Brain Anatomy Review
● 4 Lobes
○ Frontal Lobe → front
○ Temporal Lobes → each side of the brain
○ Parietal Lobe → top rear
○ Occipital Lobe → bottom rear
● 3 Parts
○ Cerebrum (everything except for cerebellum & brainstem)
○ Cerebellum
○ Brainstem
● Central Nervous System
○ Composed of the brain & spinal cord
○ Control center of the body, sends signals to/from body, coordinates reflexes & responses
● Cerebral Cortex → outermost layer of the brain, responsible for high-level cognitive functions
(like tree bark for our brains)
○ Gray matter surrounding the cerebrum
○ Accommodates growth of the brain
● Ancient vs. Modern Brain
○ Brain evolved over time -- older functions are deeper inside
■ Ancient brain → brainstem, limbic system (survival: eating, breathing)
■ Modern brain → cortex (thinking, reasoning, languages)
○ Nesting Doll analogy: older parts at the core, newer parts as the outer layers of the brain
● Limbic System
○ Regulates emotions, memory & motivation
○ Includes hippocampus (memory), hypothalamus (homeostasis) and amygdala (fight or
flight)
● Brain Hemispheres
○ Left for Logic (analytical/critical thinking, mathematical skills, language processing)
○ Right: creativity, music, artistic expression/abilities
● 4 Lobes
○ Frontal Lobe → front
○ Temporal Lobes → each side of the brain
○ Parietal Lobe → top rear
○ Occipital Lobe → bottom rear
● 3 Parts
○ Cerebrum (everything except for cerebellum & brainstem)
○ Cerebellum
○ Brainstem
● Central Nervous System
○ Composed of the brain & spinal cord
○ Control center of the body, sends signals to/from body, coordinates reflexes & responses
● Cerebral Cortex → outermost layer of the brain, responsible for high-level cognitive functions
(like tree bark for our brains)
○ Gray matter surrounding the cerebrum
○ Accommodates growth of the brain
● Ancient vs. Modern Brain
○ Brain evolved over time -- older functions are deeper inside
■ Ancient brain → brainstem, limbic system (survival: eating, breathing)
■ Modern brain → cortex (thinking, reasoning, languages)
○ Nesting Doll analogy: older parts at the core, newer parts as the outer layers of the brain
● Limbic System
○ Regulates emotions, memory & motivation
○ Includes hippocampus (memory), hypothalamus (homeostasis) and amygdala (fight or
flight)
● Brain Hemispheres
○ Left for Logic (analytical/critical thinking, mathematical skills, language processing)
○ Right: creativity, music, artistic expression/abilities
