Hi there- It’s good to see you again! I bet you know that brains are important if you’re reading this post or have engaged in any type of mental health services. So fun fact: March 16 through March 23, 2026 is Brain Awareness Week, which is a global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science according to the American Brain Coalition (ABC). 

Brains are amazing! This organ is a command center for a lot of things that we do- from breathing and walking to creating memories and solving complex problems. I will be the first to admit that brains are complex and there is a lot that we are still learning. However, what we do know can be helpful as we manage our well-being and address illness. This month’s blog post is structured to give some grounding information about what’s going on in your skull. Because if you have a brain, that means you have brain health and mental health.  

The Brain: A Masterpiece of Anatomy

Adult human brains on average weigh about 3 pounds. The brain has multiple regions that are specialized for distinct tasks while working as a unified whole. It is helpful to understand foundational structures and some of these regions. Here are two of my favorite videos if you need a different video/audio format to engage with brain anatomy information: this one is for adults and this one is for kiddos. 

The Cortex: The Seat of Higher Thought

The cerebral cortex is the wrinkled outer layer of the brain, responsible for the functions that make us distinctly human. It’s often divided into four main lobes:

• Frontal Lobe: Decision-making, problem-solving, planning, personality, voluntary motor control, language production (Broca’s area)
• Parietal Lobe: Processing sensory information (touch, temperature, pain), spatial awareness, navigation
• Temporal Lobe: Processing auditory information, memory (near the hippocampus), language comprehension (Wernicke’s area)
• Occipital Lobe: Processing visual information

Deeper Structures: Life’s Essential Machinery

Beneath the cortex lie structures that manage basic survival and emotional responses:

• Cerebellum: Located at the back of the brain, it coordinates voluntary movements, balance, posture, and motor learning. Think of it as the brain’s tiny, highly efficient co-pilot for movement.
• Hippocampus: A small, seahorse-shaped structure deep within the temporal lobe, it is crucial for forming new memories and spatial navigation. It’s highly sensitive to stress and aging.
• Amygdala: Often called the brain’s “alarm bell,” this almond-shaped structure is involved in processing emotions, particularly fear and pleasure, and plays a role in memory consolidation.
• Brain Stem: Connecting the cerebrum to the spinal cord, it controls essential survival functions, including breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep cycles.

Strategies for a Sharper Mind: Maintaining Brain Health

The good news is that brain health isn’t solely determined by genetics; it’s significantly influenced by lifestyle choices. Just as we exercise our muscles, we must exercise our minds and provide the necessary nourishment for optimal function. Here are some basic suggestions to get you started with caring for and maintaining your brain: 

1. Physical Activity: The Brain’s Best Friend

Exercise increases blood flow, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain. It also promotes the release of growth factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports the survival of existing neurons and encourages the growth of new ones.

2. Mental Stimulation: Use It or Lose It

Challenging your brain regularly helps build and maintain cognitive reserve—a resilience that allows the brain to cope better with age-related changes. When you learn new things or engage in complex tasks, you strengthen neural pathways and create new connections.

3. Nutrition: Fueling the Command Center

What you eat directly impacts your brain’s structure and function. A diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and vitamins can protect the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation.

• Essential Nutrients:
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), walnuts, and flaxseeds. They are essential building blocks for brain cell membranes.
  • Antioxidants: Found in berries, dark leafy greens (spinach, kale), and dark chocolate. They fight free radicals that can damage brain cells.
  • B Vitamins: Folic acid, B6, and B12 are crucial for reducing homocysteine levels, which have been linked to cognitive decline.

4. Sleep and Stress Management

Chronic lack of sleep impairs concentration, memory, and mood. During sleep, the brain clears out metabolic waste products (including the proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease) in a process called the glymphatic system cleanup. Similarly, chronic stress can flood the brain with the stress hormone cortisol, damaging the hippocampus and impairing memory.

5. Social Engagement

Strong social ties are linked to better cognitive function and a lower risk of cognitive decline. Social interaction is a complex cognitive activity that engages multiple areas of the brain, requiring communication, empathy, and memory.

So there you have it! Something that’s been on my brain. I hope this finds you well. Know that I see you and I’m rooting for you. Take care of yourselves and each other. 

Resources

• Neuroscientifically Challenged  

• Speaking of Psychology: Keeping Your Brain Healthy as You Age, with Vonetta Dotson, PhD
• Speaking of Psychology: How Exercise Benefits the Brain, with Jenny Etnier, PhD
• Speaking of Psychology: You Can Learn New Things At Any Age, with Rachel Wu, PhD
• Speaking of Psychology: How to Keep Stress From Harming Your Health, with George Slavich, PhD 
• Speaking of Psychology: Why Is It So Hard for Adults to Make Friends? With Marisa Franco, PhD