Brain Anatomy

Cerebrum/Cerebral Cortex

Largest part of the brain; contains all lobes of the brain including front, temporal, parietal, occipital.

Cerebellum

portion on the brain in the back that is for balance and coordination.

Brain stem

Consists of the midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata

frontal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgment and personalility

parietal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing and integrating senses information. Also deals with spatial awareness and location memory.

occipital lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information

temporal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

Broca's area

Controls language expression and facial movement - an area of the frontal lobe, left hemisphere

Wernicke's area

controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; left temporal lobe

Thalamus

relay motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex.

Hypothalamus

a region of the limbic system below the thalamus that coordinates both the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controlling body temperature, thirst, hunger, and other homeostatic systems, and involved in sleep and emotional activity.

olfactory bulb

for smell, located below the frontal lobes

Hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process memories for storage

Amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

pitutary gland

A limbic system structure that is the master gland, produces hormones, regulates and controls the body

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

midbrain

A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory information and relays it upward.

Pons

middle part of the brainstem. tear production, chewing, blinking, focusing vision, balance, hearing and facial expression.

medulla oblongata

including heart rhythm, breathing, blood flow, and oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Produces reflexive activities such as sneezing, vomiting, coughing and swallowing.

gyri

elevated ridges of the cerebrum

Sulci

shallow grooves of the cerebrum

fissure

deep groove (sulci) in the brain

longitudinal fissure

fissure that separates left and right hemispheres

transverse fissure

fissure that separates cerebrum from cerebellum

lateral fissure

separates temporal lobe from frontal and parietal lobes

primary motor cortex

the section of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movement; in the frontal lobe

primary visual cortex

primary input is from the visual system; in the occipital lobe

primary auditory cortex

primary input is from the auditory system; in the temporal lobe

primary olfactory cortex

provides conscious awareness of smells; in the temporal lobe

primary somatosensory cortex

determines the position of the body; in the parietal lobe

gustatory cortex

area of the brain that receives and interprets tastes from the tongue; in the parietal lobe