A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. The brain is part of the central nervous system CNS. The CNS also includes the spinal cord. The main parts of the brain are:. This is the front of the brain. The cerebrum has two halves, the right and left hemispheres. It controls thoughts, emotions, speech, and movement. It also helps with understanding information from the senses. This includes seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and feeling pain.
This is the back of the brain. It organizes muscle movement and helps to maintain posture, balance, and equilibrium. This is the base of the brain.
It includes the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla. It's the part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord. It plays a part in controlling muscles and sensations from the body. Part of the brainstem helps control breathing and the heartbeat.
Many of the cranial nerves start in the brainstem. The cranial nerves carry messages between different parts of the upper body to the brain. These parts include the muscles in the face, mouth, and around the eyes. This kind of tumor is not cancer. These tumors can cause symptoms depending on how big they are and where they are in the brain.
This kind of tumor is cancer. These brain tumors tend to grow fast, and grow into nearby tissue. They may grow back after treatment. Brain tumors can happen at any age. Brain tumors in infants and children are very different from adult brain tumors.
