We explain the main divisions of the human brain.
This organ is organized into two hemispheres, left and right, which in turn are separated into 6 cerebral lobes, geographical portions of the brain that correlate with specific functions in the body.
In this article we will talk about the 6 lobes of the brain , focusing on the various processes and functions with which they are related.
- It may interest you: “The 16 types of neurons (functions and characteristics)”
Characteristics of the human brain
The human brain follows the same structure that can be seen in other mammalian brains, but its cerebral cortex – the outermost layer of the brain, organized in grooves and convolutions – is proportionally larger than that of any other animal.
It weighs around 1.5 kgs, representing a small percentage of our body mass. Even so, it consumes the same amount of energy that the entire musculoskeletal system needs at rest.
Brain activity controls multiple organ functions, managed by neural circuits organized in specific regions of the organ. The cerebral cortex, organized into hemispheres and lobes, is responsible for functions such as consciousness, thought, emotions, language or memory.
Structure and functions of the 6 lobes
The brain is divided into two symmetrical hemispheres , connected by a neural network known as the corpus callosum -which , curiously, can be eliminated without serious disruption to the lives of individuals-. These hemispheres are divided into six different lobes, related to different brain functions:
- frontal lobe
- parietal lobe
- the occipital lobe
- the temporal lobe
- the insular lobe
- The limbic lobe
Each of these lobes is related to a series of specific functions, but that does not mean that they are carried out only in this area of the brain, only that they are highly involved in carrying out the different brain tasks.
This is easily demonstrated when we observe that brain injuries cause effects that depend on the location of the damage .
- We also recommend: “Corpus callosum of the brain: anatomy, functions and parts”
Next, we explain the characteristics and functions of the different cerebral lobes.
1. frontal lobe
The frontal lobe is located at the very front of the brain, as its name suggests. It is separated from the parietal lobe by a “cleft” known as the central sulcus and is also separated from the temporal lobe by the lateral sulcus.
The frontal lobe is involved in tasks such as reasoning, motor control, emotions or language , carried out in the prefrontal cortex, the motor cortex and Broca’s area, respectively.
Damage to the frontal lobe causes a deficiency in emotional control, the ability to plan or reason. A perfect illustrative case exists in the infamous story of Phineas Gage , a railroad worker who received a terrible workplace injury, a stake to the frontal lobe.
Mr. Gage survived this injury, being blinded in his left eye by the mechanical action of the stake. The curious thing about Phineas Gage’s case is that after his accident he completely changed his personality , with serious difficulties to control his emotions, vocabulary or even to plan tasks, all parts of the personality related to the frontal lobe.
The primary motor cortex is also included within the frontal lobe. It is a thin “ribbon”, close to the central groove, which is responsible for voluntary movements. This area dedicates a certain space to process the movements of each of our body parts.
The space dedicated to each part depends mainly on the complexity of the movement, for example, each of our fingers is controlled by a section similar in size to that which the frontal lobe dedicates to an entire leg.
The frontal lobe is one of the most highly developed structures in humans, compared to its closest relatives. The closer an animal is to humans, phylogenetically speaking, the higher the level of development of its frontal lobe.
2. Parietal lobe
The parietal lobe is located just behind the frontal lobe , if we trace a path from the eyes to the nape of the neck. It is separated from the frontal lobe by the central sulcus, which borders both its central motor cortex and the primary somatosensory cortex, which is included within the parietal lobe and is responsible for processing tactile information.
Other areas of the parietal lobe are responsible for uniting other sensory information, such as temperature or pain. Thanks to the action of the parietal lobe, we can distinguish different nearby sensory stimuli as discrete events , rather than as a single stimulation. That is, it lets us know, for example, how many fingers are touching us.
This ability is reduced if the parietal lobe has been damaged, so there are tests of parietal lobe function based on testing the ability to discern how many points of contact the patient notices.
3. Temporal lobe
The temporal lobe is located on the side of the head . It is separated from the frontal lobe by the lateral fissure and is also responsible for processing sensory information, just like the parietal lobe. In this case the information is not tactile, but mainly auditory.
In this lobe is Wernicke’s area, which, like Broca’s area, is related to language, in this case with its understanding. Those with lesions in Wernicke’s area often have trouble understanding speech, but not producing understandable speech.
In addition, it is related to the processing of memory and emotions. The part closest to the center of the brain contains the hippocampus, part of the limbic system , a structure related to memory and the transformation of short-term memory into long-term memory.
The hippocampus is one of the parts most rapidly affected during dementing disorders, such as Alzheimer’s. Lesions in this area of the temporal lobe are also related to amnesic processes.
- To know more: “Temporal lobe: anatomy, functions and characteristics”
4. Occipital lobe
Located in the most posterior part of the brain, the occipital lobe is the main one in charge of processing visual information , particularly within the visual cortex, an area contained in this lobe.
The images that are processed within the occipital lobe in different areas depending on the proximity of the individual to the observed object. Damage to the occipital lobe can result in vision disturbances such as blindness.
5. Insular lobe
The insular lobe is one of the inner lobes of the brain . It consists of a part of the cerebral cortex that is folded deep within the lateral sulcus, which separates the temporal from the parietal and frontal lobes. They are believed to play an important role in consciousness, but are known to play an important role in emotions and homeostasis.
The insult lobe has functions in processes such as empathy, compassion, awareness or interpersonal experiences . It is not surprising then that the insular lobe plays an important role in certain psychological and psychiatric pathologies.
6. Limbic lobe
The limbic lobe is another of the inner lobes of the brain. It is a semicircle-shaped structure that runs through parts of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes . It is also known as the archicortex, which together with the paleocortex represent the oldest structures of the cerebral cortex evolutionarily speaking.
Its function is related to the limbic system and those needs of primitive life, but its functions are not as well characterized as those of the other lobes.
- It may interest you: “Limbic system: definition, anatomy, structures and functions”
Bibliographic references
- Rosales-Reynoso , M. , Juarez-Vazquez , C. , & Barros-Nunez , P. (2018). Evolution and genomics of the human brain. Neurology, 33(4), 254-265. doi:10.1016/j.nrl.2015.06.002.
- Westmoreland, B. et al. Medical Neurosciences: An Approach to Anatomy, Pathology, and Physiology by Systems and Levels. New York: NY. Little, Brown and Company, 1994.
- Carlson, Neil R. (2007). Psychology : the science of behaviour. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Education. ISBN 978-0-205-64524-4.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.