http://www.AnatomyHQ.org of the major sections of the brain. Covers the functions of the lobes critical complexes.

1. The Anatomy of the Human Brain
The Brain is the most intricate structure in the known universe. It dictates a plethora of bodily
actions; processing sensory information; modifying biochemical processes; coordinating movement
and of course, providing us the ability of higher thought/perception. There are three primary areas
of the human brain:
• The rhombencephalon
• The midbrain
• The forebrain
Hindbrain
The hindbrain is made up of the brain stem and cerebellum and controls a great variety of actions. It
is positioned in the cranial cavity.
One key form that makes up the hindbrain is the medulla oblongata. The medulla oblongata is
connected to the spine and is so crucial to life that pathogens disturbing it are often fatal.
Another important area is the cerebellum. This region is sometimes called the “little brain”. It looks
different to the rest of the brain. It has a surface of densely folded gray matter. It is mainly involved
with movement.
The Pons measures approximately 3cm long and lies next to the Mid-brain and the lower part of the
brain stem (medulla). It contains nuclei that have a role with sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder
control, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture.
Midbrain
The Midbrain/Mesencephalon is superior to the Pons and below the cerebral hemispheres. The rear
structure of the midbrain is known as the tectum, it is involved in reflexes relating to auditory
processes and visual processes (e.g. the eye movement, pupil size, lens shape). The ventral portion
of the midbrain is known as the tegmentum, it is an elaborate interconnected network of nerves in
charge of unconscious homeostatic and reflexive pathways.
Prosencephalon
The Forebrain is above both the rhombencephalon and the midbrain as well as being the most
ventral. It has significant roles in the following actions:
 Mastication
 Directs sensory impulses through the body
 Equilibrium
 Vision

2.  Eye movement
 Facial sensation
 Hearing
 Phonation
 Intelligence
 Memory
 Personality
 Respiration
 Salivation
 Swallowing
 Smell
 Taste
The rhombencephalon is split into 2 fundamental structures:
 Telencephalon
The cerebral cortex is the folded outer structure of the brain, in humans it is between just less than
half a cm thick. It has the highest levels of non- insulated grey matter of any section of the brain. The
cortex forms folded bulges (thus significantly expanding the part without increasing the volume)
called gyri; so much so that more than 2 thirds of the brain lie in these crevices (known as sucli).
The Frontal lobe is the most forward region of the lobes and is additionally superior to the temporal
lobe. This structure of the brain is related with some of of the the most central traits associated with
personality (e.g ability to know future results of actions), learning, impulse control, and prioritising
actions. It is host to most of the brain’s dopamine receptors (these are the significant feedback
through which learning is waged).
The temporal lobes are inferior to the frontal and parietal lobe and anterior to the occipital lobe.
Studies suggest they are the fundamental area of the brain involved in declarative memory; damage
to the temporal lobes can result in an inability to form memory after the point of damage
(anterograde amnesia). They contain the hippocampus (long-term memory) and are concerned
hearing and higher visual perception (e.g. facial recognition).

3. The parietal lobe is ahead of the occipital lobe, behind the frontal lobe and above of the temporal
lobes. The border between the frontal lobe and the parietal lobe is marked by the central sulcus. The
border between the occipital lobe and the parietal lobe is marked by the parieto-occipito sulcus and
the border between the temporal lobe and the parietal lobe is marked by the lateral sulcus. The
parietal lobe coordinates information from multiple senses in order to establish spatial orientation.
The Occipital lobe is the most posterior of all the main lobes of the brain. Anatomically this part
contains most of the visual cortex (Brodmann area 17) and damage to the occipital lobes results in
crucial homonomous vision loss (i.e. the effect is the same in both eyes). The occipital lobes are
where shape, colour, and like the temporal lobes, facial recognition take place. Projections from the
occipital lobe to the superior temporal-parietal area are major for perceiving motion of objects.
The basal ganglia are a region of the corpus striatum and are in essentially a set of interconnected
nuclei within the brain. Nervous impulses from the cerebral cortex pass to the basal ganglia where it
is processed and then sent back through the thalamus. There are a great deal of connections and
pathways within and although the basal ganglia have long been known to be involved in movement;
it is known this is not there only function, though the exact process in relation to behaviour control
have yet to be properly established. Evidence suggests that during learning, basal ganglia and medial
temporal lobe memory systems are activated simultaneously and that in some learning situations
competitive interference exists between these two systems. One theory suggests the basal ganglia
decides which out of a number of possible actions the cortex may be planning, actually gets
executed. Fitting this with idea that dopamine is used as a reward system for learning.