Amygdala
The amygdala attaches emotional significance to sensory information (this is
why the smell of Grandma’s cookies makes you feel so good!). It also
mediates aggression.
Brain Stem
Controls vital functions (heart rate, breathing, temperature, etc.)
Level of alertness
Cerebellum
The cerebellum or “little brain” is involved in the coordination
of voluntary movements, balance and equilibrium.
Coordination of voluntary movement
Balance and equilibrium
Cerebrum
This remarkable portion of the brain is responsible for the higher level skills
and thought processes which make us uniquely human. The brain functions as
a whole, but each of the four lobes — frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital
— makes several unique contributions. The fact that you can read and understand
these words is an example of the wondrous functions of the cerebrum.
Cingulate Gyrus
The cingulate gyrus is known as the “satisfaction center.” It is
responsible for the feelings of satisfaction following eating, drinking and
sexual behaviors.
Corpus Callosum
Without our corpus callosum, we would have two separate brains not communicating
with each other! The corpus callosum connects the two halves (hemispheres)
of the brain and allows information to be exchanged.
Frontal Lobe
Controls attention
Motivation and initiation
Emotional control and personality
Guides and controls social behavior
Judgement and decision making
Problem solving
Expressive language
Motor integration
Voluntary movement
Hippocampus
The hippocampus is involved in learning and memory consolidation (converting
short-term memories to long-term memory storage). Without your hippocampus,
you wouldn’t remember what you had for breakfast this morning!
Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is our “drive” center; controlling hunger, thirst,
emotional responses and sexual behaviors. The hypothalamus also regulates the
pituitary and other hormone-secreting glands.
Medulla Oblongata
The medulla oblongata regulates vital bodily functions such as breathing and
heart rate.
Occipital Lobe
Visual perception
Visual input
Some aspects of reading
Parietal Lobe Perception
Tactile percepetion (sense of touch)
Awareness of spatial relations
Pituitary Gland
Here lies the source of the difference between males and females! The pituitary
gland is the “master gland” and is responsible for the production
and/or release of most hormones.
Pons
Running, walking, swinging your arms…the pons connects the two halves
of the cerebellum and helps integrate movements between the left and right
sides of the body.
Temporal Lobe
Memory
Receptive language
Language comprehension
Musical awareness
Sequencing skills
Thalamus
This is the Grand Central Station of our brains! All sensory information (except
the sense of smell) from the body goes to the thalamus, which then sends
the information to the appropriate cerebral area for processing.