Brain Anatomy

Brainstem: This is the lowest part of the brain. It connects the brain to the spinal cord. In fact, most cranial nerves come from the brain stem. The neurological functions of the brainstem are those needed for survival such as breathing, digestion, heart rate and blood pressure. It is also responsible for alertness. So without the brainstem, you wouldn’t even be as much as a vegetable!

Frontal Lobe: This is located in the front of the brain (duh! “frontal”?!). There are two parts of the frontal lobe. They are the anterior frontal lobe and the posterior frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is responsible for planning, problem solving, selective attention, personality and a variety of “high cognitive functions”. This part of the brain determines the “person” you are.

Cerebellum: (pronounced “cer-EE-brum”) This is located in the back of the brain. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that helps coordinate movements such as balance and muscle coordination. When it gets confused, (such as on a boat or a plane) you get motion sickness.

Occipital Lobe: This is also located in the back of the brain along with the cerebellum. The occipital lobe mostly processes any visual information received (Anything you see with your eyes). The occipital lobe also has areas involved in the association and recognition of shapes and colors.

Parietal Lobes: These are located on each side of the brain. The parietal lobes contain an area called the primary sensory cortex. This is responsible for sensation such as touch and pressure. Behind the primary sensory cortex is a large association area which controls finer sensations such as the judgment of texture, weight, size and shape. In other words, the parietal lobes process whatever you can feel or touch.

Temporal lobes: These lobes are also located on the sides of the brain about level with the ears. These parts are responsible for a person telling one thing from another such as a smell or sound (such as the difference between the smell of an apple and an orange). The temporal lobes also help in sorting any new information received in the brain. It is also believed that the temporal lobes have to do with short term memory. The left temporal lobe is mostly responsible for verbal memory such as words or names. The right lobe is mainly involved in visual memory such as pictures and faces.