What Are Cerebral Hemispheres Divided Into?

The largest part of the brain is the cerebral cortex, a network of neurons that regulates human behavior, skills and talents. It is divided into two asymmetric hemispheres that share information through a system of fibers called corpus callosum. Each hemisphere controls the functions of the opposite side of the body, and different skills and abilities, such as face recognition or language.

Two Hemispheres

• Most people have a dominant hemisphere. For right-handed people, the left side of the brain is dominant; for left-handed people, the right side. The left hemisphere deals with concrete processes, such as language, logical abilities and mathematical operations; while the right hemisphere processes spatial visualizations, nonverbal behavior and artistic talents that involve creativity, such as music or painting. Each of the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes.

Frontal Lobes

• Frontal lobes are situated just behind the forehead and control intellectual processes such as thinking and reasoning. They also account for an individual's personality traits, and they control behavior and emotional responses to external events. A small region in the left frontal lobe, called Broca's area, is the language center. It was discovered in 1861 by a French neurosurgeon, Paul Broca, and it converts thought into spoken or written language.

Temporal Lobes

• The temporal lobes are situated near the temples. They process information related to smell, sound volume and frequency, and spatial visualization, like face recognition. They also enable memorization and help with retrieving memorized information. Ten years after Broca's breakthrough, German neurologist Carl Wernicke discovered the brain area that controls language understanding and converts words into meaningful messages. "Wernicke's area" is situated on the left back part of the temporal lobe.

Parietal and Occipital Lobes

• Parietal lobes are located right behind the frontal lobes; they process information from senses such as pain, taste, touch and temperature. They also connect auditory and visual information to memories, so an image or a sound can trigger a certain memory associated with it. Likewise, visual perceptions can activate memorized images analyzed by the occipital lobes, also called the visual cortex. All visual information and the ability to identify objects, colors and movement are processed in the occipital lobes situated at the back of the head.