Functions of Different Parts of Brain
Different parts of the brain perform different functions and
influence the body differently. Below are the details of how different parts of
the brain work individually.
Forebrain
The forebrain has two main parts i.e. telencephalon or
cerebrum and diencephalon or tween brain that have further divisions. Each part
has a specific function. The limbic system is also part of the forebrain and
mainly includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala and basal
ganglia.
Telencephalon or Cerebrum
Cerebral Cortex
The cerebral cortex has four main lobes which have different functions as follows;
- The frontal lobe performs the functions of planning, problem-solving, judgment, motivation, decision-making, memory, learning and attention, etc. it also controls skeletal muscle movement, ocular movement and facial movement.
- The parietal lobe recognizes somatic sensations such as touch, pain, temperature, pressure and vibration. It also helps in recognizing, analyzing and memorizing visual and auditory sensations.
- The occipital lobe is associated with vision especially recognizing the sizes, shapes and colors of objects.
- The temporal lobe helps in sensing auditory stimuli such as hearing sounds, pitch and frequency.
Apart from these four lobes, the cerebral cortex is also
divided into two hemispheres i.e. left hemisphere which controls the right part
of the body and the right hemisphere which controls the left part of the body.
Both these hemispheres are attached by a white matter composed of nerve fibers
called corpus callosum.
Olfactory bulb
Diencephalon
The diencephalon connects different parts of the
telencephalon with the brainstem and that’s why it is called the post office of
the brain. It receives sensory signals from the nervous system, interprets
these signals and responds by excreting hormones from the pituitary gland,
controlling the sleep-wake cycle and motor functions.
The diencephalon has main parts such as the thalamus,
hypothalamus, epithalamus and subthalamus.
Thalamus
The thalamus is the relay center of the brain. It decides
which sensory input should be sent to which part of the brain and acts as a
receptionist in the brain. It collects information from the body and sends this
information to the appropriate parts of the brain. The thalamus is also
involved in the regulation of sleep, activeness, memory and learning.
Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is the control house of all the body
functions. It is also called the master regulator of the endocrine system. It
influences almost all functions of the body. It is connected to various organs
of the body as it releases hormones for those organs.
The hypothalamus brings about all necessary changes in the
body for survival. It regulates homeostasis, sleep-wake cycle, body
temperature, digestion and contraction of the urinary bladder. It also controls
involuntary functions of the body such as blood pressure, and heart rate and
has a major role in forming sexuality.
Epithalamus
The epithalamus is involved in circadian rhythm because of
the secretion of melatonin by its component pineal gland. It connects the
limbic system with other parts of the brain. It also helps in hormonal
secretions, involuntary functions and reproductive functions.
Subthalamus
The subthalamus plays a role in food intake and water
intake. It also has little contribution in regulating cardiovascular and sexual
activities.
Limbic system
The limbic system is also a part of the forebrain that
mainly consists of the amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia, cingulate gyrus
and some parts of the thalamus and hypothalamus.
Amygdala
The amygdala plays a
prominent function in mediating many aspects of emotional learning, behavior
and reward processing. It controls emotions such as fear, anxiety, depression,
pleasure, regression, aggression, sadness, sexual attraction and excitement,
etc. it is also involved in a variety of cognitive functions such as attention,
perception and memory.
Hippocampus
The hippocampus is often considered the brain’s memory
center because of its ability to convert short-term memory into long-lasting
memory. It helps to remember routes, recognize landmarks and different
positions. It also aids in the regulation of emotions and stress responses.
Basal Ganglia
The basal ganglia controls muscle tone, helps initiate
movements and controls associated and coordinated movements in different parts
of the body. The basal ganglia in association with the cerebral cortex,
thalamus and brainstem help smooth out and coordinate muscle movements.
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