The cerebrum is split into left and right hemispheres, and each has frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. Each hemisphere mostly controls and feels the opposite side of the body.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobe plans, decides and controls behavior, and its primary motor cortex starts voluntary movement. In most people the left frontal lobe holds Broca's area for producing speech.
Parietal lobe
The parietal lobe receives touch, pain, temperature and position sense and builds a map of the body in space. Right parietal damage can cause neglect of the left side.
Temporal lobe
The temporal lobe processes hearing and forms memories, with the hippocampus on its inner side. Wernicke's area, usually on the left, lets us understand language.
Occipital lobe
The occipital lobe at the back of the brain processes vision. Damage on one side causes loss of the opposite half of the visual field in both eyes.
| Lobe | Main jobs | Signs of damage |
|---|---|---|
| Frontal | Movement, planning, behavior, speech output | Weakness on the other side, personality change, halting speech |
| Parietal | Body sensation, spatial awareness | Numbness, neglect, trouble dressing or drawing |
| Temporal | Hearing, memory, understanding language | Memory loss, fluent speech that makes little sense, seizures |
| Occipital | Vision | Visual field loss |
At the bedside
Facial droop, arm weakness and trouble speaking together point to a stroke in one hemisphere, so act fast with BE-FAST. A mental status exam and a quick language check help show which lobe is involved.
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Written by Making Synapses. Topic reference: OpenStax, Anatomy and Physiology 2e (no text adapted).