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Brain
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cerebrum | Largest part of the brain; responsible for thinking, reasoning, memory, and voluntary movement. |
| Cerebellum | Controls balance, posture, and coordination of movements. |
| Brain stem | Connects the brain to the spinal cord; controls basic life functions like breathing and heart rate. |
| Pons | A part of the brain stem that helps regulate breathing and relays messages between different brain regions. |
| Medulla oblongata | Controls vital involuntary functions such as heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. |
| Parietal lobe | Processes touch, temperature, pain, and helps with spatial awareness. |
| Main area for processing visual information. | |
| Frontal lobe | Involved in decision-making, problem solving, planning, and voluntary movement. |
| Temporal lobe | Handles hearing, language, and memory. |
| Motor cortex | Controls voluntary muscle movements. |
| Sensory cortex | Processes sensory information from the body (touch, pressure, pain, temperature). |
| Corpus callosum | Thick band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain. |
| Pituitary gland | “Master gland” of the endocrine system; releases hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, and other glands. |
| Thalamus | Acts as a relay station for sensory information traveling to the cortex. |
| Hypothalamus | Regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep, and controls the pituitary gland. |
| Hippocampus | Important for forming and storing new memories and learning. |