The brain controls complex behaviour. It is made of billions of interconnected neurones and has different regions that carry out different functions. You need to know three regions. The cerebral cortex is the wrinkled outer layer. It is involved in consciousness, intelligence, memory and language. The cerebellum is at the back of the brain, and it controls muscle coordination and balance. The medulla controls unconscious activities such as the heart rate and breathing rate.
Neuroscientists have mapped the regions of the brain to particular functions in three main ways. They have studied patients with brain damage and seen which abilities are lost. They have electrically stimulated different parts of the brain and seen what happens. They have also used MRI scanning techniques to see which regions are active.
At Higher tier you should be able to explain why investigating the brain and treating brain damage and disease is so difficult. The brain is very complex and delicate, so it is hard to reach and easy to damage.
