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

1 of 15

Showing 15 synonym(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 15 synonym(s)

Name:

mesencéfalo

Language:

Spanish

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1994

Citation:

edicion 4, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore; traducción de Editorial Medica Panamericana, Buenos Aires, efectuada por el Dr. Alejandro Kaufman

Source Title:

Neuroanatomía Fundamentos

Name:

mesensefalon

Language:

Indonesian

Organism:

human

Source:

Noback-1982

Citation:

Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC, 1982

Source Title:

Anatomi Susunan Saraf Manusia, Prinsip-Prinsip Dasar Neurobiologi

Name:

Mes

Language:

acronym

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

midbrain

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

midbrain

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Martin-1997

Citation:

Primate Information Center, University of Washington, Seattle, 1997.

Source Title:

Template Atlas of the Primate Brain

Name:

Mesencephalon

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Nomina-1983

Citation:

Fifth Edition, Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1983

Source Title:

Nomina Anatomica

Name:

mesencephalon

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

otak-tengah

Language:

Indonesian

Organism:

human

Source:

Noback-1982

Citation:

Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC, 1982

Source Title:

Anatomi Susunan Saraf Manusia, Prinsip-Prinsip Dasar Neurobiologi

Name:

MBr

Language:

acronym

Organism:

Unspecified

Source:

NeuroNames

Citation:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Source Title:

NeuroNames

Name:

средний мозг

Language:

Russian

Organism:

human

Source:

Savel'ev-1996

Citation:

AREA XVII, Moscow, 1996.

Source Title:

Stereoskopicheskii Atlas Mozga Cheloveka

Name:

mesencefalo

Language:

Italian

Organism:

human

Source:

Rigutti-2000

Citation:

Giunti Gruppo Editoriale, Firenze, Italy 2000

Source Title:

Atlante di Anatomia

Name:

Mittelhirn

Language:

German

Organism:

human

Source:

Schultze-1993

Citation:

Georg Theme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1993

Source Title:

Anatomisches Wörterbuch

Name:

cerebro medio

Language:

Spanish

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1994

Citation:

edicion 4, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore; traducción de Editorial Medica Panamericana, Buenos Aires, efectuada por el Dr. Alejandro Kaufman

Source Title:

Neuroanatomía Fundamentos

Name:

mésencéphale

Language:

French

Organism:

human

Source:

Duvernoy-1992

Citation:

Springer-Verlag, Paris, 1992

Source Title:

Le cerveau humain: Surface, coupes seriees tridimensionnelles et IRM

Name:

MBR

Language:

acronym

Organism:

Unspecified

Source:

NeuroNames

Citation:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Source Title:

NeuroNames

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

1 of 4

Showing 4 record(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 4 record(s)

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

Mesencephalon

Source:

Nomina-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

mesencephalon

Source:

Mai-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

midbrain

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

Their Name:

midbrain

Source:

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