Frontal lobeThe front lobe, ahead of the central sulcus. It is mainly about movement, and its front part, the prefrontal area, serves personality, short-term memory and consciousness.
Parietal lobeBehind the central sulcus and above the lateral sulcus. Its main job is body sensation: touch, pressure, pain and the sense of body position.
Temporal lobeBelow the lateral sulcus. It holds the primary hearing area, and parts of it work in memory.
Occipital lobeThe back lobe, where vision is first processed.
CerebellumThe 'little brain' under the back of the cerebrum. It compares commands from the cerebrum with feedback from the body, for example while walking.
Corpus callosumThe thick band of white matter joining the brain's two halves. It is their main pathway for communication.
HypothalamusBelow and in front of the thalamus. It runs the autonomic nervous system and, through the pituitary gland, the endocrine system; parts of it work in memory and emotion.
BrainstemThe midbrain, pons and medulla together. The tapering stem that joins the brain to the spinal cord.
From the side: 8 2
Central sulcusThe groove between the frontal and parietal lobes.
Lateral sulcusThe deep groove above the temporal lobe. It separates that lobe from the frontal and parietal lobes.
Cut down the middle: 7 5
ThalamusThe relay station for sensory information on its way to the cortex. Every sense except smell passes through it.
Pituitary glandA small gland attached to the hypothalamus by a stalk. The hypothalamus regulates it.
MidbrainThe top of the brainstem. It coordinates what is seen, heard and felt.
PonsThe bulge in the middle of the brainstem. The brainstem's main connection with the cerebellum. With the medulla it helps regulate heart and breathing rates.
Medulla oblongataThe lowest part of the brainstem, running on into the spinal cord. With the pons it regulates heart and breathing rates.
Memory and emotion: 3 2
HippocampusA curved structure deep in the temporal lobe. With the amygdala and nearby cortex, it is involved in forming long-term memories.
AmygdalaAn almond-shaped structure involved in emotional responses. It lies in front of the hippocampus, deep in the temporal lobe.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-26. OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, section 13.2 The Central Nervous System, https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/13-2-the-central-nervous-system : the lateral sulcus separating the temporal lobe from the parietal and frontal lobes above it, which are separated by the central sulcus; the occipital lobe at the back, areas 17 and 18 for primary visual perception; the temporal lobe with primary auditory areas and memory; the parietal lobe for somatosensation (touch, pressure, pain, body position); the frontal lobe mainly motor, with the prefrontal lobe serving personality, short-term memory and consciousness; the corpus callosum as the main pathway between hemispheres; the hippocampus and amygdala as medial-lobe structures involved in long-term memory formation and emotional responses; the thalamus relaying all senses except smell to the cortex; the hypothalamus inferior and anterior to the thalamus, attached to the pituitary gland, running the autonomic and endocrine systems, with parts in the limbic system; the midbrain, pons and medulla as the brain stem, a tapering cone joining brain and spinal cord; the pons as the main connection with the cerebellum; the pons and medulla regulating cardiovascular and respiratory rates; the cerebellum comparing commands from the cerebrum with sensory feedback. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
A brain labeling quiz in two views: the outside from the left, with the four lobes and the hippocampus and amygdala shown through the temporal lobe, and the brain cut down the middle. Start with the 8 main parts.
Read the full guide
The outside: four lobes
The central sulcus divides the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe; the lateral sulcus sets the temporal lobe below them; the occipital lobe is at the back. The cerebellum tucks under the back and the brainstem runs down to the spinal cord.
Cut down the middle
The corpus callosum arches over the thalamus. The hypothalamus sits below and in front, with the pituitary gland hanging from it. Below, the brainstem runs from the midbrain through the pons to the medulla.
For AP Psychology, add a job to each name: occipital sees, temporal hears, hippocampus remembers, cerebellum coordinates.
Questions and answers
What are the four lobes of the brain?
Frontal at the front, parietal on top behind the central sulcus, temporal at the side below the lateral sulcus, and occipital at the back. Each half of the brain has all four.
What are the three parts of the brainstem?
The midbrain at the top, the pons in the middle and the medulla oblongata at the bottom, which runs on into the spinal cord.
Where are the hippocampus and amygdala?
Deep inside the temporal lobe, so they cannot be seen from outside. The diagram draws them dashed, as if seen through it; the amygdala sits just in front of the hippocampus.