Parts of the Brain and Scanning Techniques

frontal lobes

logical thinking and problem solving

temporal lobes

auditory processing

parietal lobes

tactile (touch) processing

occipital lobes

visual processing

amygdala

emotional processing

hippocampus

formation of explicit memories

hypothalamus

homeostasis and endocrine regulation

thalamus

routing sensory information through the brain

pons

sleep

reticular formation

arousal and alertness

medulla

breathing and other autonomic functions

cerebellum

coordination and balance; formation of implicit memories

corpus callosum

connects the two brain hemispheres

Broca's area

speech and language production

Wernicke's area

language comprehension

limbic system

contains several structures related to memory and emotion

cerebral cortex

higher order thinking; contains the four lobes

electroencephalogram (EEG)

measures electrical activity in the brain (brain waves)

positron emission tomography (PET scan)

measures brain activity by monitoring consumption of radioactive glucose

computerized tomography (CT or CAT scan)

shows brain structure using X-ray imaging

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

shows brain structure using magnetic fields

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

shows brain activity using magnetic fields

lesion / ablation

a technique for studying the brain by damaging parts of it