Brain Parts 

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

Hypothalamus: talks to the pituitary gland. Regulates metabolic functions (hunger, thirst, body temp)

left hemisphere: reading, writing, speaking speech, certain arithmetic reasoning, calculating quick /literal interpretations of language.

Right hemisphere: perceptual tasks, making inferences, processing speech (tone), orchestrating our sense of self, recognizing faces.

Pons: coordinate movements including facial expressions.

medulla: the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

thalamus: the brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; controls all senses except smell

reticular formation: controls arousal and alertness and is a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and thalamus

cerebellum: coordinates fine motor movements, balance, and nonverbal learning and memory. The "little brain"

cerebral cortex: the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center

frontal lobes: involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments

parietal lobes: receives sensory input for touch and body position

occipital lobes: includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

temporal lobes: includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

motor cortex: controls voluntary movements (frontal lobes)

somatosensory cortex: processes body touch and movement sensations (parietal lobes)

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

Hippocampus: processes conscious memories

Wernicke's area: helps understand language

Brocas area: speaking