The Brain
The brain is the control centre of the nervous system, with different regions responsible for thinking, movement and the senses.
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Play with the controls to see the idea in action.
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The brain is the control centre of the nervous system, with different regions responsible for thinking, movement and the senses.
- The cerebrum handles thinking
- The cerebellum coordinates balance
- The medulla controls heart rate and breathing
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is The Brain?
Within Biology, which covers cells, the human body, genetics, evolution, plants and ecosystems: the science of living things, this topic explains The Brain. Biology topics show how living things work, from the cell up to whole ecosystems, with models you can explore step by step.
Check that you can explain The Brain in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding The Brain helps you explain how living things stay alive and respond to their surroundings, which is central to biology exams.
The Brain in detail
The brain is the control centre of the nervous system. The cerebral cortex is involved in intelligence, memory, language and consciousness, the cerebellum controls balance and coordination of movement and the medulla oblongata controls automatic activities such as heart rate and breathing.
Scientists study the brain using MRI and CT scans and by studying patients with brain damage. Treating brain disorders is difficult because it is complex and delicate. Different regions have specific functions, but they work together, and learning creates new connections between neurones.
How the interactive helps you understand The Brain
Click a card to flip it and reveal the answer, then move on to the next one.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of The Brain.
Real-life uses and examples
- Use The Brain to interpret a diagram, graph or microscope image from a practical.
- Structure a longer answer about The Brain by moving from definition to example to consequence.
- Explain how The Brain helps a living thing stay alive, using a plant or animal example.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using everyday words, such as “energy” or “bad”, without their scientific meaning.
- Listing the steps of a process without saying how one step causes the next.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about The Brain
What is The Brain?
The brain is the control centre of the nervous system, with different regions responsible for thinking, movement and the senses.
What are the most important points about The Brain?
The main points are: The cerebrum handles thinking; The cerebellum coordinates balance; The medulla controls heart rate and breathing.
Why is The Brain useful?
Understanding The Brain helps you explain how living things stay alive and respond to their surroundings, which is central to biology exams.
How can I practise The Brain?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to The Brain?
Related topics in Biology include Homeostasis, The Skeleton and Joints, The Menstrual Cycle.