Brain Structures and Functions

Frontal lobe

Higher level cognitive functions (decision making, problem solving, planning, expressing personality)

Parietal lobe

Processes sensory information from the body (touch, temperature, spatial awareness)

Occipital lobe

Processes visual information received from cues

Temporal lobe

Processes auditory information, language comprehension, and memory formation

Cerebral cortex

Outer layer of brain responsible for higher level cognitive functions (thinking, perceiving, decision making) and highly folded to increase surface area

Prefrontal cortex

Higher level cognitive functions and executive thinking

Executive functions

Planning, organizing, strategizing, focusing attention, regulating and managing time

Motor cortex

Plans, executes, and controls voluntary movements of the body (signals to muscles to perform actions)

Somatosensory cortex

Processes sensations from skin, muscle, and joints (interprets touch, pressure, temperature, and pain signals)

Corpus callosum

Thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain (communication and information sharing between the 2 hemispheres)

Brainstem

Oldest and most primitive part, life-sustauning functions (breath, heart rate, sleep-wake cycles)

Medulla

Vital structure at the base of the brainstem, regulating essential auto functions (heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure)

Reticular activating system

Network of neurons in the brainstem that play a critical role in regulating arousal, attention, and consciousness

Cerebellum

Back of brain below cerebral hemispheres responsible for movement, balance, and posture

Limbic system

Beneath the central cortex, a set of brain structures involved in emotions, memory, and motivation

Reward center

Network of brain structures in the limbic system that processes pleasurable experiences and reinforces behaviors associated with them

Thalamus

Relay station that processes and relays sensory information such as sight, sound, touch, and taste to the cerebral cortex

Hypothalamus

Small but powerful structure below the thalamus responsible for regulating various essential functions (hunger, thirst, body temperature, sleep-wake cycle)

Pituitary gland

Small pea-sized gland at the base of the brain, central role in regulating hormone production and secretion through the body

Hippocampus

Curved structure within the temporal lobe, forming and consolidating new memories

Amygdala

Small almond-shape structure deep in the temporal lobe in processing emotions (fear and aggression)