The human brain is sometimes hailed as the most complex object in the universe. It comprises a trillion cells, 100 billion of them neurons linked in networks that give rise to intelligence, creativity, emotion, consciousness and memory.

At a very gross level, the brain is bilaterally symmetric, its left and right hemispheres connected by the corpus callosum and other axonal bridges. Its base consists of structures such as the medulla, which regulates the autonomic functions (including respiration, circulation and digestion), and the cerebellum, which coordinates movement. Within lies the limbic system, a collection of structures involved in emotional behavior, long-term memory and other functions.

When you see a picture of the brain, or a brain in a jar, the bulk of what you see is mostly the wrinkled cortex wrapped around the cerebrum. It has four dominant areas:

1. Frontal lobe: problem-solving, will power, planning

2. Parietal: reception of sensory information

3. Occipital: primarily deals with vision

4. Temporal: deals with hearing, language and some memory

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