01 / Location & anatomical relationships
Inside the skull, above the spinal cord.
02 / Structure & organization
The brain includes cerebrum, diencephalon, brainstem and cerebellum. Gray matter contains many neuronal cell bodies and synapses; white matter contains major axonal pathways. Meninges and cerebrospinal fluid provide protection and support.
03 / Function
It works with nerves and the spinal cord to receive information and send instructions.
04 / Mechanism
Billions of nerve cells communicate in connected networks. Different regions contribute to memory, language, movement and sensing, and many tasks involve several regions at once. The brain also helps regulate automatic body functions and keeps working while you sleep.
Working together: nervous system
When you reach for a ball, your eyes send information to your brain. Your brain sends instructions through nerves to the muscles in your arm.
Meet this body system →FOR DEEPER STUDY
Connect structure with function
Brain function emerges from networks rather than a single center for each behavior. Distinguish anatomical regions, connecting tracts and the ventricular spaces that contain cerebrospinal fluid.
Check your understanding
Locate the brain in relation to its neighbors. Explain how the structural features described above support its function, then distinguish it from a nearby structure with a different role.
Keep learning
Further reading: NINDS: Know Your Brain.
Continue with OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology for system-level study. This atlas is educational and has not undergone independent medical peer review.