POWERS OF THE MIND

• Forebrain - the biggest part of the brain. It consists of the cerebrum, which controls speech, language, emotion control, and memory, the limbic system, and the cerebral cortex
• Parts of the limbic system:

  1. Hippocampus
  2. Amygdala
  3. Hypothalamus
  4. Thalamus
• Hippocampus - focuses on learning and memory
• Amygdala - center of emotions like anger and aggression.
• Hypothalamus - responsible for processes like control of hunger and regulation of temperature, thirst, and circadian rhythm, which tells you when to eat or sleep and rise.
• Thalamus - controls flow of information going into the cerebral cortex which is distributed to muscles and senses and vice versa.
• The cerebral cortex is the outer thin layer of the forebrain.
• Midbrain - found between the forebrain and the hindbrain. It is responsible for eye movement and auditory information. It serves as the link in the signal transmission between the forebrain and the hindbrain.
• Parts of the hindbrain

  1. Cerebellum
  2. Medulla oblongata
  3. Pons
• Cerebellum - also known as little brain with numerous and deep folds, which controls movement and balance.
• Pons - responsible for arousal and sleep and waking up cycle
• Medulla oblongata - extension of the spinal cord that is found in the skull. It regulates circulation and other involuntary processes like heart rate, blood pressure, salivation, vomiting, coughing, and sneezing
• Frontal lobe - found at the front of the brain. It is responsible for higher level thinking processes like problem-solving, learning, and organizing. It also regulates memory, mobility, and attention
• Parietal lobe - back of the forebrain; this regions integrates sensory data like touch, pain, pressure, and temperature. It also helps in kinaesthasia or the perception that the limbs or body is moving.
• Temporal lobe - found near each ear. Its main function is to process auditory signals and information. It is an important component in understanding language and is involved in long-term memory encoding. The presence of tumor in this lobe can lead to hallucinations.
• Occipital lobe - found in the lower back of the cortex; its job is to process visual information like the detection and identification of colors, movement, and other visual stimuli. It gets information from the eyes and uses them to form perceptions and interpretations.