1. 3.4 The Brain

2. I. Hindbrain Lower portion of brain
Oldest/most primitive part of brain
Involved in vital functions – heart rate, respiration, balance (part of ANS)
Medulla
Attaches to the spinal cord
heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing
Pons – regulates body movement, attention, sleep, alertness
Cerebellum – balance, coordination

3. II. Midbrain Located between hindbrain and forebrain
Involved with vision and hearing
Reticular Activating System
Located mostly in midbrain
Important for attention and sleep
Can be affected by certain drugs
Sudden, loud noises can stimulate RAS

4. III. Forebrain Front area of the brain
Involved in complex functions like thought and emotion
4 key areas: thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, cerebrum

5. Thalamus Hypothalamus Relay station for sensory stimulation
All senses (except smell) pass through
Hypothalamus
Pea-sized area under thalamus
Controls ANS & pituitary gland (in endocrine system)
Regulates body temp, motivation, certain emotions

6. Limbic System Hippocampus Amygdala Memory, emotion, aggression
2 main components
Hippocampus
Mainly responsible for memory
Amygdala
Responsible for emotion
Fear, anger, aggression

7. The Cerebrum Largest part of brain – 80%+ volume
Site of most conscious and intellectual activities
Cerebral cortex
Outer layer of the brain
Surface is wrinkled with ridges and valleys
The part that “thinks”
Memory, language, emotions, complex motor functions, perception
Split into 2 hemispheres

8. The Four Lobes of the cerebral cortex
Occipital Lobe
back of head
Primary visual area
Parietal Lobe
in front of occipital
Touch sensation (warmth, cold, pain, etc)
Temporal Lobe
below Parietal
Hearing
Frontal Lobe
in the front
Movement & thinking

9. Cortexes Sensory Cortex Motor Cortex Visual Cortex Auditory Cortex
Area behind frontal lobe that controls movement
Sensory Cortex
Receives information from skin senses & movement of body parts
Visual Cortex – in occipital lobe (seeing)
Auditory & Olfactory cortex – in temporal lobe (hearing/smelling)
Sensory Cortex
Motor Cortex
Visual Cortex
Auditory Cortex
Olfactory Cortex

10. Association Areas Broca’s Area
Shape information into something meaningful (not just senses)
Higher mental functions – thinking, remembering, speaking
Broca’s Area
Frontal lobe, usually in left hemisphere
Produces language (speech)
Broca’s Aphasia
Disorder where broca’s area is damaged
Can understand words but has limited speech
Broca’s Area

11. Association Areas Broca’s Area Wernicke’s Area Wernicke’s area
Temporal lobe, usually in left hemisphere
Controls language reception (comprehension)
Wernicke’s aphasia
Disorder caused by damage to Wernicke’s area
Difficulty understanding speech
Speak in nonsense words
Unaware of disability
Broca’s Area Wernicke’s Area

12. Corpus Callosum
Band of axons that connects two hemispheres & carry messages between them
Left Hemisphere
Language, logic, problem solving, math
Controls right side of body
Right Hemisphere
Imagination, feelings, art, spatial relations
Controls left side of body