Midbrain, also called mesencephalon, region of the developing vertebrate brain that is composed of the

tectum and tegmentum. The midbrain serves important functions in motor movement, particularly
movements of the eye, and in auditory and visual processing. It is located within the brainstem and between
the two other developmental regions of the brain, the forebrain and the hindbrain; compared with those
regions, the midbrain is relatively small.

 CN IV or trochlear nerve is the fourth paired cranial nerve. It is the smallest cranial nerve (by
number of axons), yet has the longest intracranial course. It has a purely somatic motor function.
 The ventral tegmental area (VTA) (tegmentum is Latin for covering), also known as the ventral
tegmental area of Tsai,[1] or simply ventral tegmentum, is a group of neurons located close to the
midline on the floor of the midbrain. The VTA is the origin of the dopaminergic cell bodies of the
mesocorticolimbic dopamine system and other dopamine pathways; it is widely implicated in the
drug and natural reward circuitry of the brain. The VTA plays an important role in a number of
processes, including reward cognition (motivational salience, associative learning, and positively-
valenced emotions) and orgasm,[2] among others, as well as several psychiatric disorders. Neurons in
the VTA project to numerous areas of the brain, ranging from the prefrontal cortex to the caudal
brainstem and several regions in between.
 Spinal Lemniscus

The two tracts merge with the spinotectal pathway. It carries pain, crude touch and temperature sensory
information to the thalamus.

 Rapheii Nuclei

Are moderate-size cluster of nuclei found in the brain stem. They function as autoreceptors in the brain and
decrease the release of serotonin.

 Tegmentum

The "tegmentum" (from Latin for covering") is a general area within the brainstem. The tegmentum is the
ventral part of the midbrain and the tectum is the dorsal part of the midbrain. It is located between the
venticular system and distinctive basal or ventral structures at each level. It is a multisunaptic network of
neurons that is involved in many subconscious homeostatic and reflexive pathways.

 Periaqueductal gray

The periaqueductal gray (PAG, also known as the central gray) is a nucleus that plays a critical role in
autonomic function, motivated behavior and behavioral responses to threatening stimuli. PAG is also the
primary control center for descending pain modulation. It has enkephalin-producing cells that suppress pain.

 Medial lemniscus, also known as Reil's band or Reil's ribbon, is a large ascending bundle of heavily
myelinated axons that decussate in the brainstem, specifically in the medulla oblongata. The medial
lemniscus is formed by the crossings of the internal arcuate fibers.A tract of nerve cells that carries
motor commands from the brain to the spinal cord.
  Occipitopontine fibers- represents a fiber pathway that courses through the crus cerebri to connect
the occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex with pons.
 Parietopontine fibers- represents a fiber pathway that courses throught the crus cerebri to connect
the parietal lobe of the cerebral cortex with the pons.
 Temporoprontine fibers- fiber represents fiber pathway that courses through the crus cerebi to
connect the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex with pons.
 Frontopontine fibers- represents fiber pathway coursing through the crus cerebi to connect the
frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex with pons.
 Substantia nigra
is a large pigmented cluster of neurons that consists of two parts, the pars reticulata and the pars
compacta. Cells of the pars compacta contain the dark pigment melanin; these cells synthesize
dopamine and project to either the caudate nucleus or the putamen, both of which are structures of
the basal ganglia and are involved in mediating movement and motor coordination. These two
structures, in addition to the globus pallidus, form the striatum. By inhibiting the action of neurons in
the caudate nucleus and the putamen, the dopaminergic cells of the pars compacta influence the
neuronal output of the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). The neurons in turn
project to the cells of the pars reticulata, which, by projecting fibres to the thalamus, are part of the
output system of the corpus striatum.
 CN III or Oculomotor Nerve
is the third cranial nerve. It enters the orbit via the superior orbital fissure and innervated extrinsic
eye muscles that enable most movement of the eye and that raise the eyelids. The nerve also
contains fibers that innervates the intrinsic eye muscles that enable pupillary constriction and
accommodation (ability to focus on near objects as in reading). The oculomotor never is derived from
the basal plate of the embryonic midbrain.
 Medial longitudinal fasciculus- is found in the brainstem and is a set of crossed fibers with ascending
and descending fibers. The medial longitudinal fasciculus links the three main nerves which control
eye movements, i.e. the oculomotor, trochlear and the abducent nerves, as well as the
vestibulocochlear nerve.
 Cerebral aqueduct, (aqueductus mesencephali, mesencephalic duct, sylvianaqueduct, or aqueduct
of Sylvius) - is within the midbrain. It contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and connects the third
ventricle to the fourth ventricle, located dorsal to the pons and ventral to the cerebellum.
 Crus cerebri
tracts made up of neurons that connect the cerebral hemispheres to the cerebellum. The midbrain
also contains a portion of the reticular formation, a neural network that is involved in arousal and
alertness. Cranial nerves in the midbrain that stimulate the muscles controlling eye movement, lens
shape, and pupil diameter form the nuclear complex of the oculomotor nerve and the trochlear
nucleus.
 Tectum also tectum mesencephali, or midbrain tectum is the dorsal region or roof of the midbrain. The
position of the tectum is contrasted with the tegmentum, which refers to the region ventral (in front of)
to the ventricular system, or floor of the midbrain.
 Trigeminal nerve (the fifth cranial nerve, or simply CN V) is a nerve responsible for sensation in the face
and motor functions such as biting and chewing; it is the largest of the cranial nerves.
 Lateral lemniscus is a tract of axons in the brainstem that carries information about sound from the
cochlear nucleus to various brainstem nuclei and ultimately the contralateral inferior colliculus of the
midbrain
 Cerebral peduncles are structures at the front of the midbrain which arise from the large ascending
(sensory) and descending (motor) berve tracts that run to and from the cerebrum fron the pons
 Spinothalamic tract (part of the anterolateral system or the ventrolateral system) is a sensory pathway
from the skin to the thalamus. From the ventral posterolateral nucleus in the thalamus, sensory
information is relayed upward to the somatosensory cortex of the postcentral gyrus.
 Trigeminothalamic tracts refer to brainstem pathways from the spinal nucleus of V (trigeminal nerve) and
the principal (chief) nucleus of V to the ventral posterior medial nucleus of the thalamus. Two separate
trigeminothalamic tracts have been identified: a ventral and a dorsal tract. The ventral and larger of the
two tracts is derived from both of these nuclei. Once these fibers leave the nuclei, they cross the midline
and travel in proximity to the fibers of the medial lemniscus to the thalamus.
 Superior colliculus refers to the rostral (front) bump on the lateral (side) part of the midbrain. It is, in fact,
a pair of two colliculi, superior and inferior, on either side of the midbrain that together constitute the
tectum.
 Medical geniculate nucleus is part of the auditory thalamus and represents the thalamic relay between
the inferior colliculus(IC) and the auditory cortex(AC). It is made up of number of sub-nuclei that are
distinguished by their neuronal morphology and density, by their affarent and efferent connection, and by
the coding properties of their neurons.
 Corticobulbar fiber is a two neuron white matter motor pathway connecting the motor cortex in the
cerebral cortex to the medullary pyramids , which are part of the brainstem medulla oblongata(also
called bulbar) region and are primarily involved in carrying the motor function of the non
-oculomotor cranial nerves.