Module 12 — Brain Structures

Brainstem

Oldest, central core of the brain; responsible for automatic survival functions.

Medulla

Base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.

Thalamus

Brain’s sensory control center on top of the brainstem; directs sensory messages to the appropriate areas of the cortex and sends replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Reticular Formation

Nerve network running through the brainstem into the thalamus that helps control arousal.

Cerebellum

“Little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; helps with sensory processing, coordinated movement, balance, and nonverbal learning/memory.

Limbic System

Neural system below the cerebral hemispheres that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus; associated with emotion and drives.

Amygdala

Two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system that are linked to emotion.

Hypothalamus

Structure below the thalamus that regulates eating, drinking, and body temperature; helps control the endocrine system through the pituitary and is linked to emotion and reward.

Hippocampus

Limbic-system structure that helps process and store explicit (conscious) memories of facts and events.