The Surprising Roles of the Cerebrum & Cerebellum
Understanding your brain – is understanding that – you’ve got a supercomputer between your ears – and it’s doing way more than you think (no pun intended).
Understanding Your Brain: Quick Takeaways
- Your brain is divided into four key regions: cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem, and diencephalon.
- The cerebrum is your HQ for thinking, learning, and memory – it takes up a massive 85% of your brain’s weight.
- The cerebral cortex helps control voluntary movement, fine-tuned motor skills, and more.
- The cerebellum is a behind-the-scenes ninja, coordinating balance and muscle harmony – even influencing your thoughts.
- Despite being 1/8th the size of the cerebrum, the cerebellum houses more neurons than any other part of your brain.
- Neuroscience is beginning to explore how the cerebellum may contribute to conscious thought, not just movement.
- Learning is literal brain fuel – mental workouts can optimize brain performance at any age.
“Learning is the brain’s form of exercise. Just as the body needs movement, the brain needs challenge to thrive.”
– Dr. Nora Griffith, Cognitive Neuroscientist & Mind Health Researcher
Breaking Down the Brain: A Look at Higher Function
The human brain is a marvel of design and function – every region plays a role in shaping how you move, think, feel, and live. Let’s demystify the big players.
Cerebrum: The Command Center
This is the largest part of your brain, and the one doing most of the heavy lifting. If you’ve ever solved a problem, remembered a song lyric, or had an “aha!” moment – thank your cerebrum.
- Functions: Thinking, reasoning, memory, emotion, learning
- Fun Fact: It weighs about 3 pounds and contains approximately 86 billion neurons.
- Why it matters: Your cerebrum helps you adapt, solve problems, and evolve mentally – crucial for modern life and long-term brain health.
Cerebral Cortex: The Outer Genius Layer
Wrapped around the cerebrum like a smart, gray blanket, the cerebral cortex helps with voluntary movement, motor control, planning, and executing.
- It’s where raw info from your senses gets interpreted and acted upon.
- It’s key to developing fine motor skills, learning new physical tasks, and – yep – dancing like nobody’s watching.
Cerebellum: The Silent Operator
Tiny but mighty, your cerebellum (Latin for “little brain”) may only weigh 150 grams, but it contains over 50 billion neurons – more than half the total neurons in your brain.
Traditionally seen as just a movement manager, new research is expanding its resume:
- Balance & Coordination: Keeps your muscles working in harmony – without it, you’d struggle to walk or write.
- New Discoveries: Studies suggest the cerebellum also affects thought processes, particularly around planning, attention, and emotion.
Why This Matters to Your Health
Understanding your brain isn’t just interesting – it’s empowering. But here’s the problem:
- Most of us only think about aging as getting older in years (chronological aging), so we accept poor brain function as “normal.”
- We don’t realize that biological aging – how healthy our body and brain truly are – can be improved and maintained.
- We accept brain fog, forgetfulness, and mental fatigue as an inevitable part of aging.
- And we massively underestimate the cerebellum’s role in thinking, memory, and focus – not just movement.
The result? Missed opportunities to protect and enhance your cognitive health.
Why Learning is Brain Fuel
Like any high-performing system, your brain craves the right inputs. Learning – whether it’s a language, a skill, or a strategy – stimulates neural plasticity, helping the cerebrum strengthen its connections and adapt to challenges.
Daily learning is one of the best long-term strategies to:
- Delay cognitive decline
- Enhance memory retention
- Boost emotional regulation
- Support neurogenesis (aka, brain cell growth)
So yes – reading this blog counts as a brain workout.
How to Start Supporting Your Brain Today
Here’s how to turn insight into action:
- Challenge Yourself: Take on new skills – learn guitar, code a website, or explore creative writing.
- Get Moving: Physical exercise activates many beneficial pathways in the cerebrum and cerebellum, enhancing mental clarity.
- Supplement Smartly: Explore cognitive-enhancing adaptogens like Lion’s Mane and Rhodiola – especially in science-backed formulas like auria™’s Focus* Blend.
- Stay Curious: Keep asking questions and learning about yourself – because self-awareness is brain fuel, too.
FAQs: Understanding Your Brain Function Basics
Q: What are the four main regions of the brain?
A: Cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem, and diencephalon – each with distinct and vital functions.
Q: What does the cerebrum do?
A: It controls high-level brain functions like thinking, learning, decision-making, and memory.
Q: How does the cerebellum assist with movement?
A: It ensures your movements are coordinated and balanced – without it, basic tasks become difficult.
Q: Why is continuous learning important for brain health?
A: Learning strengthens connections in the cerebrum and supports neuroplasticity, critical for mental agility and long-term health.
Final Thoughts
Most people think of the brain as a static tool. In reality, it’s a dynamic, living network that evolves with how you use it. If you’re not actively feeding your mind, you’re not getting the most out of your brain’s potential.
Ready to sharpen your cerebrum and honor your cerebellum?
Start by making learning and mental self-care a daily ritual – and support it with science-backed supplements that actually work.
👉 Explore auria™’s Focus Blend to elevate your cognitive clarity – without the crash.
Ready to Share How You Upgrade Your “Software”?
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