The brainstem located at the base of the brain controls vital functions like breathing and heart rate. It includes the medulla, pons, and reticular formation. The limbic system including the amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus controls emotion, learning, memory and motivation. The cortex has four lobes - frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal - and is highly folded to fit its large surface area inside the skull.