midbrain - BrainInfo

midbrain (MBR)

The term midbrain (MBR) refers to the central of three linearly organized parts of the brain (BRN) as defined and segmented by dissection. The part rostral to MBR is the forebrain (FBR); the part caudal to it is the hindbrain (HBR). In the human ( Carpenter-1983 ) and macaque ( MBR's boundary with the FBR is an oblique plane that through the e rostrodorsal margin of the superior colliculus (SUC) and the caudoventral margin of the mammillary body (mmb) of the hypothalamus (HYP). Its boundary with the pons (PON) is a similar plane through the caudodorsal margin of the inferior colliculus (INC) rostrodorsally and the rostrodorsal margin of the basal pons (PONb). In the rat ( Swanson-2004 ) and mouse ( Hof-2000 ) the landmarks are the same, but the planes are more vertical. The MBR has three cellularr parts, the tectum (TEC), periaqueductal gray (PAG) and cerebral peduncle (CPD), and one acellular part the cerebral aqueduct (AQU). Substructures of the midbrain are derived for the most part, but not entirely, from the embryonic Mesencephalon. Updated 27 Nov 2025.

Also known as: midbrain, Mesencephalon, mesencephalon

NeuroNames ID: 462

All Names & Sources

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English

midbrain

Carpenter-1983

English

midbrain

Martin-1997

Illustrations

Showing 4 illustration(s)

labeled line drawings of
sagittal section in
Macaca fascicularis

multiple views of
3D reconstruction in
Macaca mulatta

Nissl stain & diagram of
coronal section in
mouse

Nissl stain & diagram of
sagittal section in
mouse

Species With The Structure

Equivalent By	Human	Macaque	Rat	Mouse
Topology	Has The Structure	Has The Structure	Relevant Data Not Located	Relevant Data Not Located

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Basis

Has Equivalent

Organism

Their Name

Source

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

Mesencephalon

Nomina-1983

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

mesencephalon

Mai-1997

Topology

Yes

Homo sapiens (human)

midbrain

Carpenter-1983

Topology

Yes

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

midbrain

Martin-1997

Models Where It Appears

Structural CNS Model - Macaque

Brain structures of the macaque are illustrated in BrainInfo’s NeuroMaps macaque brain atlas. Structures are grouped by proximity in a hierarchy corresponding to the central nervous system hierarchy of NeuroNames ( Bowden-1995 Martin-2000 ). Structures in the NeuroMaps atlas are based on the segmentation of an MRI of the brain of a 3-year old male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). The atlas is most useful for targeting structures for implantating electrodes and chemtrodes. Updated 29 Oct 2025.

midbrain

Classical Vertebrate Central Nervous System

The Classical Vertebrate Central Nervous System is a hierarchical model of gray matter structures that are common to the brain and spinal cord of all vertebrates. As in other classical models, structures are grouped by proximity as observed on dissection, and the upper levels correspond roughly to their organization in the embryo. The hierarchical organization is based on the Basic Partts List for Adult Nervous System in All Animals ( Swanson-2104 ), the nomenclature on NeuroNames ( Bowden-2012 ).

brain (vertebrate brain)

forebrain

midbrain

hindbrain (rhombicbrain)

spinal cord