SOME EXTERIOR PARTS OF THE BRAIN Lobes of the Brain

The human brain is an amazing structure. At birth, it is equipped with more than 100 billion nerve cells designed to collect information and learn the skills necessary to keep its owner alive. Although comparatively slow in its growth and development compared to the brains of other mammals, it can learn complex skills, master any of over 6,000 languages, store memories for a lifetime, and marvel at the glory of a radiant sunset. Early in life, the brain’s cells grow and connect with each other—at the rate of thousands per second—to store information and skills. Most of the connections result in the development of neural networks that will help the individual successfully face life’s challenges. But sometimes, certain connections go awry, setting the stage instead for problems. To understand the complexity of human brain growth and development, let’s review some basic information about its structure. For our purposes, we will first look at major parts of the outside of the brain (Figure 1.1): the frontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal lobes; the motor cortex; and the cerebellum.