Let’s talk about the major parts of the limbic system. First, we have the thalamus, which is a portion of the brain that is responsible for detecting and relaying information from our senses, such as smell and vision. The thalamus is located within the brainstem and is part of the pathway of information into the cerebrum, which is the section of the brain that is responsible for thinking and movement.
Next, we have the hypothalamus, which is a vital portion of the limbic system that is responsible for producing multiple chemical messengers, called hormones. These hormones control water levels in the body, sleep cycles, body temperature and food intake. The hypothalamus is located beneath the thalamus.
The cingulate gyrus, meanwhile, serves as a pathway that transmits messages between the inner and outer portions of the limbic system.
The amygdala is one of two almond-shaped clusters of nerve cells in the temporal (or side) lobe of the cerebrum. Both amygdalae are responsible for preparing the body for emergency situation, such as being ‘startled,’ and for storing memories of events for future recognition. Amygdalae assist in the development of memories, particularly those related to emotional events and emergencies. The amygdalae are also involved specifically with the development of the fear emotion and can be the cause of extreme in pleasure and sexual arousal and may vary in size depending on the sexual activity and maturity of the individual.
The hippocampus is another section of the temporal lobe that is responsible for converting short-term memories into long-term memories. The hippocampus is thought to work with the amygdala for memory storage, and damage to the hippocampus may lead to amnesia (or memory loss).
Finally, we have the basal ganglia, which are a collection of nerve cell bodies that are responsible for coordinating muscular movement in posture. Specifically, the basal ganglia help to block unwanted movements from occurring and directly connect with the cerebrum for coordination.
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