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Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Brain: Major Regions01:20

Anatomy of the Brain: Major Regions

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The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It consists of four main parts: the cerebrum, diencephalon, cerebellum, and brainstem.
The cerebrum is the largest section of the brain and divides into left and right hemispheres, separated by a deep fissure. The cerebral outer layer of grey matter — the cerebral cortex — comprises elevations called gyri and shallow groves called sulci. The inner portion of white matter includes long nerve fibers known as axons, which connect...
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Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

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Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
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Organization of the Brain01:30

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The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
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Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview I01:26

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The main and largest component of the human brain is the cerebrum. The cerebrum consists of two main parts: the cerebral cortex, an outer layer with wrinkles or folds known as gyri and shallow grooves called sulci, and a deeper region beneath it. The cerebrum divides into two distinct hemispheres and contains five different lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and insula. The central sulcus separates the frontal and parietal lobes and two functionally important gyri — the...
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Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

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The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
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Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles01:18

Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles

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There are hollow fluid-filled cavities known as ventricles deep inside the human brain. There are two lateral ventricles, one in each cerebral hemisphere, and each has three different projections — the anterior, inferior, and posterior horns visible from the lateral side. A thin membrane called the septum pellucidum separates the two lateral ventricles. The slender third ventricle in the diencephalon is connected to each lateral ventricle via a channel called the interventricular foramen.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 27, 2025

Electroporation of Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Studies of Gene Function
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What Makes the Human Brain Human?

Robert F Hevner1

  • 1Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.

Neuron
|March 6, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A human-specific gene, ARHGAP11B, enhances brain cognitive abilities. This gene promotes cerebral cortex expansion by regulating mitochondrial metabolic pathways, contributing to unique human brain development.

Keywords:
adenine nucleotide translocasebasal progenitorsenergy metabolismmitochondrial permeability transition poreneocortexproliferationtricarboxylic acid cycle

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 27, 2025

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Generation of Standardized and Reproducible Forebrain-type Cerebral Organoids from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • The human brain's advanced cognitive functions distinguish us from other species.
  • Understanding the genetic underpinnings of human brain evolution is crucial for deciphering cognitive capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of human-specific genes in augmenting cerebral cortex expansion.
  • To identify the molecular mechanisms by which specific genes influence brain development and cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the ARHGAP11B gene, a human-specific gene.
  • Investigating the gene's function in regulating metabolic pathways within mitochondria.
  • Assessing the impact of ARHGAP11B on cerebral cortex expansion.

Main Results:

  • The gene ARHGAP11B was identified as a key factor in human brain evolution.
  • ARHGAP11B was found to significantly augment cerebral cortex expansion.
  • The gene's mechanism involves the regulation of mitochondrial metabolic pathways.

Conclusions:

  • ARHGAP11B plays a critical role in the expansion of the human cerebral cortex.
  • Regulation of mitochondrial metabolism by ARHGAP11B is essential for enhanced cognitive abilities.
  • This finding provides insight into the genetic basis of human brain evolution and cognitive specialization.