Brain Structure and Function

Cerebral Hemisphere

83% of brain mass, cognition

Gyri

Surface area (hills)

Sulci

Surface area (valleys)

Central sulcus

separates frontal lobe from parietal lobe

Frontal lobe

motor function, decision making, problem solving, and planning

Parietal lobe

cognition, information processing, pain and touch sensation, speech and visual perception

Temporal lobe

organize sensory input, auditory perception, language, memory association and formation

occipital lobe

primary visual cortex, visual processing

olfactory bulbs/tracts

smell receptor

optic nerves/chiasma/tracts

sight receptors

pituitary gland

hormone production

mammilary bodies

relay smell signals

pineal gland

produces melatonin, sleep-wake cycle

midbrain

control of visual, auditory systems, coordinates head and eye movements

pons

information relay between cerebellum and cerebrum

medulla

cardiovascular and respiratory centers

cerebellum

balance and coordination of body movements

spinal cord

neural pathways to/from brain

gray matter

cell bodies and unmyelinated nerve fibers

white matter

myelinated nerve fibers, communication between cerebral areas

thalamus

sensory perception, regulation of motor functions

Hypothalamus

visceral control center, hormone productionc

corpus callosum

communication between brain hemispheres

fornix

carries signals from hippocampus to hypothalamus

lateral ventricles

contain/circulate CSF

third ventricle

contain/ circulate CSF

cerebral aqueduct

connects the third and fourth ventricles

fourth ventricle

contain/circulate CSF

choroid plexuses

produce CSF