Sign In



Remember Me

MedlinePlus®

A service of the National Library of Medicine.

Resource Library


Powered by Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Healthcare Consumers
 

This information is provided by an independent source. Merck & Co., Inc. is not responsible for this content. Please discuss any and all treatment options with your healthcare professional. The manufacturer of a product generally has the most complete information about that product.
 
Return to Main Index >> How to Use  
 


Dorland Logo
A |  B |  C |  D |  E |  F |  G |  H |  I |  J |  K |  L |  M |  N |  O |  P |  Q |  R |  S |  T |  U |  V |  W |  X |  Y |  Z

 
brain (brān)   that part of the central nervous system contained within the skull; it is divided into the forebrain or prosencephalon, the midbrain or mesencephalon, and the hindbrain or rhombencephalon. The brain is a mass of soft, spongy, pinkish gray tissue that weighs about 1.2 kg in a human being; it is made up of billions of nerve cells, intricately connected with each other, and contains many nerve centers or areas. Some centers control involuntary functions; others interpret sensations received from the sense organs; and others are related to consciousness and memory. The largest portion of the brain is the cerebrum, part of the forebrain, which is covered by a tough cortex (see cerebral cortex). The brainstem is the lower or caudal, stemlike part of the brain that connects the cerebral hemispheres with the spinal cord and consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. Adjacent to it is the diencephalon, which contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, and related structures.

Click here to view image

wet brain  brain edema.





Elsevier Logo
Copyright 2007. An Elsevier publication. All rights reserved.
Click here for important legal information about Dorland's Medical Dictionary.

 
 
    Print This Page   Add To My Folder