Brain structure and function

Frontal Lobe

Responsible for problem-solving, reasoning, and motor skills.

Parietal Lobe

Contains the area where bodily sensations occur, such as touch and pain. Mainly made up of 'association areas' for perception and sensation (includes sensory cortex).

Temporal Lobe

Contains areas important to hearing and understanding speech.

Occipital Lobe

Contains areas important to vision.

Medulla

Controls vital reflexes. Regulation of breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.

Cerebellum

Control of finely coordinated movements. Coordination center, voluntary movement and balance.

Brain Stem

made up of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. It controls many vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

Thalamus

Relays information from the senses and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex.

Limbic System

Hippocampus, Amygdala, Pituitary Gland, Hypothalamus; involved in emotion.

Hippocampus

Helps to form memories ('hippo never forgets').

Amygdala

Fight or flight, emotional center, anger or fear.

Hypothalamus

Controls body temperature (the body's thermostat), circadian rhythms, and thirst and hunger.

Pituitary gland

The 'master' endocrine gland, responsible for growth.

Corpus Callosum

Thick band that connects left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Frontal Lobe

Responsible for planning, personality, judgement, voluntary movement (motor cortex).

hindbrain

consists of the medulla, pons, and cerebellum; directs essential survival functions, such as breathing, sleeping, and wakefulness, as well as coordination and balance.

midbrain

found atop the brainstem; connects the hindbrain with the forebrain, controls some motor movement, and transmits auditory and visual information.

forebrain

consists of the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus; manages complex cognitive activities, sensory and associative functions, and voluntary motor activities.

brainstem

the central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.

reticular formation

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; it filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal.

motor cortex

a cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

somatosensory cortex

a cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions, but rather are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.