The hypothalamus is the main center of biological needs, endocrinal and vegetative regulation. It controls hormone release and the function of inner organs, including the hormone release and the function of inner organs in stressful situations. In the hypothalamus are also located the groups of neurons that have different functions linked to needs, motivation, and emotions. The hypothalamus has to do with hunger, thirst, fear, aggression, and sexual and parental behavior.

The cerebral cortex is divided into paleocortex, archicortex, and neocortex. The paleocortex is olfactory. The paleocortex arose at the earliest point in the evolution. The fish already has it. Therefore, the cerebral cortex arose in order to smell. It is located closest to the nasal cavity. In fish the cerebral cortex is primarily responsible for the olfaction and in people only 2 percent of the cortex has to do with the olfaction. To the paleocortex belong the olfactory bulb and several regions that are located on the outer space of the cerebral cortex next to the front part of the corpus callosum.

In the course of evolution, the cerebral cortex starts to have to do with other tasks. More precisely, at the level of amphibian and reptile (while the transition of vertebrates from water to land) develops in more pronounced form the archicortex. The archicortex are primarily the centers of the short-term memory. The main one is the hippocampus that is located deep inside the temporal lobe at the end of the hippocampal fissure.

But the main part (more than 95 percent of the cerebral cortex) is the neocortex that is typical for mammals. To the neocortex belong sensor, movement, and associative regions. The neocortex is divided into six lobes. Four of them are well known: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes. Besides of that there are also insular and limbic lobes.