The Whole-Brain Child

Your upstairs brain is completely diʃerent. It’s made up of the
cerebral cortex and its various parts—particularly the ones directly
behind your forehead, including what’s called the middle prefrontal
cortex. Unlike your more basic downstairs brain, the upstairs brain
is more evolved and can give you a fuller perspective on your
world. You might imagine it as a light-ɹlled second-story study or
library full of windows and skylights that allow you to see things
more clearly. This is where more intricate mental processes take
place, like thinking, imagining, and planning. Whereas the
downstairs brain is primitive, the upstairs brain is highly
sophisticated, controlling some of your most important higher-
order and analytical thinking. Because of its sophistication and