Brain Regions/Functions – Hindbrain, Midbrain, and Subcortical Forebrain Structures

Q: What are the three major regions of the brain?

A: The hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain. The hindbrain and midbrain form the brainstem, which controls vital functions like breathing and heart rate (Johns, 2014).

Q: What is the function of the medulla?

A: The medulla controls involuntary movements (swallowing, coughing, sneezing) and vital functions like respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure. Damage can be fatal (Kalat, 2013).

Q: What does the pons do?

A: The pons connects the cerebellum’s two halves, coordinates bilateral movement, and plays a role in respiration and REM sleep (Johns, 2014).

Q: What is the cerebellum responsible for?

A: The cerebellum coordinates voluntary movement, maintains balance and posture, and processes procedural memories. Damage can cause ataxia (Kalat, 2013).

Q: What is the role of the reticular formation?

A: The reticular formation regulates muscle tone, eye movements, pain, and contains the reticular activating system (RAS), which controls arousal and consciousness. Lesions can cause coma (Johns, 2014).

Q: What is the substantia nigra’s primary function?

A: The substantia nigra plays a role in motor control and reward. Degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons here causes Parkinson’s disease (Kalat, 2013).

Q: What does the hypothalamus regulate?

A: The hypothalamus maintains homeostasis, regulates hunger, thirst, sleep, stress, and controls the pituitary gland (Heinrichs & Domes, 2008).

Q: What hormones are associated with the hypothalamus and pituitary?

A: Oxytocin and vasopressin regulate childbirth, lactation, water balance, and social behaviors. Oxytocin may improve emotion recognition in autism (Grahn et al., 2021; Guastella et al., 2010).

Q: What does the thalamus do?

A: The thalamus is a relay station for sensory information (except smell) and is involved in memory. Damage can lead to Korsakoff syndrome (Johns, 2014).

Q: What is the basal ganglia’s role?

A: The basal ganglia control voluntary movement, habit learning, cognition, and emotions. Dysfunction is linked to Parkinson’s, OCD, ADHD, and Tourette’s (Kalat, 2013).

Q: What are the primary structures of the limbic system?

A: The amygdala, cingulate cortex, and hippocampus—responsible for emotion, motivation, and memory (Kalat, 2013).

Q: What functions does the amygdala serve?

A: The amygdala processes emotions (fear, anger), emotional memory, risk-taking, and pain modulation. Linked to PTSD, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders (Neugebauer et al., 2020).

Q: What is the role of the cingulate cortex?

A: The cingulate cortex mediates motivation, emotion, and emotional responses to pain. Abnormalities are linked to major depressive disorder (Pandya et al., 2012).

Q: What is the hippocampus responsible for?

A: The hippocampus consolidates declarative memory and supports spatial memory. Damage is linked to Alzheimer’s, depression, and PTSD (Wolf, 2010).