Cerebrum

Overview of the Cerebrum

  • The cerebrum: Largest and most prominent part of the brain.

  • Divided into two hemispheres (left and right) by the longitudinal fissure.

  • Connected by the corpus callosum (nerve fiber bundle).

Functions of the Cerebrum

  • Responsible for:

    • Thinking, memory, perception, consciousness.

    • Voluntary motor control, language, emotion, behavior.

    • Integration of information from body and brain.

Diencephalon

  • Located deep within the forebrain; includes: thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, subthalamus.

  • Acts as a bridge between brainstem and cerebral cortex; relays sensory information.

Thalamus

  • Largest structure in the diencephalon; serves as a sensory relay station.

  • Integrates various types of sensations; involved in consciousness and emotion.

Hypothalamus

  • Below thalamus; control center for autonomic functions (e.g., temperature, hunger, thirst).

  • Involved with the endocrine system and emotional responses.

Epithalamus

  • Includes pineal gland, which secretes melatonin for sleep regulation.

Subthalamus

  • Less known; involved in motor control; associated with movement disorders like Parkinson's.

Cerebral Cortex

  • Outer layer of the cerebrum; highly folded for increased surface area.

  • Folds (sulci) and ridges (gyri) contribute to functionality.

Lobes of the Cerebral Hemispheres

  1. Frontal Lobe: Executive functions, motor control, personality, working memory.

  2. Parietal Lobe: Sensory processing (touch, temperature, pain), spatial perception.

  3. Temporal Lobe: Auditory processing, memory formation, language comprehension.

  4. Occipital Lobe: Visual processing and interpretation.

  5. Limbic System: Emotional and motivational functions (includes amygdala, hippocampus).

  6. Insular Lobe: Involved in emotional processing, taste, pain, motor functions.

Important Brain Landmarks

  • Central Sulcus: Boundary between frontal and parietal lobes.

  • Sylvian Fissure (Lateral Sulcus): Separates frontal lobe from temporal lobe.

  • Parieto-occipital Sulcus: Boundary between parietal and occipital lobes.

White Matter Structures

  • Corpus Callosum: Connects right and left hemispheres; facilitates communication.

  • Internal Capsule: Major pathway for motor and sensory fibers connecting cortex to subcortical structures.

Basal Ganglia and Other Gray Matter

  • Basal Ganglia: Involved with movement, emotions, and behavior.

  • Amygdala: Key role in emotion and motivation.

  • Hippocampus: Critical for declarative memory processing.