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• Parts Of The Brain And Their Functions Quizlet
• Parts Of The Brain And Their Functions Chart
• Parts Of The Brain And Their Functions Worksheet

Anatomy of the Brain

The anatomy of the brain is complex due its intricate structure and function. This amazing organ acts as a control center by receiving, interpreting, and directing sensory information throughout the body. The brain and spinal cord are the two main structures of the central nervous system. There are three major divisions of the brain. They are the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain.

Key Takeaways

• The forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain are the three main parts of the brain.
• The forebrain has two major parts called the diencephalon and the telencephalon. The forebrain is responsible for a number of functions related to thinking, perceiving, and evaluating sensory information.
• The midbrain, also called the mesencephalon, connects the hindbrain and the forebrain. It is associated with motor functions and auditory and visual responses.
• The hindbrain contains both the metencephalon and the myelencephalon. The hindbrain is associated with balance and equilibrium and the coordination of movement along with autonomic functions like our breathing and our heart rate.
• Both the midbrain and the hindbrain make up the brainstem.

The brain stem controls functions basic to the survival of all animals, such as heart rate, breathing, digesting foods, and sleeping. It is the lowest, most primitive area of the human brain. The outermost layer of the cerebral hemisphere which is composed of gray matter. Cortices are asymmetrical. Both hemispheres are able to analyze sensory data, perform memory functions, learn new information, form thoughts and make decisions.

Brain Divisions

The brain has three main parts: the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem. Cerebrum: is the largest part of the brain and is composed of right and left hemispheres. It performs higher functions like interpreting touch, vision and hearing, as well as speech, reasoning, emotions, learning, and fine control of movement.

The forebrain is the division of the brain that is responsible for a variety of functions including receiving and processing sensory information, thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language, and controlling motor function. There are two major divisions of forebrain: the diencephalon and the telencephalon. The diencephalon contains structures such as the thalamus and hypothalamus which are responsible for such functions as motor control, relaying sensory information, and controlling autonomic functions. The telencephalon contains the largest part of the brain, the cerebrum. Most of the actual information processing in the brain takes place in the cerebral cortex.

The midbrain and the hindbrain together make up the brainstem. The midbrain or mesencephalon, is the portion of the brainstem that connects the hindbrain and the forebrain. This region of the brain is involved in auditory and visual responses as well as motor function.

The hindbrain extends from the spinal cord and is composed of the metencephalon and myelencephalon. The metencephalon contains structures such as the pons and cerebellum. These regions assists in maintaining balance and equilibrium, movement coordination, and the conduction of sensory information. The myelencephalon is composed of the medulla oblongata which is responsible for controlling such autonomic functions as breathing, heart rate, and digestion.

Anatomy of the Brain: Structures

The brain contains various structures that have a multitude of functions. Below is a list of major structures of the brain and some of their functions.
Basal Ganglia

• Involved in cognition and voluntary movement
• Diseases related to damages of this area are Parkinson's and Huntington's

• Relays information between the peripheral nerves and spinal cord to the upper parts of the brain
• Consists of the midbrain, medulla oblongata, and the pons

• Speech production
• Understanding language

• Deep grove that separates the parietal and frontal lobes

• Controls movement coordination
• Maintains balance and equilibrium

• Outer portion (1.5mm to 5mm) of the cerebrum
• Receives and processes sensory information
• Divided into cerebral cortex lobes

• Frontal Lobes -involved with decision-making, problem solving, and planning
• Occipital Lobes-involved with vision and color recognition
• Parietal Lobes - receives and processes sensory information
• Temporal Lobes - involved with emotional responses, memory, and speech

• Largest portion of the brain
• Consists of folded bulges called gyri that create deep furrows

• Thick band of fibers that connects the left and right brain hemispheres

• Twelve pairs of nerves that originate in the brain, exit the skull, and lead to the head, neck and torso

• Deep grove that separates the parietal and temporal lobes

• Amygdala - involved in emotional responses, hormonal secretions, and memory
• Cingulate Gyrus - a fold in the brain involved with sensory input concerning emotions and the regulation of aggressive behavior
• Fornix - an arching, fibrous band of white matter axons (nerve fibers) that connect the hippocampus to the hypothalamus
• Hippocampus - sends memories out to the appropriate part of the cerebral hemisphere for long-term storage and retrieves them when necessary
• Hypothalamus - directs a multitude of important functions such as body temperature, hunger, and homeostasis
• Olfactory Cortex - receives sensory information from the olfactory bulb and is involved in the identification of odors
• Thalamus - mass of gray matter cells that relay sensory signals to and from the spinal cord and the cerebrum

Parts Of The Brain And Their Functions Quizlet

• Lower part of the brainstem that helps to control autonomic functions

• Membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord

• Bulb-shaped end of the olfactory lobe
• Involved in the sense of smell

• Endocrine gland involved in biological rhythms
• Secretes the hormone melatonin

• Endocrine gland involved in homeostasis
• Regulates other endocrine glands

• Relays sensory information between the cerebrum and cerebellum

• Region of the brain where spoken language is understood

Midbrain

Cerebral Peduncle

• anterior portion of the midbrain consisting of large bundles of nerve fiber tracts that connect the forebrain to the hindbrain

Reticular Formation

• Nerve fibers located inside the brainstem and a component of the tegmentum (midbrain)
• Regulates awareness and sleep

Substantia Nigra

• Helps to control voluntary movement and regulates mood (midbrain)

Tectum

• The dorsal region of the mesencephalon (midbrain)
• Assists in visual and auditory reflexes

Tegmentum

• The ventral region of the mesencephalon (midbrain)
• Includes the reticular formation and the red nucleus

Brain Ventricles

Ventricular System - connecting system of internal brain cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid

• Aqueduct of Sylvius - canal that is located between the third ventricle and the fourth ventricle
• Choroid Plexus - produces cerebrospinal fluid
• Fourth Ventricle - canal that runs between the pons, medulla oblongata, and the cerebellum
• Lateral Ventricle - largest of the ventricles and located in both brain hemispheres
• Third Ventricle - provides a pathway for cerebrospinal fluid to flow

Parts Of The Brain And Their Functions Chart

More About the Brain

For additional information about the brain, see Divisions of the Brain. Would you like to test your knowledge of the human brain? Take the Human Brain Quiz!

The human brain is a complex organ that holds the most importance in the entire human body. The objective of this article is to give you an introduction about the parts of the brain and their functions rather than a detailed review of the research that has been done on the brain. The brain weighs just 3 pounds but is responsible for controlling behavior, interpreting the senses and initiating body movement. It is the source of intelligence in our body and is located in a bony shell that is protected by brain fluid. The brain is the reason for all of the qualities we possess that make us human beings.

One of the questions that you could be asking yourself might be 'what are the main parts of the brain'. Well, the following is an explanation of the parts of the brain and their functions.

Cerebrum

The cerebrum constitutes the largest part of the human brain. It is also known as the cortex and is responsible for performing a great number of important brain functions, including action and thought processing. The cerebrum is further subdivided into four different sections that have their own respective functions and are termed as lobes. The names of these lobes are; frontal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe and temporal lobe.

• Frontal Lobe: The frontal lobe is tasked with the duty of performing functions like expressive language, reasoning, higher level cognition and motor skills. It is positioned at the front portion of the brain. Any damage to it can lead to changes of socialization, attention, sexual habits, etc.

• Parietal Lobe: The parietal lobe is responsible for processing the information sent to the brain by the tactile senses like pain, pressure and touch. It is placed in the center of the brain. Any damage to it can cause problems with language, ability of controlling eye gaze and verbal memory.

• Occipital Lobe: The occipital lobe is tasked with the duty of interpreting the information being sent to the brain by the eyes. It is positioned at the back of the brain. If it is damaged, your visual ability will be affected, like unable to recognize colors, words and objects.

• Temporal Lobe: The temporal lobe is responsible for forming memories and processing the sounds being recorded by the ears. It is placed at the bottom of the brain. Any damage to it can cause problem with language skills, speech perception and memory.

Cerebellum

The cerebellum is known as the little brain and resembles the cerebrum for it has a highly folded surface and distributed in 2 hemispheres. This part of the brain is responsible for performing functions like balance, posture and coordination of movement. Even though the cerebellum is smaller in size, it contains more neurons than the entire brain itself. The cerebellum is located at the back of the brain stem and on top of the pons.

Limbic System

The limbic system lies inside the cerebrum. It is also sometimes called the emotional brain because it takes charge of our emotional response. The thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala and the hippocampus are the four different sections that make up the limbic system.

• Thalamus: Thalamus is a substantial piece of gray matter that lies deep inside the forebrain. It performs motor and sensory functions. All sensory information, except olfaction, sent to the brain enters the thalamus and from there is sent to the overlying cortex by neurons.

• Hypothalamus: Hypothalamus is associated with functions like circadian rhythms, homeostasis, hunger, emotions and thirst. Besides these functions, it is also responsible for controlling the pituitary glands which is responsible for producing hormones. The hypothalamus is located ventral to the thalamus and is a component of the diencephalon.

• Amygdala: The amygdala, as a part of the telencephalon, is positioned in the temporal lobe and is associated with fear, memory and emotion. It is present just under the front and medial sections of the temporal lobe.

• Hippocampus: The hippocampus helps in learning and memory building. It is where short term memories are converted into permanent ones. Moreover, the hippocampus also helps in recalling the spatial relationships about us in the world. It is located in the basal medial section of the temporal lobe.

Brain Stem

Parts Of The Brain And Their Functions Worksheet

When we talk about parts of the brain and their functions, brain stem should never be overlooked. The brain stem is located underneath the limbic system. This section of the brain is tasked with the duty of supervising important tasks such as blood pressure, breathing and heartbeat. Moreover, the brain stem organizes reflexes and coordinates the fine movement of the face and limbs. It is composed by midbrain, pons and medulla.

• Midbrain: The midbrain is located at the mouth of the brain stem and is made up of the tegmentum and the tectum. It controls functions like body movement, hearing, vision and eye movement. The cerebral peduncle is located at the anterior portion of the midbrain. It is basically a large bundle of axons that play an important part in transferring messages and controlling voluntary motor function.

• Pons: Pons is responsible for performing sensory analysis and controlling motor function and the information coming to the brain from the ears enters the pons first. It is responsible for sleep and maintaining levels of consciousness. Some parts of it are linked to the cerebellum and thus are associated with posture and movement.

• Medulla: The medulla is located in between the spinal cord and the pons. It is the tail-end of the brain stem and is tasked with the duty of controlling vital body functions like heart rate and breathing.