2016, pp. 371–9). For example, the amygdala sends alert signals to the
hypothalamus that controls automatic responses to fear. The amygdala also
cooperates with the nearby hippocampus in adding emotional components to
memories. Thehippocampus(from the Greek“sea horse”) is found below the
amygdala and has gained special importance in the study of memory (Squire
& Kandel, 1999, pp. 109–12; Eichenbaum, 2012, pp. 235–42). It plays a crucial
role in the formation of long-term memories about facts and events, as we will
see in Chapter 4 shortly.
The main divisions of the cerebral cortex have been named after the
respective bones of the skull that cover them. Remember that each of these
divisions come in symmetrical pairs in the two hemispheres. Starting at
the back of the head, we have theoccipital lobe. This part of the brain is
best known for its key role played in vision: the thalamus sends input to
this region and in the primary visual cortex (at the back end of the occipital
lobe) the processing of visual signals begins (Mather, 2006, pp. 196–206;
Ward, 2006, pp. 103–12). Visual information then proceeds on two different
pathways (a dorsal and ventral route). Toward the top of the head wefind
theparietal lobe. It is divided from the frontal lobe by a vertical groove
called the central sulcus. Parallel to the central sulcus, the so-called somato-
sensory cortex collects signals from all sensory neurons in the body along
different pathways and contains a full representation of the human body
Figure 3.3.The limbic system of the human brain.56 Cognitive Science and the New Testament