Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

 limbic system 
.
Consisting of a series of doughnut-shaped structures that 
thalamus
The part of the brain located 
in the middle of the central core that 
acts primarily to relay information 
about the senses.
hypothalamus
A tiny part of the 
brain, located below the thalamus, that 
maintains homeostasis and produces 
and regulates vital behavior, such as 
eating, drinking, and sexual behavior.
limbic system
The part of the brain 
that controls eating, aggression, and 
reproduction.
Corpus callosum
Bridge of fibers passing
information between the
two cerebral hemispheres
Hypothalamus
Responsible for regulating basic
biological needs: hunger, thirst,
temperature control
Pituitary gland
“Master” gland that regulates
other endocrine glands
Pons
Involved in sleep and arousal
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Thalamus
Relay center for cortex;
handles incoming and
outgoing signals
Cerebellum
Controls bodily balance
Medulla
Responsible for regulating largely
unconscious functions such as
breathing and circulation
Spinal cord
Responsible for communication
between brain and rest of body;
involved in simple reflexes
Cerebral cortex
Midbrain
Olfactory bulb
FIGURE 3 
The major structures in the brain. 
(Source: Brooker, Widmaier, Graham, & Stiling, 2008.)
feL82795_ch03_058-095.indd Page 83 20/07/10 11:26 PM user-f463
feL82795_ch03_058-095.indd Page 83 20/07/10 11:26 PM user-f463
/Volumes/202/MH00543_r1/hin73516_disk1of1/0073373516/Access_Archive/hin73516_...
/Volumes/202/MH00543_r1/hin73516_disk1of1/0073373516/Access_Archive/hin73516_

---