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While there are a few different ways todivide the brain, the developmental division roughly organizes the brain into three general regions: forebrain (also known as the prosencephalon), midbrain (mesencephalon), andhindbrain(rhombencephalon).
The forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain are the three main brain divisions. The forebrain handles higher cognitive functions, the midbrain controls motor movement and sensory processing, and the hindbrain manages coordination, balance, and autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate.
The Forebrain (Prosencephalon)
The forebrain is a mammal’s brain’s largest and most obvious part. The outer layer is called thecerebral cortexand consists of the cerebral hemispheres, which account for two-thirds of the brain’s total mass.
Each cerebral hemisphere can be subdivided into four lobes (frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes), each associated with different functions.
Each pair has one lobe on the left side of the brain and another on the right.
forebrain
Thefrontal lobeinvolves voluntary movement, reasoning, impulse control, language, and speech (Salazar, 2017).Broca’s Areais part of the left frontal lobe and is associated with speech production.
In a railroad workstation accident,Phineas Gagefell victim to a 43-inch-long and 1.25-inch-wide rod hurtling clean through his frontal lobe and out the other end of his skull (Harlow, 1868).
This damage forever changed his personality. Friends and relatives described him as a changed man who became bitter and aggressive.
Theparietal lobeis mainly involved with processing the sense of touch, limb position, and spatial awareness (Adair & Meador, 2003).
Damage to the parietal lobe typically involves loss of these abilities in the parts of the body opposite the lesion. This is due to the brain’s contralateral function, meaning that the right side of the brain is responsible for activity on the left side of the body and vice versa.
Theoccipital lobeis located at the rear end of the cerebral cortex and is known to be the visual processing center of the brain (Bailey, 2019).Brodmann Area 17, the primary visual cortex, is in the occipital lobe – it determines the size, shape, and location of objects in the field of vision.
Damage to the occipital lobe can cause an inability to identify colors, loss of visual capacity, and even hallucinations.
Damage to this region causes split-brain, where the hemispheres act independently from each other. Roger Sperry’s split-brain experiments in the 1960s pioneered modern-day knowledge on this condition (Lienhard, 2017).
Under the cortex are a number of other structures, including thethalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, basal ganglia, hippocampus, andamygdala, some of which form thelimbic system(involved in emotional behavior, motivation, and learning).
The thalamus is a sensory relay for the brain. All of our senses, with the exception of smell, are routed through the thalamus before being directed to other areas of the brain for processing.
The forebrain also features important structures in the limbic system, which controls basic emotions and psychological drives. The limbic system is made up of a number of different structures, but three of the most important are the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the hypothalamus.
A critical component of the limbic system is the amygdala, an almond-shaped set of neurons responsible for processingfear.
Another important part of the limbic system is thehippocampus, which is responsible for long-term memory formation.Henry Gustave Molaison, known as H.M., had two-thirds of his hippocampi removed to treat his epilepsy in 1953.
As a result, he suffered from severe anterograde amnesia: an inability to form new memories. H.M. also had difficulty remembering events just before the lesion, a condition known as graded retrograde amnesia (Halber, 2018).
There are two other major structures of the limbic system worth mentioning: the thalamus and the hypothalamus. The thalamus is considered to be the neural railway station of the brain.
Sensory input from the body travels to the thalamus, where it is then relayed to the rest of the brain as a specific sensation. The thalamus is also involved with consciousness, alertness, and sleep (Mandal, 2019).
Located between the two halves of the thalamus is the pineal gland: a pea-shaped gland that regulates sleep. Its other functions are not yet fully understood.
The hypothalamus is located at the base of the brain near the pituitary gland, and it is involved with pleasure, food, body temperature, and sex (Seladi-Schulman, 2018). If the body temperature gets too high, the hypothalamus instructs the body to sweat.
If the body is cold, the hypothalamus will cause shivers. Irregular hypothalamic behavior can, in turn, lead to sweating and shivering when these reactions are not needed.
The hypothalamus also regulates the pituitary gland and regulates the other hormone-releasing glands in the body. For this reason, it is often referred to as the “master gland” of the endocrine system.
Midbrain (Mesencephalon)
The second area of the brain is the midbrain, which lies on top of the brainstem. The midbrain is involved in auditory and visual processing (Peters, 2017).
It is also responsible for eye movement. There are three parts to the midbrain: the colliculi, the tegmentum, and the cerebral peduncles.
The colliculi process visual and auditory signals before they are relayed to the occipital and temporal lobes.
The tegmentum is involved in movement coordination and alertness. Lastly, the cerebral peduncles play an important part in the central nervous system.
Hindbrain (Rhombencephalon)
Thehindbrainis located at the back of the head and looks like an extension of the spinal cord. It contains the medulla oblongata, pons, and cerebellum (collectively known as the brainstem).
The hindbrain mostly coordinates autonomic functions that are essential to survival.
The medulla oblongata, also simply known as the medulla, is the lowest part of the brainstem and the primary connection to the nervous system. It is primarily involved in breathing, heart rate, digestion, swallowing, heart rhythms, and sneezing (Peters, 2016).
The medulla controls the automatic processes of theautonomic nervous system, such as breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.
The pons, which is Latin for “bridge,” is located just beneath the midbrain and just above the medulla. It is a group of nerves that are involved in arousal, sleep, motor control, and muscle tone (Patel & Sugano, 2018).
Thecerebellum(Latin for “little brain”) receives messages from muscles, tendons, joints, and structures in our ear to control balance, coordination, and movement, and facilitate motor learning.
The cerebellum is also thought to be an important area for processingprocedural memory. Most disorders of the cerebellum are associated with serious motor impairment.
FAQs
What is the forebrain?The forebrain is the largest part of the brain, including the cerebrum, with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus.It is responsible for various functions, including receiving and processing sensory information, thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language, and controlling motor functions.It also regulates body temperature, reproductive functions, eating, sleeping, and the display of emotions.What does the forebrain do?The forebrain, comprising the cerebrum (with the cerebral cortex), thalamus, and hypothalamus, plays a critical role in many functions.It involves sensory perception, cognition, generation and comprehension of language, motor control, and complex behaviors.Additionally, it regulates body temperature, manages reproductive functions, controls eating and sleeping patterns, and orchestrates the display of emotions.
What is the forebrain?The forebrain is the largest part of the brain, including the cerebrum, with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus.It is responsible for various functions, including receiving and processing sensory information, thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language, and controlling motor functions.It also regulates body temperature, reproductive functions, eating, sleeping, and the display of emotions.
What is the forebrain?
The forebrain is the largest part of the brain, including the cerebrum, with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus.It is responsible for various functions, including receiving and processing sensory information, thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language, and controlling motor functions.It also regulates body temperature, reproductive functions, eating, sleeping, and the display of emotions.
The forebrain is the largest part of the brain, including the cerebrum, with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus.
It is responsible for various functions, including receiving and processing sensory information, thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language, and controlling motor functions.
It also regulates body temperature, reproductive functions, eating, sleeping, and the display of emotions.
What does the forebrain do?The forebrain, comprising the cerebrum (with the cerebral cortex), thalamus, and hypothalamus, plays a critical role in many functions.It involves sensory perception, cognition, generation and comprehension of language, motor control, and complex behaviors.Additionally, it regulates body temperature, manages reproductive functions, controls eating and sleeping patterns, and orchestrates the display of emotions.
What does the forebrain do?
The forebrain, comprising the cerebrum (with the cerebral cortex), thalamus, and hypothalamus, plays a critical role in many functions.It involves sensory perception, cognition, generation and comprehension of language, motor control, and complex behaviors.Additionally, it regulates body temperature, manages reproductive functions, controls eating and sleeping patterns, and orchestrates the display of emotions.
The forebrain, comprising the cerebrum (with the cerebral cortex), thalamus, and hypothalamus, plays a critical role in many functions.
It involves sensory perception, cognition, generation and comprehension of language, motor control, and complex behaviors.
Additionally, it regulates body temperature, manages reproductive functions, controls eating and sleeping patterns, and orchestrates the display of emotions.
References
Adair, J. C., & Meador, K. J. (2003). Parietal lobe.In Encyclopedia of the neurological sciences.
Bailey, R. (2019, November 15). Divisions of the Brain: Forebrain, Midbrain, Hindbrain. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/divisions-of-the-brain-4032899
Bailey, R. (2109, February 1). Occipital lobes and visual perception. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/occipital-lobes-anatomy-373224
Halber, D. (2018, August 28). The curious case of patient H.M. BrainFacts. https://www.brainfacts.org/in-the-lab/tools-and-techniques/2018/the-curious-case-of-patient-hm-082818
Hayman, L. A., Rexer, J. L., Pavol, M. A., Strite, D., & Meyers, C. A. (1998). Klüver-Bucy syndrome after bilateral selective damage of amygdala and its cortical connections.The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 10(3), 354-358.
Irshad, M. (2015, April 4). The Cerebrum. TeachMeAnatomy – Making Anatomy Simple. https://teachmeanatomy.info/neuroanatomy/structures/cerebrum/
Lienhard, D. A. (2017, December 27). Roger Sperry’s split brain experiments (1959–1968). The Embryo Project Encyclopedia.https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/roger-sperrys-split-brain-experiments-1959-1968
Mandal, A. (2019, February 27). What is the thalamus? News-Medical. https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-the-Thalamus.aspx
Patel, H., & Sugano, Y. (2018, January 22). The pons. TeachMeAnatomy – Making Anatomy Simple. https://teachmeanatomy.info/neuroanatomy/brainstem/pons/
Peters, L. (2016, March 3). The medulla oblongata. TeachMeAnatomy – Making Anatomy Simple. https://teachmeanatomy.info/neuroanatomy/brainstem/medulla-oblongata/
Peters, L. (2017, August 30). The Midbrain. TeachMeAnatomy – Making Anatomy Simple. https://teachmeanatomy.info/neuroanatomy/brainstem/midbrain/
Salazar, A. (2017, June 13). Frontal lobe | Areas, functions and disorders | Cognifit. Health, Brain and Neuroscience. https://blog.cognifit.com/frontal-lobe/
Seladi-Schulman, J. (2018, March 1). Hypothalamus overview. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/hypothalamus
Sidelkivska, V. (2016, April 21). The Curious Case of Phineas Gage: Traumatic Brain Injury. Health, Brain and Neuroscience. https://blog.cognifit.com/phineas-gage/
Venturini, S. (2015, March 7). The cerebellum. TeachMeAnatomy – Making Anatomy Simple. https://teachmeanatomy.info/neuroanatomy/structures/cerebellum/
Harlow, J. M. (1868).Recovery from the Passage of an Iron Bar through the Head.Publications of the Massachusetts Medical Society. 2(3), 327-347.
Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
Dody EidSenior AnalystB.A., Economics, Harvard UniversityDody Eid holds a BA in Economics from Harvard University. During his college years, he served as a research assistant to Jeffrey Miron, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, exploring the interplay between behavioral and neoclassical economic models and government policy. Additionally, he worked as a Course Assistant for Math 21b: Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, aiding students in grasping complex mathematical concepts.
Dody EidSenior AnalystB.A., Economics, Harvard University
Dody Eid
Senior Analyst
B.A., Economics, Harvard University
Dody Eid holds a BA in Economics from Harvard University. During his college years, he served as a research assistant to Jeffrey Miron, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, exploring the interplay between behavioral and neoclassical economic models and government policy. Additionally, he worked as a Course Assistant for Math 21b: Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, aiding students in grasping complex mathematical concepts.
