How Does the Forebrain Function?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Makes Up the Forebrain and What Does It Control?What to Know About the CerebrumThe Functions of Each Lobe in the Cerebral CortexWhat to Know About the DiencephalonWhat Happens If the Forebrain Gets Damaged?How to Strengthen Your Forebrain

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Makes Up the Forebrain and What Does It Control?

What to Know About the Cerebrum

The Functions of Each Lobe in the Cerebral Cortex

What to Know About the Diencephalon

What Happens If the Forebrain Gets Damaged?

How to Strengthen Your Forebrain

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Theforebrain, also known as theprosencephalon, is the largest part of the brain. The forebrain contains the cerebrum and other critical components.

Arif Dalvi, MDThe forebrain is like the conductor for the orchestra of the brain.

Arif Dalvi, MD

The forebrain is like the conductor for the orchestra of the brain.

“The forebrain is the outer and top part of the brain,” saysRaphael Wald, PsyD, a neuropsychologist at Baptist Health Marcus Neuroscience Institute. “It is connected to the midbrain and hindbrain and works in conjunction with these other sections to help us function every day.”

This article will further detail the forebrain’s functionality, what happens when the forebrain is damaged, and what to do if you want to strengthen this area of the brain.

The forebrain is involved in everything from cognitive processes, like perception and language, to social functions, like empathy and understanding.

Which Parts of the Brain Make Up the Forebrain?The forebrain is made up of two sections:The cerebrum (ortelencephalon)Diencephalon

Which Parts of the Brain Make Up the Forebrain?

The forebrain is made up of two sections:The cerebrum (ortelencephalon)Diencephalon

The forebrain is made up of two sections:

The entire brain is an organ made up of over 100 billion neurons that are responsible for processing information.

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and contains two hemispheres—right and left.It also consists of the cerebral cortex (gray matter) and an inner layer made up of white matter.

What Is the Cerebral Cortex and What Does It Do?

The cerebrum’s gray outer layer is known as thecerebral cortexand is home to four distinct lobes (all of which have their own functions):

What the Cerebral Cortex Looks LikeThe cerebral cortex is notably wrinkly, with the folds creating valleys (sulci) and raised folds (gyri) that provide additional surface area for the brain’s nerve cells to process information.

What the Cerebral Cortex Looks Like

The cerebral cortex is notably wrinkly, with the folds creating valleys (sulci) and raised folds (gyri) that provide additional surface area for the brain’s nerve cells to process information.

Each lobe of the cerebral cortex has its own role and functionalities. Let’s take at what each lobe controls.

Frontal Lobe

No surprise here; the frontal lobe sits right at the front of your brain, behind your forehead. It includes the motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, and Broca’s area. It’s responsible for functions such as:

Parietal Lobe

Right behind the frontal lobe is your parietal lobe. It’s home to the somatosensory cortex and all about the senses and the space around you. The Parietal lobe includes functions such as:

Temporal Lobe

Below the parietal lobe and behind the frontal lobe sits the temporal lobe. It holds Wernicke’s area, a part of your brain that uses tones to understand language. It’s responsible for functions such as:

Occipital lobe

Rounding out the group is the occipital lobe, found at the back of your brain. The occipital lobe focuses on visuals and perception. It’s responsible for functions such as:

Then there’s thediencephalon, which contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, and subthalamus.

It’s located right in the center of your brain, directly above the brainstem — the piece at the bottom of your brain that connects it to your spinal cord.

Thalamus

According to Dr. Dalvi, the thalamus acts as a “major relay center” in the brain. Every bit of sensory input, except smell, comes through the thalamus for processing. It also tells the cerebral cortex what motor and sensory signals are coming from the rest of the body.

Hypothalamus

According to Dr. Dalvi, “the hypothalamus is responsible for functions that include sex drive and hunger and also for control of temperature and other visceral functions.”

Basically, the hypothalamus is the part of the brain that keeps your body in homeostasis.

Epithalamus

The epithalamus is home to the pineal gland, which releases melatonin. It’s also responsible for regulating your body’s 24-hour clock.

Subthalamus

The subthalamus acts as a control center for the peripheral nervous system, which encompasses all your nerves. It’s also responsible for stimulating the thalamus, somatic motor function, and assisting with vision.

A range of consequences can occur if the forebrain is damaged. In other words, the extent and type of symptoms differ based on which area holds the injury.

Overall, it could lead to issues with attention,motivation,planning, memory, and more.

How the Broca’s Area of the Brain Functions

Think about it, if you want to strengthen a muscle, whether it be your biceps or quads, the key is regular use—without overdoing it.

Dr. Dalvi and Dr. Wald both recommend regularly doing stimulating activities like:

“These activities promote neural connections and cognitive flexibility,” says Dr. Dalvi. “In patients with forebrain damage, speech therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy can be helpful.

In some types of forebrain dysfunction, medications belonging to a class called acetylcholine inhibitors can improve function to some extent.”

What This Means For YouConsult a medical professional if you are recovering from an injury, as exact activities and habits might vary while you recover. They might also be able to tell you specific exercises that promote healing.

What This Means For You

Consult a medical professional if you are recovering from an injury, as exact activities and habits might vary while you recover. They might also be able to tell you specific exercises that promote healing.

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Maldonado KA, Alsayouri K.Physiology, Brain. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; March 17, 2023.Jawabri KH, Sharma S.Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions. [Updated 2023 Apr 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Jawabri, K. H., & Sharma, S. (April 24, 2023).Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions.Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538496/Moini J, Piran P.Functional and Clinical Neuroanatomy A Guide for Health Care Professionals.2020.Moini J, Avgeropoulos NG, Samsam M.Epidemiology of Brain and Spinal Tumors.2021.Conn PM.Conn’s Translational Neuroscience. 2016.

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Maldonado KA, Alsayouri K.Physiology, Brain. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; March 17, 2023.Jawabri KH, Sharma S.Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions. [Updated 2023 Apr 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Jawabri, K. H., & Sharma, S. (April 24, 2023).Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions.Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538496/Moini J, Piran P.Functional and Clinical Neuroanatomy A Guide for Health Care Professionals.2020.Moini J, Avgeropoulos NG, Samsam M.Epidemiology of Brain and Spinal Tumors.2021.Conn PM.Conn’s Translational Neuroscience. 2016.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Maldonado KA, Alsayouri K.Physiology, Brain. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; March 17, 2023.Jawabri KH, Sharma S.Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions. [Updated 2023 Apr 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.Jawabri, K. H., & Sharma, S. (April 24, 2023).Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions.Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538496/Moini J, Piran P.Functional and Clinical Neuroanatomy A Guide for Health Care Professionals.2020.Moini J, Avgeropoulos NG, Samsam M.Epidemiology of Brain and Spinal Tumors.2021.Conn PM.Conn’s Translational Neuroscience. 2016.

Maldonado KA, Alsayouri K.Physiology, Brain. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; March 17, 2023.

Jawabri KH, Sharma S.Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions. [Updated 2023 Apr 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.

Jawabri, K. H., & Sharma, S. (April 24, 2023).Physiology, Cerebral Cortex Functions.Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538496/

Moini J, Piran P.Functional and Clinical Neuroanatomy A Guide for Health Care Professionals.2020.

Moini J, Avgeropoulos NG, Samsam M.Epidemiology of Brain and Spinal Tumors.2021.

Conn PM.Conn’s Translational Neuroscience. 2016.

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