Parts of the Brain. PsYcH

Hindbrain

responsible for essential life-supporting functions, as well as maintaining basic motor skills and coordination. Made up of Cerebellum, Pons, and Medulla oblongata

medulla

part of the brainstem at the bottom of the brain that connects to the spinal cord. It controls essential involuntary bodily functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure

Pons

helps coordinate and control various bodily functions, including breathing, sleep, and facial movements

Cerebellum

the "little brain" that helps us with movement and coordination

Midbrain

crucial role in coordinating eye movements, visual and auditory processing, and controlling certain motor functions

Forebrain

It is responsible for higher-level cognitive functions, such as: 

thinking, learning, memory, emotion, decision-making, planning, and consciousness

made up of Cerebrum and Diencephalon

Thalamus

acts as a relay station for sensory information (except for smell)

Hypothalamus

acts as the body's control center for homeostasis, regulating essential functions like body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sleep

Hippocampus

plays a crucial role in memory formation, consolidation, and retrieval. The hippocampus is also involved in spatial navigation, emotional regulation, and learning

Amygdala

primarily controls emotional responses, especially fear and anger

Cerebral cortex

responsible for higher-order cognitive functions such as: 

thinking, learning, memory, language, decision-making, and motor control

Left hemisphere

the left half of the cerebrum, generally responsible for language, logic, analytical thinking, and controlling the right side of the body

Right hemisphere

associated with creativity, intuition, spatial awareness, and processing visual information, including faces and music

Corpus callosum

large bundle of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing them to communicate and share information. coordinating various brain functions such as movement, sensory processing, vision, and cognitive tasks

Occipital lobe

exclusively responsible for processing visual information, such as color, shape, depth, and movement

Parietal lobe

responsible for processing sensory information from the body, such as touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception (body position). 

Temporal lobe

crucial for understanding speech, recognizing faces and objects, learning new information, and managing feelings. 

Frontal lobe

controls personality, behavior, decision-making, problem-solving, and voluntary movement. It acts as the brain's emotional control center

Prefrontal cortex

responsible for executive functions, personality, and behavior. It allows you to plan, make decisions, control your impulses and emotions, and manage your attention

Phineas Gage

the frontal lobe of a railroad foreman who, in 1848, survived an injury where an iron rod pierced his skull and damaged his frontal lobe

Somatic nervous system

send voluntary commands to muscles for movement and to receive sensory information from the body's senses (like touch, sight, and hearing)

Autonomic nervous system

the part of the nervous system that controls automatic, involuntary bodily functions like breathing, digestion, heart rate, and sweating

Sympathetic nervous system

the "fight or flight" division of the autonomic nervous system, controlled by the brain, that prepares the body for intense physical activity by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and alertness, and diverting blood to muscles and vital organs

Parasympathetic nervous system

the "rest and digest" part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls your body's functions when you are relaxed

Medulla

Pons

Cerebellum

Midbrain

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Hippocampus

Amygdala

Left hemisphere

Right hemisphere

Corpus callosum

Occipital lobe

Parietal lobe

Temporal lobe

Frontal lobe

Prefrontal cortex