Psychology Brain

Somatosensory cortex (parietal lobe)

A brain area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations

Hippocampus

A curved forebrain structure that is part of the limbic system and is involved in learning and forming new memories

Thalamus

A forebrain structure that processes sensory information for all senses, except smell, and relays it to the cerebral cortex.

Limbic system

A group of subcortical structures (as the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, and the amygdala) of the brain that are concerned especially with emotion and motivation.

Pons

A hindbrain structure that connects the medulla to the two sides of the cerebellum; helps coordinate and integrate movements on each side of the body

Amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

Reticular formation

A nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.

Hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Temporal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

Frontal Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement

Parietal Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.

Midbrain

A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory information and relays it upward.

Corpus callosum

A thick band of axons that connects the two cerebral hemispheres and acts as a communication link between them.

Brainstem

Connects the spinal cord to the remainder of the brain and contains many ascending and descending nerve tracts. Consists of the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain.

Cerebellum

Control of finely coordinated movements. Coordination center, voluntary movement and balance. "Small brain."

Temporal Lobe

Hearing

Left Hemisphere

Language

Frontal lobe

Largest and longest lobe in each hemisphere. Located in the upper forward half. Association areas are involved with planning, problem-solving, personality, decision making, controlling emotions and speech production

Parietal lobe

Located in the upper back half of the brain. Receives and processes sensory information from the body and skin senses as well as other sensory areas in the brain. Association areas are invovled with spatial reasoning and sensing the position of the body in space.

Spinal cord

Nerves that run up and down the length of the back and transmit most messages between the body and brain

Right Hemisphere

Spatial skills

Cerebral cortex

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.

Corpus Callosum

The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Cerebral Cortex

The part of the brain where information processing takes place. Divided into four lobes.

Occipital Lobe

Vision

Auditory complex (temporal lobe)

hearing center located in temporal lobe

Prefrontal cortex (frontal lobe)

most frontal region of the frontal lobe; involved in higher-order cognitive processes (planning, decision making, emotional control)

Visual cortex (occipital lobe)

Area of the brain responsible for the initial conscious registration of visual information; the designation of electric (nerve) impulses from the retina

Occipital lobe

An area at the back of each cerebral hemisphere that is the primary receiving area for visual information.

Motor cortex (frontal lobe)

An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Medulla

An extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration.

Cerebral cortex

Outer layer of the brain, thinking, organizing, and creative center.