The Brain: Regions and Functions
The brain is the basic component of life. It houses numerous regions and subregions. Each part of the brain is responsible for certain functions, however, some functions do overlap. The oldest region of the brain is the brainstem. The brainstem begins where the spinal cord enters the skull and is responsible for automatic survival functions. In the brainstem is the medulla which controls breathing and heartbeat, above the medulla are the pons which help coordinate movement. At the top of the brainstem is the thalamus, the thalamus is the sensory router of the brain and it sends messages to higher brain structures. Running throughout the brainstem is the reticular formation; the basic function is controlling arousal. The rear of the brainstem houses the cerebellum. The cerebellum controls a variety of functions such as balance and movement, sensory input, and nonverbal thinking and memory.
The limbic system comes next. It lies in the middle of the brain and is responsible for emotions and drives. The limbic system is unique because it houses three main parts that function together, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus. The amygdala is a neural cluster that is responsible for emotions, particularly fear and aggression. The hypothalamus, which lies below the thalamus, is linked to bodily maintenance. It also controls the pituitary gland and reward based behaviors. The hippocampus is linked to memory (Myers, 2014).
The last major region of the brain is the cerebral cortex. It is the “high brain” linked to bodily control and information-processing, it enables learning, thinking, and allows humans to be adaptable. The cerebral cortex is wrinkled to house more room, especially for neural cells. The cerebral cortex is composed into two hemispheres, a left and right. The hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum which relay messages back and forth. Each hemisphere serves a specific function; the left hemisphere specializes in speaking and language while the right specializes in perceptual tasks. The cerebral cortex can also be broken down into lobes. In the very front of the brain are the frontal lobes, at the top and towards the back are the parietal lobes, the very back consists of the occipital lobes, and just above the ears lies the temporal lobes. The frontal lobes play a huge role in personality and house the motor cortex which controls voluntary movements. The parietal lobes contain the sensory cortex which processes the senses and movements. The occipital lobes are involved in vision while the temporal lobes are involved in hearing. To make up the rest of the brain, about 3/4, the job goes to association areas. These areas control higher mental processes such as thinking, learning, remembering, and speaking (Myers, 2014). Association areas are what make humans human.
The limbic system comes next. It lies in the middle of the brain and is responsible for emotions and drives. The limbic system is unique because it houses three main parts that function together, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus. The amygdala is a neural cluster that is responsible for emotions, particularly fear and aggression. The hypothalamus, which lies below the thalamus, is linked to bodily maintenance. It also controls the pituitary gland and reward based behaviors. The hippocampus is linked to memory (Myers, 2014).
The last major region of the brain is the cerebral cortex. It is the “high brain” linked to bodily control and information-processing, it enables learning, thinking, and allows humans to be adaptable. The cerebral cortex is wrinkled to house more room, especially for neural cells. The cerebral cortex is composed into two hemispheres, a left and right. The hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum which relay messages back and forth. Each hemisphere serves a specific function; the left hemisphere specializes in speaking and language while the right specializes in perceptual tasks. The cerebral cortex can also be broken down into lobes. In the very front of the brain are the frontal lobes, at the top and towards the back are the parietal lobes, the very back consists of the occipital lobes, and just above the ears lies the temporal lobes. The frontal lobes play a huge role in personality and house the motor cortex which controls voluntary movements. The parietal lobes contain the sensory cortex which processes the senses and movements. The occipital lobes are involved in vision while the temporal lobes are involved in hearing. To make up the rest of the brain, about 3/4, the job goes to association areas. These areas control higher mental processes such as thinking, learning, remembering, and speaking (Myers, 2014). Association areas are what make humans human.