Skip to main content

Renin Angiotensin Mechanism.

Human Brain: Cerebrum and Diencephalon.

 Human Brain: Cerebrum and Diencephalon.


Human Brain:

  • The brain and the spinal cord are the Central Nervous System, and they represent the main organs of the nervous system. 

  • The spinal cord is a single structure, whereas the adult brain is described in terms of four major regions.

    1. The Cerebrum.

    2. The Diencephalon.

    3. The Brain Stem.

    4. The Cerebellum.

  1. The Cerebrum:

  • The cerebrum makes up most of the mass of the brain.

  • It deals with the ability to read, write, speak, and to make calculations, our creativity and memory.

  • The wrinkled area of the cerebrum is called the “Cerebral Cortex”.

  • The outer portion of the brain appears “gray” in color and called “Gray matter” which mainly contains cell bodies of the neurons.

  • The inner portion appears “White” in color and is called “White matter” which mainly contains the axons.

  • The folds of the gray matter are called “Gyri (Single =Gyrus)”.

  • The deeper grooves between the gyri are called “Fissures” while the shallow ones are called “Sulci (Single =Sulcus)”.

  • These fissure divides the cerebrum into five prominent lobes,

    1. Frontal lobe.

    2. Parietal lobe.

    3. Temporal Lobe.

    4. Occipital lobe.

    5. Central lobe (Insula).

  • The biggest fissure called “Longitudinal fissure” divides the cerebrum into two “Cerebral Hemispheres”.

  • The right and left cerebral hemisphere are joined together by a thick band of white matter called “Corpus callosum”.

Lobes of Cerebrum:

  • Each cerebral hemisphere is further subdivided into four globes,

    • Frontal lobe.

    • Parietal lobe.

    • Temporal Lobe.

    • Occipital lobe.

  • The fifth lobe “Central Lobe (Insula) lies deep.

  • The main sulci and gyri that divide the lobes are as follows,

    • Lateral Sulcus: Separates Frontal lobe and Temporal Lobe.

    • Parieto-occipital sulcus: Separates Parietal lobe and Occipital Lobe.

    • Central Sulcus: Separates Frontal Lobe and Parietal Lobe.

  • The cerebral cortex contains 52 identified areas of specific functions called “Brodmann areas

  1. Frontal lobe:

  • The Frontal Lobe contains most of the ‘Dopaminergic Neurons’ of the brain.

  • The prominent areas of the frontal lobe are as following,

    • Motor Area: Controls muscles of speech, fine movements of fingers and limbs.

    • Supplementary Motor Area:  Deals with altitudinal movements.

    • Premotor Area: Involuntary muscle movements for specific movements.

    • Broca’s Area: Deals with ability to speech. 

  • It is concerned with emotions, reasoning, planning, movement, and parts of speech.

  • It is also involved in purposeful acts such as creativity, judgment, and problem solving, and planning.

  1. Parietal lobe:

  • Major areas include;

    • Primary Sensory Area: Deals with sensations like temperature, touch and pain.

    • Secondary Sensory Area: It deals with complex sensations of the above.

    • It also has language functions.

  1. Temporal Lobe:

  • This lobe deals with the sensation of sound.

  1. Occipital lobe:

  • This lobe deals with the sensation of vision.

  • The area is involved with the brain's ability to recognise objects.

Diencephalon:

  • Present between Cerebrum and brainstem.

  • The major regions of diencephalon are,

    • Thalamus.

    • Hypothalamus.

    • Epithalamus.

  1. Thalamus:

  • Makes up 80% of the diencephalon but measures only 3cm.

  • Functions:

    • Relay the sensory information from “Skin, Viscera, special organs and pressure” before entering the cerebrum.

    • Regulation of Autonomic Activities.

    • Maintenance of consciousness.

  1. Hypothalamus: 

  • As the name suggests it is situated just below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland.

  • It has four main regions,

    • Mammillary Region.

    • Tuberal region.

    • Supraoptic region.

    • Preoptic region.

  • Functions:

    • Controls the ANS:

      • Regulates the smooth muscles and cardiac muscle contractions.

      • Regulates secretions of many glands.

      • Regulates contraction of urinary bladder,

      • Regulates heart rate.

      • Regulates the peristalsis movement of GIT.

    • Production of Hormones.

      • Has direct control over the Pituitary gland and regulates many secretions.

      • Hypothalamus itself secretes many regulatory hormones such as,

        • corticotropin-releasing hormone.

        • Dopamine

        • Growth hormone-releasing hormone,

        • Somatostatin,

        • gonadotropin-releasing hormone

        • thyrotropin-releasing hormone.

    • Regulation of Emotions and Behaviour.

      • Along with the “Limbic System”  it plays an important role in expression of various emotions like anger, love, pain, pleasure etc.

    • Regulation of Body Temperature:

      • Maintains body temperature at normal values.

    • Regulation of eating and drinking:

      • Regulates eating and drinking habits.

    • Regulates Circadian Rhythms:

      • Regulates pattern of body clock and consciousness.

  1. Epithalamus:

  • It is a small area the size of a pea.

  • Present superior and posterior to thalamus.

  • It consists of,

    1. Pineal Gland

    2. Hearbanuclear nuclei.

  • Pineal gland secretes a hormone called “Melatonin” which is associated with production of sleep and aging.

Commonly asked questions.

  1. Give the functions of cerebrum.

  2.  Describe the functions of hypothalamus.

  3. Draw a well labelled diagram of CNS and describe various parts of the human brain.

  4. Draw a well labelled diagram of CNS

  5. Draw a well labelled diagram of Cerebrum and describe it.

Popular posts from this blog

Rate of Drying Curve.

  Definition Drying is defined as the removal of liquid from a product usually with application of heat. Rate of Drying Curve. Drying process can be divided into three periods Initial Adjustment Period. Constant drying rate period. First falling drying rate period. Second falling rate period. Initial Adjustment Period (A-B): Also called the “ Heating up” period . In this period the substance gets heat and increases in temperature. Drying has not yet started. Constant drying rate period (B-C): During this period the temperature of the solid and the rate of drying remain constant. The moisture evaporating from the surface is replaced by water diffusing from the interior of the solid at a rate equal t o the rate of evaporation.  The moisture content at the end of constant rate (point C) is referred to as the critical moisture content (CMC).  At CMC, dry spots start appearing and drying rate starts falling . First falling drying rate period (C-D): This period is also called the period of

Heat Exchangers and Heat Interchangers.

  In pharmaceutical industries many types of equipments are used for transfer of heat, they can be classified as follows, Heat Exchangers. Heat Interchangers. Heat Exchangers: These devices are used for transferring heat from a fluid (Hot Gas or Steam) to another fluid (Liquid) through a metal wall. Heat Interchangers: These devices are used for transferring heat from a One liquid to another liquid or one gas to another gas through a metal wall. HEAT EXCHANGERS; The equipment used for heat transferring are known as heat exchangers. Some of the processes that involves heat transfer in pharmaceutical industries are: Preparation of starch paste (in steam jacketed kettle). Crystallization. Evaporation. Distillation.  Classification of heat exchangers On the basis of transfer of heat, heat exchangers are classified as: Direct transfer type:  The hot and cold fluids are separated by a metal wall through which the heat is transferred from hot fluid to cold fluid. E.g. shell and tube heater, 

Flash Distillation.

  Principle: When a hot mixture is allowed to enter from a high-pressure zone into a low pressure zone, the entire liquid mixture is suddenly vaporized. This process is known as flash vaporization .  During this process, the chamber is cooled.  The less volatile fraction is condensed and the more volatile component remains in the vapor phase .  This process requires time, hence liquid and vapor are kept in intimate contact until equilibrium is achieved. Flash distillation is also called equilibrium distillation because separation of two liquids takes place when liquid and vapor phases are at equilibrium. Equipment used for Flash Distillation: Construction: It consists of a pump, which is connected to a feed reservoir.  Pumps help in pumping the feed into the heating chamber.  The heating chamber is heat supplied by steam.  The other end of the pipe is directly introduced into the vapor-liquid separator through a reducing valve.  The vapor outlet is provided at the top of the separato