The brain, the cranial portion of the central nervous system, is the center for control of all nerve and sensory activity in the body. The weight of the brain is about three lbs. Parts of the brain include the cerebrum, cerebellum, pons, medulla oblongata and midbrain. It is further divided into frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes.
Cerebrum
The cerebrum is the largest area of the brain, and it is divided into the right and left hemispheres. The cerebrum is the part of the brain that processes the sensory impulses and voluntary muscle activity. It is the location of higher mental functioning such as the ability to reason and learn, memory, judgment, emotions and overall intelligence. The right hemisphere controls activity on the left side of the body, and the left hemisphere controls activity on the right side of the body.
Cerebellum
The cerebellum, the second largest area of the brain, is connected to the brain stem. It is divided into three segments--two hemispheres and a narrow middle portion. The cerebellum processes information from other parts of the brain and central nervous system to coordinate voluntary muscle movement.
Pons
The pons is located between the medulla oblongata and the midbrain on the ventral surface of the brainstem. It is the part of the brain that affects consciousness and respiration. Cranial nerves five through eight originate in the pons. These nerves control facial sensation and expression, tears and saliva production, chewing, outward eye movement, taste on the front part of the tongue, hearing and balance, according to merck.com.
Medulla Oblongata
The medulla oblongata is a part of the brain located in the lower portion of the brain stem. It is the origin of cranial nerves nine through 12. These nerves control neck, shoulder and tongue movement, swallowing, speech, gag reflex and internal organ muscles.
Midbrain
The midbrain is the connection between the pons and cerebellum. It is the origin for the third and fourth cranial nerves. These nerves control upward, downward and inward eye movement and pupil responses to light.
Lobes
The frontal lobes contain the personality center--impulse control, social and sexual behavior, memory and language. The right frontal lobe is active in non-verbal activities, and language activities are controlled by the left frontal lobe. The parietal lobe is the center for interpreting sensory information from various parts of the body to make it useful. The occipital lobes are the center for vision control. Temporal lobes, located on the side of the head above the ears, is the source for hearing, memory and some visual perceptions.
