The human brain has been called the most complicated organization of matter in the known universe. Knowing the most important structures of the brain and their spatial relationships is important for understanding how the brain works. In addition, knowing how different structures are interconnected often provides valuable hints about how the activity of different brain areas is integrated to form a network that supports complex cognitive and emotional functions. This chapter presents some basic information about the major structures of the nervous system and their interconnections, an area of study called neuroanatomy. It also includes a general discussion of the relationship between structure and function, an area of investigation known as functional neuroanatomy. | 
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education