Lecture Notes: Structure and Functions of the Brain

Main Regions of the Brain

• Cerebrum
  • Most prominent region
  • Divided into left and right hemispheres
  • Functions largely overlap but some show laterality
  • Features folds:
    • Gyri (ridges)
    • Sulci (grooves) and large sulci are called fissures
  • Divided into four lobes:

Lobes of the Cerebral Hemispheres

• Frontal Lobes

  • Located at the front
  • Responsible for higher executive functions (attention, critical thinking, impulse control)
  • Last to fully develop (in 20s)
  • Location of the primary motor cortex (in the precentral gyrus)
  • Central sulcus divides frontal and parietal lobes

• Parietal Lobes

  • Process sensory information
  • Primary somatosensory cortex (located in the postcentral gyrus)
  • Responsible for touch, pain, and higher-level visual processing

• Temporal Lobes

  • Located on the sides, separated by the lateral fissure
  • Role in sensory processing (hearing, smell, taste, visual processing)
  • Important for speech and memory
  • Contains hippocampus and amygdala (part of limbic system)

• Occipital Lobes

  • Located at the back
  • Primary function is visual information processing

Cerebellum

• Located inferior to occipital lobes
• Divided into two hemispheres
• Regulates and controls movement
• Involved in cognitive functions like emotions

Brainstem

• Positioned between cerebrum and spinal cord
• Regulates critical functions (heart rate, breathing, sleep)
• Contains most cranial nerves

Spinal Cord

• Part of the central nervous system, but not part of the brain
• Receives sensory information from and sends motor information to the body
• Responsible for involuntary motor reflexes
• Can process information independently from the brain

These notes summarize the key points about the regions of the brain, their divisions, and major functions as presented in the lecture. They serve as a reference for understanding the brain's anatomy and its roles in various bodily functions.