The Limbic System
The limbic system is made up of the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and the amygdala. The limbic system is important because it controls a behavior that helps all mammals survive!
The thalamus is responsible for relaying information from sensory receptors to other areas of the brain.
The hypothalamus is responsible for the body's level of activity. It controls the body's temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep, reproduction, and circadian cycles, or rhythms.
The hippocampus takes in all verbal information and is responsible for memory. The amygdala helps process emotions.