Summary of the Major Brain Structures
Brain Stem
An extension of the spinal cord; it
houses structures that control
functions associated with survival
such as breathing, swallowing,
vomiting, urination and orgasm.
Cerebellum
A large convoluted protuberance at
the back of the brain stem; it is
essentially for coordinated movement
and balance.
Forebrain
Forebrain
(subcortical structures)
(cerebral cortex)
The wrinkled outer portion of the forebrain,
which contains the most sophisticated
brain centers.
The wrinkled outer portion of the
forebrain, which contains the most
sophisticated brain centers.
The subcortical structures of the forebrain
housed under the cerebral cortex near the
very center of the brain
The cerebral cortex is the outermost
layer of the brain, visible to the
naked eye
Figure 3.26
Figure 3.22
Figure 3.23
Figure 3.24
Figure 3.25
Figure 3.27
10/3/15
Brain stem
Cerebellum
Forebrain (subcortical)
Forebrain (Cerebral Cortex)
• Medulla oblongata
Controls vital autonomic life
functions such as breathing,
circulation, digestion and heart
rate. The medulla also controls
a number of vital reflexes, such
as swallowing, coughing,
vomiting and sneezing.
• Pons
A hindbrain structure that relays
information from the cerebellum
to the rest of the brain.
information.
• Midbrain
• Reticular Formation
A network of nerve fibers located
in the center of the medulla that
helps regulate attention, arousal
and sleep. It seems to help filter
out unimportant sensory
• Cerebellum
A large convoluted protuberance
at the back of the brain stem; it is
essentially for coordinated
movement and balance.
• Thalamus
The gateway to the brain; it
receives almost all incoming
sensory information before that
information reaches the cortex
(smell doesn’t go through the
thalamus)
• Hypothalamus (under
thalamus)
A brain structure that is involved
in the regulation of bodily
functions, including body
temperature, blood pressure,
and blood glucose levels; it also
influences our basic motivational
behaviors including thirst,
hunger, aggression and lust.
• Hippocampus:
A brain structure that is
associated with the formation of
memories (memories are NOT
located in the hippocampus)
• Amygdala:
A brain structure that serves a
vital role in our learning to
associate things with emotional
responses and in processing
emotional information.
• Basal ganglia:
A system of subcortical
structures that are important for
the production of planned
movement.
• Cerebral cortex
The outer layer of brain tissue which forms the
convoluted surface of the brain.
• Corpus callosum
A massive bridge of millions of axons, connects the
hemispheres and allows information to flow between
them.
• Occipital lobe
Regions of the cerebral cortex—at the back of the
brain—important for vision.
• Parietal lobe
Regions of the cerebral cortex—in front of the occipital
lobes and behind the frontal lobes—important for the
ense of touch and for conceptualizing the spatial
layout of the environment.
o Somatasensory cortex
• Temporal lobe
Regions of the cerebral cortex—below the parietal
lobes and in front of the occipital lobes—imprtant for
processing auditory information, for memory, and for
object and face perception.
o Wernicke’s area
• Frontal lobe
Regions of the cerebral cortex—at the front of the
brain—important for movement and higher-level
psychological processes associated with the
prefrontal cortex
o Broca’s area
o Motor Cortex
o Prefrontal cortex: the frontmost portion of
the frontal lobes, especially prominent in
humans; important for attention, working
memory, decision making, appropriate
social behavior, and personality
• Association areas
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are composed of
neurons that help provide sense and meaning to
information registered in the cortex.
10/3/15