While much of how the human brain works is still a mystery, neuroscientists have a solid grasp on how the four lobes of the brain play their part in making us function in our day-to-day lives.
The human brain is one of the most complex things to exist in the Universe,
so it goes without saying it is the most wondrous organ in the human body. While much of what makes the brain, and the billions of neurons in it, work are still a mystery, neuroscientists continually discover more about its fascinating features and functions.
Let's take a very basic look at the brain's four lobes, and more specifically, what purposes they serve:
Frontal Lobe
Every individual's personality is formed and determined in the frontal lobe. Much of what we think of as the human experience starts here: reasoning, problem-solving, planning, organizing, sexual urges, emotions, and motor skills (movement), are just a few of its functions.
Since it is located in front of the central cranium, the frontal lobe is extremely vulnerable to injury. The frontal lobe reaches full maturity at about the age of 25.
Parietal Lobe
Positioned behind the frontal lobe (starting at about the top second half of your head), the parietal lobe is responsible for integrating sensory information from various parts of the body. Additional functions include speech, understanding numbers, how to manipulate objects, spatial orientation (sense of direction), and perception of stimuli.
Occipital Lobe
The occipital lobe is the smallest in the human brain. Located in the furthest rear of the skull, it is the visual processing center since it contains the primary visual cortex. Visual functions include visual reception, visual-spatial processing, movement and color recognition.
Temporal Lobe
There are two temporal lobes in the human brain, each located on either side of the brain at about ear level. Home to the primary auditory cortex, the temporal lobes are responsible for all auditory processing. The formation of long-term memory begins here as well, along with deciphering new information.
The right lobe controls visual memory and the left controls verbal memory. Both temporal lobes distinguish and discriminate smell and sound from other smells and sounds respectively.
While there is much to learn about how the human brain functions, neuroscientists have a pretty good grasp through the study of each of the four lobes, which as a whole determine who we are as individuals.
