The brain is the central processing system in the human body and helps to co-ordinate, communicate and maintain many of the vital functions and processes, including consciousness, emotions and behavior. The brain is able to process the myriad of information and perform its tasks by dividing into several regions. Each region of the brain is responsible for different roles and functions. The important regions are the cerebral cortex, brain stem, cerebellum, diencephalon and the limbic system.
Cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex is comprised of several important lobes. The frontal lobe is responsible for processing information involved with decision making, solving problems and planning. The parietal lobe is is concerned with processing sensory and motor information from the body. The temporal lobe processes information that pertains to speech, language, hearing and memory. The occipital lobe is situated in the most posterior position of the brain and is mainly responsible for vision.
Brain Stem
The brain stem is the region that connects the brain organ to the spinal cord, and is important for controlling the body's vital functions like respiration, eating and appetite, sleeping, pulse rate and heart beat.
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is the main region for controlling and maintaining balance and posture. It is also responsible for repetitive and complex movements in the body. The cerebellum lies in the lower posterior area of the the brain. Problems or diseases that affect the cerebellum--for example, metastatic brain cancer, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease--manifest symptoms that affect movements involved with posture, walking and balance.
Diencephalon
The diencephalon region is made up of the hypothalamus and the thalamus. The hypothalamus houses the important pituitary gland, i.e., the body's master gland, which is important for the regulation and production of many of the vital hormones necessary for homeostatic activities and hormonal balance in the body. The thalamus region is important for controlling bodily movements and sensory perceptions.
Limbic System
The limbic system is responsible for controlling and regulating the motivational drive and emotions of a person. It is also involved with short-term and long-term memory processing. The limbic system is also important for emotions that help with survival, such as anger and fear. It determines how we interact and respond to our environments. The limbic system is part of a whole network of nerve fibers and brain cells (neurons) that controls pleasure. This network is commonly known as the "reward system." Activities like eating and sex are rewarded by pleasurable sensations that makes the person repeat the action or activity again. The limbic system is one of the main areas of the brain that is involved with addictive behaviors, such as alcoholism and drug abuse.
