Structure and areas of

Human Brain
Major areas in Human Brain
The Brain Stem
Medulla
Pons
The reticular Formation
Cerebellum
Medulla

• The first swelling at

the top of the
spinal cord,
forming the lowest
part of the brain.
• The upper part of
the spinal cord and
the lower part of
the brain are highly
interconnected.
Major Functions of medulla -

• Controls life sustaining functions such as

breathing, swallowing and heart rate.
• Nerves coming from and going to the left side of
the brain controls the right side of the body and
vice versa and hence brings about crossover.
Pons
• The larger swelling
above the medulla
that connects the
top of the brain to
the bottom.
• The plays a part in
sleep, dreaming,
left right body
coordination, and
arousal.
Reticular
Formation (RF)

• Area of neurons
running through
the middle of the
medulla and the
pons and slightly
beyond.
 Functions of RF
• Allows people to ignore constant
unchanging information and
become alert to changes in
information.
• Keep people alert and aroused.
• Has reticular activating system
(RAS) and stimulates the upper
part of the brain, keeping people
awake and alert.
Cerebellum
• Cerebellum means
Little Brain
• The part of the brain
located behind the
pons
• Looks like small brain
Functions of cerebellum
• Controls all
involuntary, rapid, fine
motor movement
• Maintains body
equilibrium
• Coordinates voluntary
movements
• Learned reflexes, skills,
and habits are stored
and becomes more or
less automatic
Structures under the cortex
• Limbic system is a
group of several brain
structures located
under the cortex and
involved in learning,
emotion, memory and
motivation

• It includes Thalamus,
Hypothalamus,
Hippocampus, and
Amygdala
Thalamus
• Is located in the
center of the brain
• Relays sensory
information from the
lower part of the
brain to the proper
areas of the cortex
• Processes some
sensory information
before sending it to
its proper areas
Hypothalamus • Located below the
thalamus and directly
above the pituitary
gland
• Regulates temperature,
thirst, hunger, sleeping,
waking, sexual activity
and emotions
• Controls the pituitary
gland
Hippocampus
• Curved structure located
within each temporal
lobe
• Responsible for the
formation of long-
term(permanent)
memories
• Acetylcholine is involved
in memory function of
hippocampus
• Deterioration in
hippocampus leads to
memory problems
Amygdala
• Area of brain located
near hippocampus
• Responsible for fear
responses and
memory of fear
• Information is first
sent to amygdala
before the upper part
of brain is involved so
that the person
responds immediately
 Cortex
• Outermost covering of the brain consisting of densely
packed neurons, responsible for higher thought
processes and interpretation of sensory input.
• Cortex is wrinkled and this wrinkling is called
corticalization.
The Lobes

• The cortex is divided into

two hemispheres called the
cerebral hemispheres,
which are connected by
corpus callosum.
• Each hemisphere is divided
into four sections based on
deeper wrinkles, or fissures-
 Occipital Lobes
 Parietal Lobes
 Temporal Lobes
 Frontal Lobes
Occipital Lobes
• Located in rear of the head
• Contains primary visual
cortex and visual
association cortex
• Primary visual cortex
processes visual
information
• Visual association cortex
helps in identifying and
making sense of visual
information
Parietal Lobes • Located at the top and
back of the brain
• Contains
somatosensory cortex
• Processes information
from the skin and
internal body receptors
for touch, temperature
and body position
Temporal Lobes
• Located just behind the
temples of the head
• Contains primary
auditory cortex and
auditory association
area
• auditory association
area contains neurons
responsible for the
sense of hearing and
meaningful speech
Frontal Lobe • Located at the front of
the brain
• Responsible for higher
mental processes and
language
• Connected to limbic
system and controls
emotions
• Contains motor cortex –
sends motor commands
to the muscles of the
somatic nervous system
 Areas associated with cortex
• Areas within cortex made up of neurons
• Makes connection between sensory
information coming into the brain and
stored memory
 Brocas’s area
Wernicke’s area
Broca’s Area
• Located in left frontal lobe
but for very few in right
frontal lobe
• Allows a person to speak
smoothly and fluently
• Damage to this particular
region will bring about
Broca’s aphasia
Wernicke’s Area
• Located in left temporal
lobe
• Involved in
understanding the
meaning of words
• Damage to this
particular region will
bring about Wernicke’s
aphasia
• Spatial Neglect
Damage to the association areas of the right
hemispheres resulting in an inability to
recognize objects or body partsin the left visual
field
Cerebellum
PONS
Pons medulla oblongata, pons cerebellum