BRAINSafely inside the skull, the brain allows us to sense, think, learn, remember, and move. It also automatically regulates vital functions such as breathing. The cerebrum, the main part of the brain, has two halves, or hemispheres. The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and is in charge of language, maths, and problem solving, while the right side controls the body’s left side and deals with creativity, music, and art. The cerebrum’s many tasks are carried out by its outer layer, or cortex. This has distinct areas that have different roles. Motor areas trigger movement, sensory areas deal with the senses, while association areas interpret information.
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PREFRONTAL CORTEX
The most complex part of the cerebrum, the prefrontal cortex makes us what we are. It determines our personality and intellect, and enables us to reason, plan, create, and learn complex ideas, and have a conscience.^2BROCA’S AREA
Named after Paul Broca, the 19th-century doctor who discovered it, Broca’s area is normally found in the left hemisphere. It plans what a person wants to say and sends instructions to muscles in the throat, tongue, and lips that produce speech.76
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