Parts of the Brain

Control center for the body Runs everything the body does Function of the brain Organ in the body that allows: thought, emotions, movement, dreams, etc. Control center for the body Runs everything the body does

Makes up 85% of the brain’s mass/weight Cerebrum Makes up 85% of the brain’s mass/weight Thinking part of the brain Controls your voluntary muscles (those muscles you have control over)

Frontal lobe True center for control in the brain Responsible for reasoning, problem solving, judgment, impulse control, motor control, memory and higher level emotions (empathy and altruism) Last to develop when a young adult Front part of cerebrum

Parietal Lobe Responsible for processes such as pain and touch Also responsible for movement, speech, recognition, orientation, and cognition (calculating the location and speed of objects) Found directly behind frontal lobe in cerebrum

Responsible for visual sense and processing Occipital Lobe Responsible for visual sense and processing Found at back of cerebrum

Temporal Lobe Responsible for auditory (sound) sensation and language recognition Also involved in emotion, memory, and speech Found below other parts of cerebrum and towards center of brain

Neural bridge connection both hemispheres Corpus Callosum Neural bridge connection both hemispheres Located in the center of the brain Hypothesized that right have of brain controls left half of body and vice versa

Controls balance, movement, posture, and coordination Cerebellum Controls balance, movement, posture, and coordination Also involved in learning movement Found at the back and bottom of the brain

Brain stem Responsible for all functions your body needs to stay alive (such as breathing, digesting food, circulating blood, etc.) Controls all involuntary (you have no control over) functions

Pons Responsible for level of arousal and consciousness, and sleep Also relays sensory information to/from the brain Also involved in controlling autonomic body function (things you don’t think about) Top half of brain stem

Also relay station for nerve signals going/to and from brain Medulla oblongata Helps body control autonomic functions (like respiration, digestions, and heart rate) Also relay station for nerve signals going/to and from brain Bottom half of brain stem

Pituitary Gland Produces and releases hormones into your body that are linked to growth

hypothalamus Linked to pituitary gland to control body functions Monitors and controls your circadian rhythms (daily sleep/wake cycle), homeostasis (inner balance in body, including temperature), appetite, thirst, other bodily urges and also plays a role in emotions, autonomic functions, and motor functions

Thalamus The relay station of the brain Most sensory signals like sound and vision, go through this organ on their way to other parts of the brain for processing Also plays a function in motor control

Amygdala Latin for almond (which relates to its shape) Helps in storing and classifying emotionally charged memories Plays a large role in emotions, especially fear Trigger responses to strong emotions like sweaty palms, freezing, increased heart rate/respiration, and stress hormone release

Hippocampus Primary role is in memory formation, classifying information, and long-term memory Also involved in interpreting incoming nerve signals and spatial relationships

Neurons and learning Neurons are the microscopic cells in the nervous system When new things are learned the messages travel from one neuron to another Eventually the brain starts to create connections (pathways) between neurons, so things become easier to do http://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=FR4S1BqdFG4