References:
- Lecturer (Jimenez)
The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is responsible for a wide range of higher cognitive functions. It is divided into four lobes: frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital.
- Frontal Lobe: This area is primarily associated with executive functions, such as decision-making, planning, problem-solving, and impulse control. It also plays a role in motor function and personality.
- Temporal Lobe: The temporal lobe is involved in auditory processing, language comprehension, memory formation (particularly the hippocampus within the temporal lobe), and emotion regulation.
- Parietal Lobe: This lobe is responsible for processing sensory information from various modalities, including touch, pain, temperature, and spatial orientation. It plays a crucial role in body awareness and spatial perception.
- Occipital Lobe: The occipital lobe is primarily responsible for visual processing and perception. It interprets visual information received from the eyes.
| Neurotransmitter | Primary Functions | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Dopamine | Motivation, reward, pleasure, movement | ↑ in schizophrenia (psychosis); ↓ in Parkinson’s disease; involved in addiction; antipsychotics target dopamine receptors |
| Serotonin | Mood, sleep, appetite, pain perception | ↓ in depression, anxiety, and OCD; SSRIs increase serotonin availability |
| Norepinephrine | Alertness, arousal, mood, stress response | ↓ in depression; ↑ in anxiety and mania; SNRIs and TCAs affect NE levels |
| Epinephrine (Adrenaline) | Fight-or-flight, stress response | Related to panic and acute stress responses |
| Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) | Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter; calming effect | ↓ in anxiety, seizures; benzodiazepines enhance GABA activity |
| Glutamate | Primary excitatory neurotransmitter; learning and memory | ↑ in excitotoxicity (e.g., schizophrenia, neurodegeneration); ↓ in some cognitive disorders |
| Acetylcholine | Learning, memory, attention, parasympathetic activity | ↓ in Alzheimer’s disease; anticholinergics affect cognition and memory |
| Histamine | Sleep-wake regulation, immune response | Antihistamines can cause sedation; H1 antagonists are sometimes used for sleep/anxiety |