The cerebrum or cortex is the central and largest part of the brain and is divided into the frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes, as well as into two hemispheres, which accord us creativity and logic. The frontal lobe governs our ability to solve problems, feel emotions, speak, plan and reason. The parietal lobe allows us to perceive stimuli, recognize people, move and orient ourselves. The occipital lobe is associated with our vision, and the temporal lobe permits us to hear, retain memories and recognize speech.
As the oldest part of the brain, the hindbrain is in control of our primal instincts for survival and mating, as well as the basic workings of our bodies. The hindbrain is composed of the spinal cord, which carries information to and from the brain; the medulla oblongata, which controls bodily functions such as digestion, breathing and heart rate; the pons, which sends and receives sensory information; and the cerebellum, which controls movement and posture.
The limbic system is the other peripheral part of the brain, where human emotions and memory reside. Parts of the limbic system include the amygdala, which causes us to have sweaty palms when we are nervous or fearful; the hippocampus, which helps us store and process our memories; the hypothalamus, which controls and monitors our sleep and wake cycles and our hunger; and the thalamus, through which all of our sensory signals must pass before being rerouted to other parts of the brain.