Functions of Brain Structures

cerebrum

cerebrum

initiates and coordinates movement and regulates temperature

cerebral cortex

sends messages to other brain areas (memory, thinking, learning, reasoning, problem solving, emotions, consciousness, and sensory functions

thalamus

relays sensory and motor information to the cortex and helps with consciousness, sleep, and alertness

cerebellum

motor control, coordination, and spatial navigation

brain stem

nerve pathway that runs all the way down your back sending and receiving information from our senses

pons

help control breathing

medulla oblongata

regulates the heart and other body reflexes like vomiting, coughing, sneezing, and swallowing

hypothalamus

what wakes you up in the morning and gets the adrenaline flowing, like during a test or athletic event

pituitary gland

helps control growth, body temperature, pregnancy, and childbirth

pineal

helps control sleep and circadian rhythms

epithalamus

secretion of melatonin by the pineal gland and regulation of motor pathways and emotions

optic chiasma

visual signals

optic nerve

nerve signals that are carried to the brain which get interpreted as visual images

optic tract

carry visual information from the optic chiasma to the left and right lateral geniculate bodies as a part of the visual pathway

corpus callosum

serve as a conduit allowing information to transmit from one side of the brain to the other 

midbrain

relay system, transmitting information necessary for vision and hearing

dura mater

limits rotational displacement of the brain

diencephalon

coordinates with the endocrine system to release hormones, relay sensory and motor signals to cerebral cortex,and regulating circadian rhythms 

grey matter

 enables individuals to control movement, memory, and emotions

white matter

relay nerve signals

spinal cord

send motor commands from the brain to the body, send sensory information from the body to the brain, and coordinate reflexes

fornix

cognition and episodic memory recall