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Each Of These Lobes Performs A Specific Function. The Frontal Lobes Which Are ...

Each of these lobes performs a specific function.
The frontal lobes which are positioned behind the forehead are collectively called the prefrontal cortex. These are the areas that deal with planning and thinking, being responsible for monitoring higher order thinking, directing problem solving and regulating the emotional system. This is also the area of the brain that deals with personality. Damage to this area can cause considerable changes to an individual's personality.
Above the ears are the temporal lobes which deal with sound, music, face and object recognition, and some parts of long term memory. The speech centres are contained in the left side of the temporal lobes.
The occipital lobes which are used for visual processing are located at the back area of the brain. The parietal lobes are close to the top and deal mainly with spatial orientation, calculation and some types of recognition.

The Hippocampus:
The hippocampus, an area located in the mid brain, has an important role to play in memory function, with new neurons being added in this area all the time (Gage et al., 1998). It has been shown to have an important role in emotions, indexing and learning (Jensen, 1995, p.33), therefore making hormones an important factor in the work done by this part of the brain. It plays an important role in consolidating learning and converting information from working memory via electrical signals to the long term storage regions, a process which may take several days or months (Sousa, 2006, p.19).
Fuel for the Brain:
Like all organs in the body the brain needs fuel to function productively. The fuel which the brain uses is a combination of oxygen and glucose and the more complex the activity in which the brain is engaged, the more fuel is required. Research which will be discussed below has shown that exercise can increase the levels of oxygen in the brain as well as the ease with which this can be transported. The increased levels of oxygen that come about as a result of exercise mean that the brain has an increased capacity for learning.
Enriching the Environment:
Most of the changes we experience are as a result of the interaction between genes and the environment or the environment alone (Jensen, 2006, p.47). While the environment affects learning, so do internal factors such as our hormones, our emotions and our feelings which are, in turn, often shaped by the environment, thereby making the interaction between these factors cyclical in nature. These can all have either positive or negative effects on learning, a positive effect being desirable as it facilitates optimal learning. There is considerable evidence that an enriched environment, which includes physical activity, can have an impact on the brain and the learning process.

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