brain parts & functions

Cerebral Cortex

Outer layer of the brain that handles higher-level thinking and complex processing.

Frontal Lobe

Controls planning, decision-making, movement, and personality.

Parietal Lobe

Processes touch, temperature, and spatial awareness.

Occipital Lobe

Processes vision and visual information.

Temporal Lobe

Processes hearing, language, and memory.

Brainstem

Controls basic life functions like breathing and heartbeat.

Medulla

Controls heartbeat and breathing.

Reticular Formation

Controls alertness and arousal (wakefulness).

Thalamus

The brain’s sensory relay station — sends info to the right cortex area.

Spinal Cord

Sends messages between brain and body; controls simple reflexes.

Pons

Helps coordinate movement and control sleep.

Motor Cortex

Controls voluntary movements.

Sensory Cortex

Registers touch and body sensations.

Visual Cortex

Processes visual information from the eyes.

Auditory Cortex

Processes sound and hearing.

Limbic System

Emotion and memory center of the brain.

Amygdala

Linked to emotion, especially fear and anger.

Hypothalamus

Regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, and the endocrine system.

Hippocampus

Helps form and store new memories.

Pituitary Gland

Master gland that controls hormones.

Broca’s Area

Controls speech production.

Wernicke’s Area

Controls understanding of language.

Corpus Callosum

Connects left and right brain hemispheres.