Brain Cancer

The Brain

This page tells you about the brain and related structures. There are sections about

How To Brain Works

The brain is the control centre of the body and mind. Everything we do, think or feel involves the brain. It controls the body by sending electrical messages along nerve fibres. The nerve fibres run out of the base of the brain and into the spinal cord. This cord of nerve fibres runs down the middle of the spinal bones. From the spinal cord the nerve fibres spread out to all areas of the body. The spinal cord also communicates messages and sensations from nerves in the body to the brain.

Together, the brain and spinal cord form the central nurvous system. A clear fluid circulates around the brain and spinal cord and protects them. It is called cerebrospinal fluid or CSF for short.

 

The brain is made of nerve cells called neurones. There are billions of these neurones. Also in the brain are other types of cells that support the neurones. These are called glial cells. There are many different types of cells in the brain and these can develop into different types of brain tumours.

 

Different areas of the brain control different parts of the body as well as our thoughts, memories and feelings.

Brain tumours can develop anywhere in the brain. They can develop from

• The cells that make up the brain tissue
• The nerves entering or leaving the brain
• The coverings of the brain (the meninges)

Tumours cause different symptoms depending on the part of the brain they are growing in. So, to understand why brain tumours cause particular symptoms, it helps to know a little about the different areas of the brain.

The Parts of The Brain 

The main areas of the brain include

• The cerebrum (forebrain)
• The brain stem
• The cerebellum (hindbrain)

You can see these in the diagram below.

 

 

 

The brain is surrounded by 3 protective membranes called the meninges. The pituitary gland and pineal glands are within the brain tissue but they are part of the hormone system.

 

The cerebrum

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is also called the forebrain and is divided into 2 halves – the right and left cerebral hemispheres. They control movement, thinking, memory, emotions,

senses and speech.

 

As the nerve fibres leave the brain, they cross over from one side to the other. This means that the nerves that come from the right side of your brain control the left side of your body. So if you have a brain tumour causing weakness on the left side of your body, the tumour will be in the right side of your brain

Each cerebral hemisphere is divided into 4 areas which are explained below

The frontal lobe contains areas that work with speaking, planning, problem solving, starting particular movements, and some aspects of personality and character. Towards the back of the frontal lobe are areas that coordinate movement and also process sensations. 

 

The temporal lobe is where we process sounds and also where memories are stored. A tumour here can cause strange feelings of having been somewhere or done something before (also called déjà vu). It may also cause odd tastes or smells.

 

The parietal lobe is where touch, temperature, pressure and pain sensations are received and processed. It is where we recognise objects in the world around us and store that knowledge. One area also processes the information when people speak to us. A tumour here can affect speech, reading, writing or the understanding of words.

 

The occipital lobe is the visual centre of the brain and processes what we see, including colour, shape and distance. A brain tumour in this area can cause sight problems.