Module 1.4b

Hindbrain - Consists of the medulla, pons, and cerebellum; directs essential survival functions, such as breathing, sleeping, and wakefulness, as well as coordination and balance.

Midbrain - Found atop the brainstem; connects the hindbrain with the forebrain, controls some motor movement, and transmits auditory and visual information.

Forebrain - Consists of the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus; manages complex cognitive activities, sensory and associative functions, and voluntary motor activities.

Brainstem - The central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.

Medulla - The hindbrain structure that is the brainstem’s base; controls heartbeat and breathing.

Thalamus - The forebrain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Reticular Formation - A nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; it filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal.

Cerebellum - The hindbrain’s “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory.

Limbic System - Neural system located mostly in the forebrain — below the cerebral hemispheres — that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, and pituitary gland; associated with emotions and drives.

Amygdala - Two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

Hypothalamus - A limbic system neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Hippocampus - A neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit (conscious) memories — of facts and events — for storage.

Cerebral Cortex - The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.

Frontal Lobes - The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead. They enable linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher-order thinking, and executive functioning (such as making plans and judgments).

Parietal Lobes - The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; it receives sensory input for touch and body position.

Occipital Lobes - The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; it includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.

Temporal Lobes - The portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; it includes the auditory areas, each of which receives information primarily from the opposite ear. They also enable language processing.

Motor Cortex - A cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

Somatosensory Cortex - A cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

Association Areas - Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.