The human brain is the central organ of the human nervous system.

The human brain, with the

spinal cord, makes up the central nervous system.[3] The brain consists of the cerebrum, the
brainstem and the cerebellum. The brain is the organ that controls most of the activities of the
body.[4] The brain processes, integrates, and coordinates all of the information it receives from the
sense organs.[5] Sensory information is interpreted and analysed, and decisions are made as to the
instructions transmitted to the rest of the body.[5][4] The brain is contained in, and protected by,
the skull bones of the head.

The cerebrum is the largest part of the human brain. It is divided into two cerebral hemispheres
which are covered by the cerebral cortex. The cortex is an outer layer of grey matter, that covers
the core of white matter. The cortex is split into the neocortex and the much smaller allocortex.
The neocortex is made up of six neuronal layers, and the allocortex has three or four such layers.
Each hemisphere is conventionally divided into four lobes the frontal, temporal, parietal, and
occipital lobes. The frontal lobe is associated with executive functions including self-control,
planning, reasoning, and abstract thought, while the occipital lobe is dedicated to vision. Within
each lobe, there are also cortical areas associated with specific functions, such as the sensory, a
motor and association regions.[4] Although the left and right hemispheres are broadly similar in
shape and function, some functions are associated with a particular side of the brain, such as
language in the left and visual-spatial ability in the right. The hemispheres are connected by
nerve tracts known as commisures, the largest being the corpus callosum.

The cerebrum is connected by the brainstem to the spinal cord. The brainstem consists of the
midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblongata. The cerebellum is connected to the brainstem by
pairs of tracts known as peduncles. Within the cerebrum is the ventricular system of the brain,
which consists of four ventricles in which cerebrospinal fluid is produced and circulated.
Underneath the cerebral cortex, several important structures are located, including the thalamus,
the epithalamus, the pineal gland, the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the subthalamus;
the limbic structures, including the amygdala and the hippocampus; the various nuclei of the
basal ganglia;[6] the basal forebrain structures, and the three circumventricular organs.

The cells of the brain include neurons and supportive glial cells. There are more than 86 billion
neurons in the brain and a more or less equal number of other cells. Brain activity is made
possible by the interconnections of neurons that are linked together to reach their targets. These
connections form various neural networks of neural pathways and circuits. The whole circuitry
of the brain is driven by the process of neurotransmission.

The brain is protected by the skull, suspended in cerebrospinal fluid, and isolated from the
bloodstream by the bloodbrain barrier. However, the brain is still susceptible to damage,
disease, and infection. Damage can be caused by trauma, or a loss of blood supply known as a
stroke. The brain is also susceptible to degenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, forms
of dementia including Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis. A number of psychiatric
conditions, including schizophrenia and clinical depression, are thought to be associated with
brain dysfunctions, although the nature of these is not well understood. The brain can also be the
site of tumors, both benign and malignant. Malignant tumors mostly originate from sites outside
the brain.

The study of the anatomy of the brain is neuroanatomy, while the study of its function is
neuroscience. A number of different techniques are used to study the brain. Brain specimens
from other animals, which may be examined microscopically, have been a traditional source of
much information. Medical imaging technologies such as functional neuroimaging and
electroencephalography (EEG) recordings are important techniques in studying the brain.
Examining the medical history of people with brain injury has also provided great insight into
the function of each part of the brain.