Of the brain parts listed below, which two would you NOT want to damage and why? hippocampus, Wernicke's area, reticular formation, medulla, Broca's area

What will be an ideal response?

Answer will include that one would not want to lose functioning of the medulla and reticular formation. The medulla is required to maintain heart rate and breathing, while the reticular formation, which lies inside the medulla and brainstem, controls alertness and wakefulness and reflexes involved in breathing, sneezing, coughing, and vomiting. Damage to the medulla would pose an immediate threat to survival with damage to the reticular formation leading to an irreversable coma or death. However, damage to the hippocampus would affect memory formation, while damage to Broca's and Wernicke's areas would affect one's language. Thus, damage to these areas would be uncomfortable but would not be fatal.