parts and functions of the brain

cerebrum

thinking, decision-making, memory, emotions, voluntary movement

frontal lobe

decision-making, planning, personality problem solving

parietal lobe

processes touch, pain, temperature, helps with spatial awareness and body position

temporal lobe

hearing and language understanding, memory, emotion

occipital lobe

vision and visual processing

thalamus

the “sensory gateway,” sends sensory information to the correct part of the brain (expect smell)

hypothalamus

maintains balance in the body, regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, hormones

amygdala

processes emotions, especially fear and aggression

hippocampus

forms memory, helps with learning and navigation

cerebellum

balance, coordination, posture, and smooth movements

brain stem

midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata

reticular formation

controls alertness, attention, helps you stay awake and focused

corpus callosum

connects the left and right hemispheres

basal ganglia

planning and production of movement