The Brain Stem

Medulla- The medulla is where the spinal cord enters the skull. It is responsible for controlling
breathing, regulating reflexes, and maintaining an upright posture of the body.
Pons The pons serves as the bridge towards the midbrain. It is a cluster of neuronal fibers
surrounding the reticular formation and is responsible for monitoring sleep and arousal by
coordinating with the autonomic nervous system.
Cerebellum The cerebellum are two rounded structures located besides the medulla. It is
responsible for coordinating motor activity (movements of the body), so that extensive damage of
the cerebellum can cause failure to even stand up.

Limbic Area
Thalamus The thalamus sits on top of the brain stem. It sorts and relays incoming information to the
different parts of the forebrain. For example, information coming from the cerebellum is oftentimes
relayed to the motor cortex in the cerebral cortex. The thalamus also works with the reticular
formation on regulating states of sleep and wakefulness.
Hippocampus- the hippocampus is presumably involved in memory storage because damage to this
part actually results to the inability to store new information.
The reticular formation is involved with stereotypical patterns of behavior such as walking, sleeping,
and other reflexes. Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disease of the brain that causes involuntary
tremors on affected body parts, damages a section near the bottom of the midbrain.
Hypothalamus- The hypothalamus is located just below the thalamus, hence the name. It monitors
pleasurable activities such as eating, drinking etc. It influences the endocrine system, particularly the
pituitary gland, in secreting hormones in response to different emotions, stress and rewarding
feelings.
Amygdala- the amygdala is responsible for processing emotions - how humans become aware of
them and how we express them. It is also critical for our survival because it helps us discriminate one
object from another. For instance, damage of the amygdala may cause us humans to eat our own
feces, fight the wrong "enemy", or try to mate with a chair
Pituitary Gland is located in the centre of the skull, just behind the bridge of the nose. It is an
important link between the nervous system and the endocrine system and releases many hormones
which affect growth, sexual development, metabolism and the system of reproduction.
Cerebral Cortex
Right Hemisphere- is involved with nonverbal processing, such as spatial perception, visual
recognition and emotion and also controls the left side of your body.
Left Hemisphere- is associated with verbal processing, such as speech and grammar, and
mathematics and controls the right side of your body.
Frontal Lobe is located at the front of the brain and is associated with reasoning, motor skills, higher
level thought, and expressive language. At the back of the frontal lobe, near the central sulcus, lies
the motor cortex. This area of the brain receives information from various lobes of the brain and
utilizes this information to carry out body movements. Damage to the frontal lobe can lead to
changes in sexual habits, socialization, and attention as well as increased risk-taking.
Brocas Area was discovered in 1861 by a French surgeon named Paul Broca, when he evaluated a
man called Tan. Tan was named so because "tan" was the only word he could speak. His condition is
known as aphasia. Tan's autopsy revealed that his brain was damaged in a certain area in the left
hemisphere. Broca's area turned out to be involved with speech production.
Parietal Lobe- is located at the top of the head and towards the rear. It is involved in attention and
motor control, in processing spatial location, and in perceiving pain, touch and temperature.
Occipital Lobe- is located at the back of the head and is involved in processing visual information,
such as colour, shape and motion. . Damage to the occipital lobe may cause cross-eyeing and
blindness partly or entirely of the visual field.
Temporal Lobe is located just above the ears and is involved in hearing, language processing and
memory (due to its connection with the limbic system).
Wernickes area is significant for language comprehension



Functions located in the brain according to Biological Psychologists
Anger- Orbit ofrontal cortex
Happiness- Dorsal anterior cingulate
Language Production- Brocas Area
Language Comprehension- Wernickes area
Smell- The orbital frontal cortext
Taste- the sensation of taste is processed in insular cortex - the fold of cortex as it goes between
the temporal and parietal lobes
Touch- The Parietal Lobe
Long-term episodic memory Hippocampus, medial temporal lobe, neocortex
Self-Control- self-control is connected with an area in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex a part of
the frontal lobe.
Vision- Mid Brain