What are the three sections of the brain?
The Forebrain, The Midbrain, and The Hindbrain.
What is the function of the forebrain?
Processing sensory information, helps with reasoning and problem solving, and regulates automatic endocrine [hormones] and motor functions.
What is the function of the midbrain?
Helps regulate movement and process auditory and visual information.
What is the function of the hindbrain?
Helps regulate anatomic functions, relay sensory information, coordinate movement and maintain balance/equilibrium.
What does the forebrain consist of?
The cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus and limbic system.
What does the cerebral cortex consist of?
The frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe.
What is the frontal lobe associated with?
Reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving.
What is the parietal lobe associated with?
Movement, orientation, recognition, and perception of stimuli.
What is the occipital associated with?
Visual processing. (Think oculus).
What is the temporal lobe associated with?
Perception and recognition of auditory stiumuli, memory, and communication.
What is the limbic system?
A number of structures that work together and are responsible for an animal's emotions and their response to those feelings.
What are the main components of the limbic system?
Thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus.
What does the thalamus control?
Pain receptors, movement, touch receptors, and temperature sensations.
What does the hypothalamus control?
Hormone production (with the help of the pituitary gland), the ANS (autonomic nervous system), functional signals such as eating/drinking, and temperature regulation.
What does the amygdala control?
Emotional behaviours.
What does the hippocampus control?
Long term memory.
What does the midbrain consist of?
Pons, medulla, and the reticular formation.
What does the reticular formation do?
Extends through the midbrain and hindbrain and is responsible for sleep and waking/consciousness. It also processes visual and auditory information.
What are the pons and medulla?
They are part of the brainstem and connected to the reticular formation. They belong to both the midbrain and the hindbrain.
What does the hindbrain consist of?
The medulla, pons, and cerebellum.
What does the medulla control?
Respiration, blood pressure, motor function, reflexes and involuntary actions such as sneezing, vomiting, coughing, etc.
What does the pons do?
Controls respiration, and serves as a relay between medulla, cerebrum and cerebellum.
What does the cerebellum control?
Balance, coordination, and locomotion.