What are the major structures and areas of the brain, and what functions do they serve?
Physically, the brain has three more or less distinct areas: the central core, the limbic system, and the cerebrum. The central core consists of the hindbrain, cerebellum, midbrain, thalamus and hypothalamus, and reticular formation. The hindbrain is made up of the medulla, a narrow structure nearest the spinal cord that controls breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, and the pons, which produces chemicals that maintain our sleep-wake cycle. The medulla is the point at which many of the nerves from the left part of the body cross to the right side of the brain and vice versa. The cerebellum controls the sense of balance and coordinates the body’s actions. The midbrain, which is above the cerebellum, is important for hearing and sight and is one of the places in which pain is registered. The thalamus is a relay station that integrates and shapes incoming sensory signals before transmitting them to the higher levels of the brain. The hypothalamus is important to motivation and emotio
