Brain Anatomy and Function

The Brainstem

The central trunk of the brain connecting to the spinal cord; consists of the medulla, pons, and midbrain, controlling mostly automatic functions.

The Medulla

Contains the cardiac, respiratory, vomiting and vasomotor centers and therefore deals with the autonomic functions of breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.

Thalamus

large mass of gray matter with several functions such as relaying of sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex, and the regulation of consciousness, sleep, and alertness

Hypothalamus

controls body temperature, hunger, important aspects of parenting and attachment behaviors, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms

Limbic System

the limbic system is a set of brain structures that includes the olfactory bulbs, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and amygdala

hippocampus

important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory, and in spatial memory that enables navigation

olfactory bulbs

perceive information deal with olfaction (smell)

amygdala

primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional reactions, the amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.

cerebral cortex

two hemispheres are joined beneath the cortex by the corpus callosum. The cerebral cortex plays a key role in memory, attention, perception, awareness, thought, language, and consciousness

reticular formation

the reticular formation is a set of interconnected nuclei that are located throughout the brainstem playing a crucial role in maintaining behavioral arousal and consciousness

pons

deals primarily with sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder control, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture

cerebellum

plays an important role in motor control, and it may also be involved in some cognitive functions such as attention and language as well as in regulating fear and pleasure responses, but its movement-related functions are the most solidly established

motor cortex

the motor cortex is the region of the cerebral cortex involved in the planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements

somatosensory cortex

middle of parietal lobe, deals with sensory information (soft, hot, cold, etc.)

corpus callosum

white matter at the center of the brain connecting the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex

frontal lobe

speaking, planning, logic, personality, abstract thinking, problem solving

parietal lobe

sensory: touch and body position

occipital lobe

vision

temporal lobe

audition (hearing)