In this guide
Core concept
What is the cerebrum?
The cerebrum is the large, folded part of the brain that fills much of the skull. It supports conscious perception, voluntary movement, language, learning, memory, attention, decision-making, and many other complex activities.
Its outer covering is the cerebral cortex, a thin layer of grey matter containing many nerve cells. Beneath the cortex are deeper structures and connecting pathways that help different brain regions exchange information.
The cerebrum is divided into left and right hemispheres. They work together rather than operating as two separate brains, with the corpus callosum providing a major communication route between them.
A useful correction to the “left-brained” idea
Some tasks may rely more heavily on one hemisphere, but everyday abilities such as language, creativity, reasoning, and problem-solving involve networks across both sides. A person is not simply a “left-brained” or “right-brained” type.
The left and right hemispheres
Each hemisphere generally communicates with and controls much of the opposite side of the body. The left hemisphere is linked with the right side, while the right hemisphere is linked with the left. This arrangement is called contralateral organisation.
The two sides have areas that specialise in different aspects of processing, but sensory information and actions are coordinated across wider networks. Hand preference, speech, attention, and visual processing are influenced by several interacting regions.
| Left hemisphere examples | Right hemisphere examples |
|---|---|
| Language-related processing in many people | Some aspects of spatial attention and visual relationships |
| Sequencing, analysis, and calculation in certain tasks | Integrating broad patterns and context in certain tasks |
| Control of many right-side movements | Control of many left-side movements |
The four cerebral lobes
Each hemisphere is commonly described as having four named lobes. Their boundaries are based on prominent grooves, and their functions overlap through connected brain networks.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobe contributes to planning, decision-making, attention, working memory, emotional regulation, language production, and voluntary movement. The primary motor cortex, which helps control deliberate movement, lies near its rear boundary.
Frontal networks help us hold a goal in mind, choose between actions, and adjust behaviour when circumstances change. These abilities develop over time and depend on connections with many other parts of the brain.
Parietal lobe
The parietal lobe helps process touch, pressure, temperature, and information about the position of the body. It also contributes to spatial awareness, attention, and the integration of information from different senses.
For example, recognising where an object is located or judging how to reach towards it requires sensory and spatial processing that involves parietal networks.
Temporal lobe
The temporal lobe supports hearing, language comprehension, memory, and the recognition of meaningful objects and sounds. The hippocampus, an important structure for forming and organising new memories, lies within the medial temporal region.
Temporal areas work with other networks to connect sounds and words with meaning, and to relate new experiences to information already learned.
Occipital lobe
The occipital lobe is especially important for vision. It receives and analyses signals that begin in the eyes, helping the brain detect features such as colour, edges, movement, and position before information is combined into a visual experience.
Important connected structures
The cerebrum contains and connects with several deeper structures. These regions do not work in isolation; they form circuits with the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord.
Amygdala
The amygdala is a small paired structure in the temporal region. It helps evaluate the emotional significance of experiences and contributes to learning, memory, and responses to possible threats.
Thalamus
The thalamus acts as an important relay and processing hub for many sensory and motor signals travelling to and from the cerebral cortex. It also participates in attention, alertness, and sleep-related rhythms.
Basal ganglia
The basal ganglia are a group of deep brain structures involved in selecting and refining movement. They also contribute to learning, habits, and aspects of goal-directed behaviour.
Olfactory bulb
The olfactory bulbs sit near the front underside of the brain and begin the processing of smell information. Smell has close links with memory and emotion because olfactory pathways connect with several limbic and cortical regions.
Surface area and brain folds
The cerebrum’s surface is marked by raised folds called gyri and grooves called sulci. Folding allows a large cortical surface to fit within the limited space of the skull.
These folds are a normal feature of the brain, and the cortex works as an interconnected sheet rather than a collection of isolated bumps. Information is continually shared between nearby regions and longer-distance networks.
Keep exploring
To connect this topic with the wider brain, continue to the cerebral cortex overview, or compare the cerebrum with the cerebellum and brainstem.