Parts of the Brain

This parts of the brain chart is based on Paul MacLean's triune brain theory. An influential neuroscientist, MacLean believed that the human brain contains three separate "drivers" that control the neural chassis, each of which represents a major stage in our evolutionary development:

The Neural Chassis (Hindbrain and Midbrain)
Brain Stem controls important automatic functions such as heart rate and breathing	Pons involved in the transitions between being awake, being asleep, and dreaming	Cerebellum controls movements that have been learned and no longer require our direct attention such as keeping one's balance while walking, riding a bike, or playing the piano.	Midbrain involved primarily in facial and eye movements
1. The Reptilian Brain (shared with reptiles)
Basal Ganglia involved in initiating and controlling voluntary movements as well as reflex actions and instincts
2. The Limbic System / Emotional Brain (shared with all mammals)
Thalamus is the main relay station for transferring information from the inner parts of the brain to the outer parts	Hypothalamus controls the release of adrenaline as well as our appetite, sleep patterns and sex drive	Hippocampus takes items from our short-term memory and indexes them into long-term memory	Amygdala involved in producing and regulating our emotions, especially fear
3. The Neocortex / Rational Brain (shared with primates and other large mammals)
Frontal Lobes the CEO of the brain, performs rational functions such as imagining the future and using logic to solve problems	Parietal Lobes involved in the senses of taste, smell, and feel	Occipital Lobes process images from the eyes	Temporal Lobes process information from the ears and are involved in memory formation and retrieval