Functions and Locations of Brain Structures

Brain Stem

Controls basic life functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. Located at the base of the brain, connecting to the spinal cord.

Midbrain

Coordinates sensory and motor pathways; involved in visual and auditory reflexes and some automatic movements. Located above the pons, part of the brainstem.

Medulla Oblongata

Controls autonomic functions such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure. Located in the lower part of the brainstem.

Pons

Regulates sleep and breathing, and connects the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex for coordination. Located above the medulla.

Cerebellum

Coordinates muscle movement, balance, and procedural learning (like riding a bike). Located beneath the occipital lobes.

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

Controls arousal, attention, wakefulness, and plays a role in voluntary movement and some learning. Runs through the brainstem.

Limbic System

Responsible for emotion, motivation, and memory. Located deep under the cerebral cortex.

Amygdala

Processes emotions like fear and aggression; helps form emotional memories. Found deep in the temporal lobes.

Hippocampus

Essential for forming new memories and spatial navigation. Located near the amygdala in the limbic system.

Thalamus

Acts as a relay station for sensory info (except smell) to the cortex. Located above the brainstem.

Hypothalamus

Maintains homeostasis (hunger, thirst, body temp, circadian rhythms) and controls the pituitary gland. Found below the thalamus.

Pituitary Gland

Known as the 'master gland'; regulates growth, stress, and metabolism by releasing hormones. Located below the hypothalamus.

Corpus Callosum

Connects the left and right hemispheres, allowing communication between them. Located between the hemispheres.

Cerebral Cortex

Higher-order thinking, decision-making, and complex sensory processing. It's the outer layer of the brain.

Frontal Lobe

Decision-making, language (Broca's area), planning, and voluntary movement. Located behind the forehead.

Parietal Lobe

Touch, pain, and temperature through the somatosensory cortex. Located at the top/rear of the brain.

Occipital Lobe

Responsible for visual processing. Located at the back of the brain.

Temporal Lobe

Auditory processing and language comprehension (Wernicke's area). Located on the sides of the brain.

Somatosensory Cortex

Processes body sensations like touch and temperature. Found in the front of the parietal lobes.

Broca's Area

Responsible for speech production. Damage causes Broca's aphasia. Located in the left frontal lobe.

Wernicke's Area

Language comprehension. Damage causes Wernicke's aphasia. Found in the left temporal lobe.