The brain is an integral part to our everyday functioning.

Without parts of it, even simple and

mundane tasks would become either incredibly difficult or impossible. For example, what would be the
impact if different parts of the brain stopped working such as the: Pons, Amygdala, Cerebellum, Medulla
and Hypothalamus. What would happen to a relatively easy task such as walking the dog, if some of
these sections of the brain were damaged or ceased to work.

Firstly, there is the pons. The pons is “A structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the
rest of the brain” (Schacter, D. et al, Introducing Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Worth 2015, p. 68). The
Pons acts as a bridge between the cerebellum and the rest of the brain. So, the pons makes possible the
flowing of the information from the cerebellum throughout the whole brain. When walking your dog,
the cerebellum is chiefly responsible for you holding onto the leash. The pons however, acts as a
distributor of information to the other parts of the brain. The pons relays that information from the
cerebellum to the rest of the brain. Without it, the cerebellum would have major difficulties relaying
messages to other portions of the brain. This would result in a significant decrease in fine motor control
making an everyday task like holding a leash while on a dog walk impractically difficult.

Secondly, there is the medulla. Medulla is "an extension of the spinal cord into the skull that
coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration" (Schacter, D. et al, Introducing Psychology (3rd ed.).
New York: Worth 2015, p. 67). The function and importance of this section of the brain is rather straight
forward when applying it to the example of walking the dog. Just because it is simple doesn’t mean that
it isn’t of paramount importance. While walking your dog the medulla is keeping your heart rate at a
constant 90 bpm. It would be most unfortunate the medulla suddenly stopped functioning during a dog
walk. If it did you may have troubles breathing and pass out. Your dog would most likely be put out to
say the least.

Thirdly, there is the cerebellum. The cerebellum is "a large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine
motor skills" (Schacter, D. et al, Introducing Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Worth 2015, p. 67). It makes
sure we go through the proper sequence of movements for every task, and thus allows us to maintain
balance while walking and running (Schacter, D. et al, Introducing Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Worth
2015). It also "contributes to the fine-tuning of behavior: smoothing our actions to allow their graceful
execution rather than initiating the actions" (Schacter, D. et al, Introducing Psychology (3rd ed.). New
York: Worth 2015, p. 67). While walking your dog, the cerebellum will make sure that you keep balance.
Otherwise, you would be constantly stumbling, and likely wouldn't even be able to walk in a straight
line. You also would not be able to smoothly do things such as pulling your dog's collar back if he tries to
run, play with your dog if you decide to do so, or many of the other activities that you may potentially
do during the walk, without the cerebellum.

In addition to this, there is also the Hypothalamus. The Hypothalamus is "located below the thalamus
[and] regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior” (Schacter, D. et al, Introducing
Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Worth 2015, p. 71). This means that the hypothalamus works to keep
natural evolutionary instincts such as the drive to eat, drink, and reproduce all in sync while regulating
each of them to maintain the body's wellbeing. Even while walking your dog, the hypothalamus is
functioning. It is working to maintain your body temperature, alerting you if you are too hot or too cold.
It is also sensing energy changes and regulating the need for water or food and is sending the
appropriate signals out to achieve its goals.
 Finally, there is the Amygdala. The amygdala is “located at the tip of each horn of the hippocampus
[and] plays a central role in many emotional processes, particularly the formation of emotional
memories” (Schacter, D. et al, Introducing Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Worth 2015, p. 71). We are
social creatures with the power to reflect on our lives and experiences. This structure is instrumental in
allowing us to develop emotional memories and to detect emotions of those around us. This helps us
relate to ourselves and each other—one of the richest aspects of being human. When walking, your
brain’s amygdala helps you notice if your dog is happy or anxious, if your neighbors are smiling happily
or looking stressed as they carry groceries. You may witness a beautiful sunset and notice that the
evening is quiet and calm, the temperature is just perfect, and all feels right with the world. You sit on a
nearby bench, your contented dog sitting near your feet. Thanks to your amygdala, this will be a walk to
remember.

These small sections in the brain all serve very important functions in our day to day life. Whether it is
in improving our quality of life or making simple things simple each section mentioned and not
mentioned serves a pivotal role in making us who we are.