charge of a person’s personality, their emotions, and behaviors. Within the left frontal lobe is an area called Broca’s area; this small part is in charge of all things related to speech production, so how you talk or write. Damage to this area could make it harder to talk, something called aphasia. 

Moving to the top of the head, you’ll find your two parietal lobes. These lobes are in charge of a lot of different signals. They help interpret what someone sees, hears, or touches, so you know what it is. This area also helps with language and word interpretation. A small section of these lobes, close to where the frontal lobes meet up, is called the “sensory strip”. This area interprets what you touch- what it is, the temperature of it, if you feel pain from it. All those sensory details come from this strip! 

The back of your head houses the two occipital lobes. These two lobes are in charge of all things vision related. The colors you see, how bright or dark an area is, any movement happening- all those images are interpreted by the occipital lobes. 

Last, but certainly not least, we have the two temporal lobes. These two are located on the sides of your head, right by your ears. These lobes are in charge of what you hear- which makes sense since they’re right by your ears! They also help with organization skills and memorization. A small area in the left temporal lobe is called Wernicke’s area. This area is all about speech comprehension- so it helps you understand what someone else is saying to you, or what you’re reading. Try not to get it confused with Broca’s area! Broca’s area works on what you say or write to someone; Wernicke’s works on what you’re hearing or reading from someone else. 

When looking at what actions each lobe is responsible for, it seems like there are two areas of the brain that are in charge of skills deemed “Left brain” characteristics, and two areas of the brain that are in charge of skills deemed “Right brain” characteristics. The frontal and temporal lobes seem to deal with more of the Left brain dominant skills. These two areas are responsible for speech comprehension and production, as well as problem-solving, organization, and concentration. These logical, analytical characteristics are typical of someone who is a left brain thinker. The parietal and occipital lobes, on the other hand, seem to be more in line with Right brain dominant skills. These areas are responsible for sensation and vision. How you see something, how it makes you feel- these emotive characteristics are more in line with the creative, intuitive right brain thinker. 

It’s interesting how the brain can be split into many different ways, depending on the conversation. The brain can be dissected into its four separate lobes, where each lobe has specific functions they’re responsible for. But it can also be split into the left “analytical” and right “emotional” hemispheres. One might think that since the right and left sides have the same lobes, they would have the same dominant areas. But that doesn’t seem to be the case with the mystery that is our brain!

References

“Brain Anatomy, Anatomy of the Human Brain.” Mayfieldclinic.com,

mayfieldclinic.com/pe-anatbrain.htm.

Lombrozo, Tania. “The Truth About The Left Brain / Right Brain Relationship.” NPR, NPR, 2

Dec. 2013, www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2013/12/02/248089436/the-truth-about-the-left-bran-right-brain-relationship.