Brain parts

Many brain parts make up the most complex organ in the body. Brain functioning is profoundly connected to life experience, it shapes everything. It allows us to think, be, feel, move, and dream.

How brain parts are "categorized"

Brain parts can be categorized based on what they physically look like when seen with the naked eye or under a microscope. Brain parts can also be categorized by function.

The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system. Nerves in the body make up the peripheral nervous system.

The Hindbrain

The hindbrain evolved hundreds of millions of years ago. It is sometimes refered to as the reptillian brain because it is the most primitive of the brain parts. It governs our primal instincts and most basic functions.

The instincts for survival, dominance, mating and functions of respiration, heartbeat all come from this brain part.

Located in the Hindbrain are:

The Spinal Cord

This is the infomation superhighway of the body. It carries information and instructions to and from the brain.

The Medulla Oblongata

The Pons

Has roles in your level of arousal or conciousness and sleep. Relays sensory information to/from the brain. Also involved in controlling autonomic body functions.

The Cerebellum

Mainly deals with movement. It regulates and coordinates movement, posture and balance. It is also involved in learning movement.

The Limbic System

The limbic system is sometimes called the "emotional brain". It is also refered to as the "old mammalian brain" as it is the next of the brain parts to have evolved in primitive mammals about 150 million years ago.

This is where emotions reside and where memory begins. These two functions combine to characterize behaviors with positive or negative charges. It's where mostly unconscious value judgements are made.

Information going through the limbic system is filed under "agreeable or disagreeable". It also plays a role in the kinds of things that grab your attention (salience), spontaneity and creativity.

Located in the Limbic System are:

The Amygdala

Amygdala is latin for almond which refers to its shape. The amygdala helps in storing and classifying emotionally charged memories. It plays a large role in producing emotions, particularly fear. It can trigger responses to strong emotions with reactions like sweaty palms, feeling cold, increased heartbeat/respiration and release of stress hormones.

The Hippocampus

The hippocampus is mainly about memory and less about learning. It's primary role is in memory formation, classifying information, and long term memory. It is also involved in interpreting incoming nerve signals and spatial relationships.

The Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus has many functions. It is closely linked with the pituitary gland to control many body functions. It monitors and controls circadian rhythms (sleep/wake cycles), homeostasis (making sure the body operates within the ranges it is supposed to), apetite, thirst, other body urges and also plays a role in emotions, autonomic functions and motor functions.

The Thalamus

The thalamus is the brains relay station. Most sensory signals including auditory, visual, somatosensory (sensory information from skin and internal organs) travel through the thalamus on their way to other brain parts for processing. The thalamus also plays a role in motor control.

The Neocortex

The most advanced of the brain parts is the neocortex. It is also refered to as the neomammalian or rational brain.

The wrinkles seen in brain diagrams are the cortex. It is where the majority of brain cells or neurons reside.

Other evolved mammals such as primates and dolphins also have a neocortex. This area makes up to 2/3 of the human brain. The brain power to develop language, abstract thought, conciousness and imagination comes from the neocortex. This brain part is what makes us human.

The neocortex is divided into two brain hemispheres, the left and the right. The right side controls the left side of the body and vice versa. The brain hemispheres also process or produce different kinds of thought. The right deals more with artistic, spatial and musical. The left is focusses more with rational, linear, and verbal aspects.

Located in the Neocortex are:

The Frontal Lobe

This is the center for control and command. The frontal lobe is responsible for heavy thinking, reasoning, problem solving, planning, judgement, and impulse control. It manages our higher emotions such as empathy and altruism. This lobe is also also involved in motor control and memory.

The Parietal Lobe

The parietal lobe integrates and makes sense of information. It is involved in processing pain and touch. It is where the somatosensory (sensory information from skin and internal organs) cortex resides. It is also connected with cognition (such as calculating the location and speed of objects), movement, orientation, recognition and speech.

The Temporal Lobe

The temporal lobe is involved in auditory sensation and is where the primary auditory cortex is located and language recognition area (Wernicke's Area on the left side) are located. This lobe is involved with speech, emotion and memory formation.

The Occipital Lobe

The occipital lobe controls visual sensation and processing. The visual cortex is resides here.

Broca's Area

This brain part controls speech, language recognition and facial nerves.

The Corpus Callosum

This is the "bridge" that connects the two hemispheres to each other. It is located centrally in brain. Women have a larger corpus callosum than men.

The brain is much more delicate than most people recognize. Even a minor injury or emotional trauma can cause subtle and not-so-subtle brain injury symptoms.

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