Parts of the Brain

Hindbrain

• “Primitive” part of the brain

• Coordinates basic bodily functions

Brainstem

• Location

  • Hindbrain

  • Base of the brain at the top of the spinal cord

• Function

  • Autonomic survival functions

  • Sends and receives signals

• Hint

  • Severe damage to ____ would result in death

Cerebellum

• Location

  • Hindbrain

  • Behind the brainstem underneath the brain

• Function

  • Balance and Coordination

  • Fine Motor Movements

  • Procedural memory

• Hint

  • _____ literally means “little brain” and looks like a miniature brain attached to the brain stem

Pons

• Location

  • Hindbrain

  • Above the medulla on the brainstem and below the thalamus

• Function

  • Sleep and arousal

  • Dreams

  • Facial expressions

• Hint

  • Imagine the ____ as a pillow (sleep) located to the top of the bed (brainstem)

Medulla (oblongata)

• Location

  • Hindbrain

  • Below the pons on the brain stem

• Function

  • Survival functions (heartbeat, breathing and digestion)

  • Reflexes (sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and swallowing)

• Hint

  • I ♡ my _______!

Midbrain

• Very small in humans

• Coordinates simple movements with sensory information

Reticular Formation

• Location

  • Midbrain

  • Network of nerves running vertically through the brainstem and extending to the thalamus

• Function

  • Arousal to stimuli

  • Sleep

  • Attentiveness

  • Filters incoming stimuli and relays important information to the thalamus

• Hint

  • Damage to the _____ results in a coma

Basal Ganglia

• Location

  • Midbrain

  • Midbrain and forebrain

• Function

  • Smooth voluntary body movements

• Hint

  • Cell damage to dopamine-producing neurons in the ___________ disrupts movement for individuals with Parkinson's Disease

Forebrain

• Sophisticated part of the human brain

• Allows for complex thoughts and behaviors unique to humans

Thalamus

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Two connected egg-shaped structures located at the top of the brainstem

• Function

  • Filters and relays sensory information except for smell to the appropriate parts of the cerebral cortex

• Hint

  • Think of the _____ as the banker in Monopoly that manages all the money (incoming sensory information) and distributes the money to the players (specific brain areas responsible for that type of information)

Limbic System

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Bagel-shaped group of structures between the brainstem and the cerebral cortex

• Function

  • Learning

  • Memory

  • Emotion

  • Basic drives

• Hint

  • To help identify the three parts that make up ______, think of the mnemonic HAH (Hippocampus, Amygdala, and Hypothalamus)

Hippocampus

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Limbic system structure surrounding the thalamus

• Function

  • Explicit memory formation

  • Learning

• Hint

  • Imagine the ______ as a college campus where students make a lot of memories and learn a lot of things

Amygdala

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Limbic system structure at the end of each arm of the hippocampus

• Function

  • Emotions (especially fear and aggression)

• Hint

  • Imagine scary hands/fingers located at the end of each arm of the hippocampus (scary hands/fingers = ______)

Hypothalamus

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Limbic system structure below the thalamus

• Function

  • Maintenance functions (eating, drinking, body temp., and sex)

  • Controls the autonomic nervous system

  • Controls the endocrine system by influencing the pituitary gland

  • Regulates internal body temperature

• Hint

  • 4 F’s: fighting, fleeing, feeding, and fornicating

Nucleus Accumbens

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Region of the forebrain near the limbic system

• Function

  • Pleasure or reward circuit

  • Associated with drug dependency

• Hint

  • The _______ is rich in dopamine, which is associated with pleasure

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Small region within the hypothalamus

• Function

  • Regulation of the circadian rhythm

  • Regulation of sleep cycle

• Hint

  • The _____ controls the pineal gland (sleep)

Corpus Callosum

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Bundle of neurons connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

• Function

  • Relays information between the two hemispheres

• Hint

  • Think of the _____ calling the other hemisphere to communicate messages

Cerebral Cortex

• 1/4th inch thick wrinkled outer layer of the cerebrum

Frontal Lobe

• Higher-level thinking, reasoning, planning, judgment, impulse control

Prefrontal Cortex

• Location

  • Frontal Lobe

  • Association area located in front of the motor strip in the frontal lobes

• Function

  •  Controls conscious thoughts and actions

  • Working memory

  • Short-term and long-term planning

Broca’s Area

• Location

  • Forebrain

  • Front of the LEFT frontal lobe

• Function

  • Controls the facial muscle movements required for speech production

Primary Motor Cortex

• Location

  • Frontal Lobe

  • Rear of the frontal lobes, parallel to the sensory cortex (extending from ear to ear like a headband)

• Function

  • Controls voluntary movement

  • Left motor cortex controls movement on the right side of the body

  • Right motor cortex controls movement on the left side of the body

Parietal Lobe

• Where the perception of temperature on the skin occurs

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

• Location

  • Parietal Lobe

  • Front of the parietal lobes, parallel to the motor cortex (extending from ear to ear like a headband)

• Function

  • Sensory input is received for touch and body position

  • Left sensory cortex controls sensation for the right side of the body

  • Right sensory cortex controls sensation for the left side of the body

Occipital Lobes

• Visual processing

Primary Visual Cortex

• Location

  • Occipital Lobe

  • Bottom area of the occipital lobes

• Function

  • Information from the left visual field goes to the right side of each eye and is interpreted by the right visual cortex

  • Information from the right visual field goes to the left side of each eye and is interpreted by the left visual cortex

Temporal Lobes

• Auditory processing (hearing); Olfactory (smell); Recognition of faces

Primary Auditory Cortex

• Location

  • Temporal Lobe

  • Upper area of the temporal lobes 

• Function

  • Processes most auditory information from the opposite ear

Wernicke’s Area

• Location

  • Temporal Lobe

  • Top of the LEFT temporal lobe

• Function

  • Responsible for language comprehension

  • Creates meaningful statements