Brain Structure and Functions — NEET Biology

Human neural system consists of two parts: (i) central neural system (CNS) and (ii) the peripheral neural system. The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. The brain can be divided into three major parts: (i) forebrain, (ii) midbrain and (iii) hindbrain. The forebrain consists of cerebrum, thalamus and hypothalamus. The cerebrum is longitudinally divided into two halves that are connected by the corpus callosum. A very important part of the forebrain called hypothalamus controls the body temperature, eating and drinking, inner parts of cerebral hemispheres and a group of associated deep structures form a complex structure called limbic system, which is concerned with olfaction, autonomic responses, regulation of sexual behaviour, expression of emotional reactions, motivation and processing of experimental learning. The midbrain receives and integrates visual, tactile and auditory inputs. The hindbrain comprises pons, cerebellum and medulla. The cerebellum integrates information received from the semicircular canals of the ear and the auditory system. The medulla contains centres, which control respiration, cardiovascular reflexes, and gastric secretions. Pons consists of fibre tracts that interconnect different regions of the brain.