There are three main Structures within the Limbic System and Limbic Structures
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Hypothalamus
Hippocampus
• The hippocampus is the part of the limbic system that is important for memory and learning.
Amygdala
• Two almond-shaped neural clusters in the limbic system that are linked with emotions.
• They are related with aggression and fear.
Hypothalamus
• One of the smallest structures in the brain.
• The neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; Composed of several nuclei. Small bundles of neurons that regulate physiological processes involved in motivated behavior e.g. hunger, thirst, regulation of body temperature.
• Hypothalamus acts as the body’s Thermostat.
• Helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.
• Is linked to emotions.
Homeostasis
Hypothalamus maintains the body’s internal equilibrium e.g. looking for food when energy levels are low, causing constriction of the blood vessels when body temperature falls. Cerebrum
• Largest part of the human brain, associated with higher brain functions such as thought and action..
• Occupies 2/3 of the brain’s total mass
• Consists of two symmetrical halves or hemispheres; The right cerebral hemisphere controls the left side of the body and vice versa.
• The hemispheres are connected by Corpus Callosum, a thick mass of nerve fibers.
• Cerebrum regulates the brain’s higher cognitive and emotional functions.
Cerebral Cortex
Coming from the Latin word for “bark”, cortex means covering, or sheath; the cortex is a sheet of tissue making up the outer layer of the brain. About 1/10 of an inch in thickness, the cortex is composed of some 30 billion nerve cells and 300 trillion synaptic connections. It is the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center.
