Brain Anatomy

11/4/2024

The Cerebrum

• largest part of the human brain

• location of all conscious processes

• surface features: gyri & sulci

• cerebral cortex is the outer surface

• subcortical structures are found below the cortex

• aka the forebrain

The Frontal Lobe

• responsible for thinking and creativity

• houses the motor area (voluntary movement and activity)

• higher level cognitive functions- prefrontal cortex

  • critical thinking, puzzling, decision making

• Broca’s area- language production

• Olfactory cortex

  • sense of smell

Parietal Lobe

• memory of objects and their uses, directions

• contains the sensory area (aka somatosensory cortex)

• processes information from the body’s senses and receptors

• Gustatory cortex

  • sense of taste

The Motor and Sensory Cortex

• primary motor cortex- dedicated to voluntary movement

  • maps out specific body parts along a central sulcus

• sensory cortex- processes information regarding touch, temperature, and pain

  • organized topographically to mirror the body

The Temporal Lobes

• control hearing, speech, memory, emotion, and some langauge

• location of auditory cortex

• Wernicke’s area = speech comprehension

The Occipital Lobe

• receives visual nerve impulses and turns them into images

• Primary visual cortex

• interprets visual information through connection to the eyes

The Insular Lobe

• located beneath the other four lobes, interior of the brain

• related to behavior and feelings

  • specifically desires, cravings, and addiction

• visceral association area

The Cerebellum

• second largest portion of the brain

• controls movement, posture, and balance

• completes the initiation of action from the cerebrum

• has a role in learning and memory

• Arbor vitae

The Diencephalon

• Thalamus

  • relay station for sensory impulses to the cerebral cortex

• Hypothalamus

  • regulates homeostasis

• Pituitary gland

  • posterior area produces hormones

• Also contains optic tracts and pineal gland

The Limbic System

• Responsible for processing emotion and memory

• Hippocampus

  • essential for learning and memory

• Amygdala

  • The experience of emotion and tying emotion to our memories

• Hypothalamus

  • homeostasis and bridge between nervous and endocrine systems

The Brain Stem

• connection between the brain and spinal cord

• divided into three parts

  • midbrain

  • pons

  • Medulla oblongata

The Brain Stem made up of

• Midbrain

• Pons

• Medulla oblongata

Midbrain

• controls vision

• hearing

• eye movement

• body movement

Pons

• motor control and sensory analysis-linked to cerebellum

Medulla oblongata

• controls vital body functions = breathing, heart rate, blood pressure regulation, swallowing, etc

The Corpus Callosum

• thick band of neural fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain

• allows for communication and passage of information

• each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body

Thalamus

acts as the brain's relay station, processing and transmitting sensory information to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex.

Amygdala

a small, almond-shaped cluster of nuclei located deep within the temporal lobe, involved in emotional processing, memory, and the regulation of fear responses.

Hippocampus

a critical structure for memory formation and spatial navigation, located in the medial temporal lobe.

Cerebral Cortex

the outer layer of the brain, responsible for higher-level functions such as thought, reasoning, and voluntary movement.