Brain (anatomy)

The brain is a vertebrate organ that processes sensory information and coordinates behavior, thought, and bodily functions. Its interconnected neural circuits integrate signals from the body and environment.

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Neuron: A specialized cell that receives, processes, and transmits information through electrical and chemical signals. Neurons form the signaling networks that carry information throughout the brain.
Action potential: A brief electrical impulse that travels along a neuron’s membrane. Action potentials carry signals along the brain’s neural pathways.
Neurological examination: A clinical assessment of nervous-system function using tests of movement, sensation, reflexes, coordination, and cognition. Findings can localize dysfunction to particular brain regions or pathways.
Spinal cord: A central nervous-system structure that carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body and coordinates reflexes. It is the brain’s principal connection to peripheral nerves and bodily signals.
Evolution of the brain: The evolutionary history of nervous-system structures and functions that gave rise to modern brains. Comparative anatomy places vertebrate brain organization in its evolutionary history.
Glial cell: A nervous-system cell that supports, protects, and regulates neurons. Glia maintain the environment neurons need to function and shape neural signaling.
Neurotransmitter: A chemical messenger released by neurons to affect other cells. Neurotransmitters transmit and regulate signals across most brain synapses.
Magnetic resonance imaging: An imaging method that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of internal structures. MRI reveals brain anatomy without exposing tissue to ionizing radiation.
Peripheral nervous system: The nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord that connect the central nervous system to the body. It contrasts with the brain as the body’s other major nervous-system territory.
Vertebrate: An animal belonging to the group characterized by a backbone or its developmental precursor. The brain anatomy described here belongs to vertebrate animals.