Parts of hindbrain

Located towards the base of your brain is a small but important region called the midbrain (derived from the developmental mesencephalon), which serves as a vital connection point between the other major regions of the brain - the forebrain and the hindbrain. The midbrain is the topmost part of the brainstem, the connection central between the brain and the spinal cord. There are three main parts of the midbrain - the colliculi, the tegmentum, and the cerebral peduncles. Of the 12 cranial nerves, two thread directly from the midbrain - the oculomotor and trochlear nerves, responsible for eye and eyelid movement. Colliculi At the top of the midbrain are the colliculi, which derives its name from the Latin word for ‘hill. It contains two pairs of bulging, layered bundles of cortex. Tegmentum The tegmentum (Latin for ‘hood’) actually stretches down the length of the brainstem, but a portion of it forms a part of the midbrain. It contains two areas named after specific colours: the iron-rich red nucleus (which actually looks pink) is involved in the coordination of movements; the periaqueductal grey is a dense region of grey matter and is involved in suppressing pain. The tegmentum in the midbrain also contains connections that play a role in keeping us alert. Cerebral peduncles The back of the midbrain contains a pair of large nerve fibre bundles that connect the rest of the brainstem to the forebrain. These cerebral peduncles are the main highway for signals that need to be ...

: the posterior of the three primary divisions of the developing vertebrate brain or the corresponding part of the adult brain that includes the cerebellum, the medulla oblongata, and in mammals the pons and that controls autonomic functions and equilibrium called also rhombencephalon compare metencephalon, myelencephalon Recent Examples on the Web Essential tremor, as this new research reveals, is linked to abnormalities in the hindbrain — specifically, the cerebellum. — Megan Schmidt, Discover Magazine, 15 Jan. 2020 Many spina bifida babies develop a brain condition called hindbrain herniation. — Dr. Manny Alvarez, Fox News, 23 June 2017 These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hindbrain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. : the posterior division of the three primary divisions of the developing vertebrate brain or the corresponding part of the adult brain that includes the cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata and that controls the autonomic functions and equilibrium called also rhombencephalon see metencephalon, myelencephalon

During your lifetime, your brain changed radically. When you were just a baby, your brain grew. First, you had a spinal cord. Just after that, your hindbrain developed. After this, your midbrain formed. And finally, that big forebrain of yours came along! Here’s what you need to know about the often forgotten but oh so essential human hindbrain. What Is The Role Of The Hindbrain? Your hindbrain gets its name from the Latin word for ‘ bridge’, as it’s your connection between the spine to the higher brain. It’s a coordination hub sending and receiving signals between the two. Since its the oldest part of your brain, it handles more basic and primal functions. These include facial movement, processing sound, maintaining balance, speech, and chewing. Also located here is the medulla oblongata, which is the control center for the heart and lungs. And it’s responsible for functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, swallowing, and sneezing. Why Is The Hindbrain Important? Your hindbrain is an often forgotten but essential part of your brain. It handles much of the ‘ subconscious stuff’ we tend to take for granted. It takes care of the thousands of pieces of code and calculations we need to keep our inner operating system running. It’s essential to every breath and every heartbeat. Without this guy to do all the heavy lifting, we just wouldn’t function. We take it for granted, and yet it’s paved the way for the more sophisticated parts of the brain to grow and develo...

The brain is a three-pound organ that is responsible for taking in information about the world around us, interpreting it, remembering it, and recalling it when making decisions or putting new information into context. It’s a huge job for a relatively small object! And within the folds of this gray and pink mess of thoughts, feelings, and directives are many parts with specific functions. By studying the parts of the brain, neuroscientists hope to understand how the brain works, what parts of the brain could be responsible for certain diseases, and how we can heal the brain after illness or injury. This page will organize and direct you to our multiple pages on the parts of the brain. Keep an eye out as this page may change and add new links. Like the brain itself, this page will change and evolve! Other Parts of the Nervous System What Are the Different Parts of the Brain? There are many ways to organize the different parts of the brain, but for the sake of this page, we will start by dividing the brain into three parts: the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. Each part of the brain contains many subparts and structures responsible for different functions. Here is how this page will be divided: • The Forebrain • Telencephalon • Cerebrum • Frontal lobe • Parietal lobe • Temporal lobe • Occipital lobe • Insula brain • Olfactory bulb • Basal ganglia • Diencephalon • Thalamus • Hypothalamus • Pituitary Gland • Limbic System • The Midbrain • Brainstem • The Hindbrain The Foreb...

• Tegmentum: This anterior surface of the midbrain contains numerous structures including the reticular formation, the periaqueductal gray (PAG) matter, certain cranial nerve nuclei, sensory and motor nerve pathways (the corticospinal and spinothalamic tract), the red nucleus, the substantia nigra, and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). • Tectum: The posterior surface of the midbrain contains the corpora quadrigemina, which contains clusters of nerve cells called the superior and inferior colliculus. • Reticular formation: This highly diverse and integrative area contains a network of nuclei responsible for many vital functions including arousal, consciousness, sleep-wake cycles, coordination of certain movements, and cardiovascular control. • Periaqueductal gray (PAG) matter: This area plays a primary role in processing pain signals, autonomic function, and behavioral responses to fear and anxiety. Recently, this structure has been linked to controlling the defensive reactions associated with • Cranial nerve nuclei: Oculomotor nerve nuclei are responsible for controlling the pupil and most eye movements. The trochlear nerve nuclei innervatethe superior oblique muscle of the eye, which abducts, depresses, and internally rotates the eye. • Spinothalamic tract: This major nerve pathway carries information about pain and temperature sensation from the body to the thalamus of the brain. • Corticospinal tract: This major nerve pathway carries movement-related information from th...