The
temporal lobe is a part of the brain located under the
temples and below the
lateral fissure. On its own, the right side of the temporal lobe deals with visual
memory (such as identifying and recognizing a face) whereas the left lobe handles verbal
memory and comprehension (such as understanding a word, and applying meaning to it). In addition, parts of the
temporal lobe handle
balance and
equilibrium.
In addition to the intrinsic functions of the temporal lobe as a whole, it also houses other systems intricate to the proper functioning of the human body, including the olfactory cortex (which handles the sense of smell), the amygdala (which handles sensory input which triggers fear or danger), the hippocampus (which handles the storage of new long-term memories), the primary auditory cortex (which processes sound), and much of the limbic system which controls the heart, blood vessels and the gastro-intestinal systems.