Brain Structures and Functions

Brain Stem

medulla, pons, RAS

Medulla

breathing, heart rate

Pons

sleep/wake/dreaming

RAS

arousal, attention

Cerebellum

balance, coordination, motor skills

Thalamus

sensory relay station, directing visual or auditory sensations to other parts of the brain

Hypothalamus

homeostasis, hunger, thirst, sex, temperature

Pituitary Gland

endocrine master under hypothalamic control

Amygdala

evaluates emotional significance, threat detection, emotional memory, anxiety, depression

Hippocampus

formation and retrieval of new episodic memories

Cerebrum

two hemispheres connected by corpus callosum

Cerebral Cortex

gray matter covering cerebrum (occipital lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, frontal lobe)

Occipital Lobes

visual processing

Parietal Lobes

spatial attention and awareness

Temporal Lobes

auditory processing, visual recognition, memory, Wernicke’s area

Wernicke’s Area

language comprehension

Frontal Lobes

primary motor cortex, planning, impulse control, decision making, Broca’s area

Broca’s Area

speech production

Prefrontal Cortex

advanced reasoning, planning, social judgement, impulse inhibition

Left Hemisphere

language, reading, analytical processing, speech production

Right Hemisphere

facial recognition, spatial abilities, emotional tone, holistic processing, some language comprehension

Split-Brain Studies

severing corpus callosum reveals independent processing in each hemisphere, left hemisphere often acts as interpreter