Q: Which part of your brain tells you whether something you touch is hot or cold?

Answer:

The simple answer: the parietal lobe.

The interesting answer: At roughly three pounds, the human brain is a uniquely powerful organ that makes each of us who we are. It tells us if we’re happy or sad, full or hungry, awake or sleepy. The brain is what accepts our native language that we understand, but maybe not a foreign language. On the other hand, your brain has an awesome ability to learn, especially when you’re young, so you can study other languages-and science, math, spelling and social studies-easily.

Think of the brain as the ultimate boss in control over everything your body does and can do. Your brain is telling your heart to beat, lungs to breathe, eyes to blink and millions of other instructions to the rest of your body, all while you’re reading this. And those are just the things you don’t even have to think about.

What does this all have to do with anything? Well, it should give you an idea of how much brainpower you have, because knowing the difference between hot and cold is just a tiny part of the brain’s functions.

The skin that covers our body contains nerve endings, some four million of them. All of these endings relay information about temperature (in addition to touch, pressure and pain) through the spinal cord and into the cerebrum, the largest part of the brain. The information is directed to a specific part of the cerebrum, the parietal lobe, which is in charge of decoding the data. Your brain then reacts accordingly and sends out orders to your body to guard against potential harm. That could mean snatching your hand off a hot stove or shivering when it’s cold outside.

It’s a long answer to a short question, but knowing your brain will help you think.

Kiara Eily, MD

Activity:

Find It!

Find an article in today’s Herald-Sun that is about a person that you think is powerful. Now make a list of the subjects that he/she would have to fill his or hers brain up with in order to perform their job. Make another list of those things that you have to “think” about performing from the time you wake up in the morning until the time you arrive at school. You will be amazed!