THE MIDBRAIN

By The Thawait..
• Midbrain – upper and shortest part of brainstem..
• Connects forebrain with hindbrain..
Location
• Passes upward and forward from upper part of pons
• Passes through gap in tentorium cerebelli and gets covered by
cerebral hemispheres on both sides
Dimensions
• Length: 2.5 cm
• Width: 2.5 cm
Cavity
• Contains small canal called cerebral aqueduct or aqueduct of
Sylvius
• Duct connects 3rd ventricle with 4th ventricle
 EXTERNAL FEATURES OF MIDBRAIN
• Has ventral and dorsal surfaces
Ventral surface
• Crura cerebri (two crus cerebri)
• Shows two crus cerebri
• Emerge from cerebral hemispheres and converge
downward at upper border of pons
• Form posterolateral boundary of interpeduncular fossa
• Oculomotor nerve emerges from groove on medial side
of each crus cerebri
 EXTERNAL FEATURES OF MIDBRAIN
Dorsal surface
• Four colliculi (corpora quadrigemina): Dorsal surface of
midbrain shows four round elevations- two superior
colliculi and two inferior colliculi..
• The colliculi are separated by a cruciform sulcus which
form depression at its upper end to lodge pineal galnd.
Trochlear nerve
• Emerges one on each side of frenulum veli
• Decussate in each superior medullary velum
• Curls around lateral aspect of cerebral peduncles and
runs forward
 Some Interesting Facts
Superior brachium
• Bundle of white fibers connects superior colliculus of
midbrain with lateral geniculate body
• Carries fibers of optic tract
Inferior brachium
• Bundle of white fibers connects inferior colliculus of
midbrain with medial geniculate body
• Carries fibers of auditory pathway
 INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF MIDBRAIN
In transverse section, shows following
parts
• Crus cerebri
• Substantia nigra
• Tegmentum
• Periaqueductal gray matter
• Cerebral aqueduct
• Posterior tectum which consist of
Superior colliculi & Inferior colliculi
Crus cerebri (basis pedunculi)
• Crus cerebri (right and left)
• One on each side located
anterolateral to substantia nigra
• Consist of white fibers
connecting cerebrum with
spinal cord and brainstem
• Are corticospinal,
corticonuclear, and
corticopontine (frontopontine
and temporopontine) fibers
 INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF MIDBRAIN
• Corticospinal and
corticonuclear fibers occupy
middle two-thirds of crus
• Frontopontine fibers occupy
medial one-sixth of crus
• Temporopontine,
parietopontine and
occipiotopontine fibers
occupy lateral one-sixth of
crus
Tegmentum
• Lies dorsal to substantia nigra and
ventral to tectum
• Structure of tegmentum different
at level of superior and inferior
colliculi
Tectum (corpora quadrigemina)
• Dorsal part of midbrain shows four
round surface elevations called
corpora quadrigemina or colliculi
• Forms tectum of midbrain
 INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF MIDBRAIN
Superior colliculus
• Consists of flattened mass of seven
concentric alternating laminae of white
and gray matter.
• Layers 1–3 constitute part of visual
system and receive sensory inputs from
retina and visual cortex.
• Layer 4–7 constitute part of auditory
system and receive sensory input from
inferior colliculus.
• Also constitute part ofsomatosensory
system as they receive spinotectal fibers
• Functions: Superior colliculus
integrates all sensory inputs and
generates reflexes such as reflex
orientation of eyes, head, and neck
in response to visual, auditory and
somatic stimuli
• Efferent fibers from superior
colliculus goes to
• Motor nuclei of IIIrd, IVth, VIth,
VIIth and Xith cranial nerves via
tectobulbar tract
• Tectospinal tract to anterior horn
cells of spinal cord
• To extrapyramidal system (to
red nucleus, substantia nigra,
reticular formation, and
cerebellum)
• To opposite superior colliculus
• To medial longitudinal bundle
Inferior colliculus
• Consists of compact nucleus
• Functions: Associated with auditory
pathway and audio–visual reflexes
• Afferent fibers: Receives auditory
inputs from lateral lemniscus
Efferent fibers
• Most of fibers go to medial geniculate
body of same side
• Some of fibers relay in opposite
inferior colliculus, superior colliculus
of same side, to cerebellum
Pretectal nucleus
• Small group of neurons
• Lies ventral to superior colliculus
• Afferent fibers: Receives impulses from retina through optic
tract and superior brachium and from visual cortex through
optic radiation
• Efferent fibers: Pretectal nucleus gives efferent fibers to
• Edinger-Westphal nucleus (bilaterally)
• Tectospinal and tectobulbar tracts
• Functions: Involved in pupillary light reflex and consensual
light reflex.
• Lesion of pretectal nucleus results in Argyll Robertson pupil
(loss of light reflex, accommodation reflex present)
 Substantia nigra
Q.Write short note on substantia nigra
• Brown-pigmented lamina of gray matter in midbrain
• Separates crus cerebri from tegmentum of midbrain
Shape
• Crescent-shaped
• Medial end – thicker
• Concave and smooth dorsally
• Convex and has spikes ventrally
 Parts of substantia nigra
• Divided into two parts:
• Dorsal compact zone (pars compacta)
• Consists of numerous small neuronal cells
• Are dopamine producing neurons
• Ventral reticular zone (pars reticularis)
• Consist of few cells
• Are GABA producing neurons
 Substantia nigra
• Cells of pars compacta contain melanin pigment
• All cells of substantia nigra synthesize dopamine which
reaches corpus striatum through their axons (nigrostriatal
fibers)
Connections
• Afferent and efferent fibers: Corpus striatum, red nucleus, and
reticular formation
Function
• Performs extrapyramidal function such as controlling fine
movements of eye, motor planning, and reward-seeking
activity
Q.Write short note on transverse section of midbrain at level of inferior
colliculi
• Section of midbrain at level of inferior colliculi shows anterior
cerebral peduncles and posterior tectum
• Cerebral peduncle consists of crus cerebri, substantia nigra, and
tegmentum
• Posterior tectum consists of inferior colliculi
• Crus cerebri contain descending tracts – corticospinal and
corticonuclear tracts, frontopontine, temporopontine,
parietopontine and occipitopontine fibers
• Substantia nigra – crescent-shaped brown pigmented band of gray
matter.
• Gives rise to dopaminergic nigrostriatal fibers
 TS of Midbrain at Inferior Colliculus level
Tectum
• Represented by inferior colliculi
• Associated with auditory pathway and Audio–visual reflex
Tegmentum
• Lies between substantia nigra anteriorly and inferior
colliculus posteriorly
• Shows following structures
• Gray matter
• Periaqueductal gray matter shows
• Nucleus of trochlear nerve
• Mesencephalic nucleus of trigeminal nerve
• Reticular formation
 TS of Midbrain at Level Inferior Colliculus
• Tegmentum
White matter
• Lemnisci
• Are arranged in form of curved compact of white fibers
from medial to lateral as medial lemniscus, trigeminal
lemniscus, spinal lemniscus, and lateral lemniscus
• Trochlear nerve
• Decussation of superior cerebellar peduncles
• Medial longitudinal fasciculus
• Tectospinal tract
• Rubrospinal tract
 Some Interesting Facts

• Mesencephalic nucleus of trigeminal nerve: Sensory

nucleus lies in the lateral part of central gray matter
Function
• Has unipolar neurons
• Receives proprioceptive impulses from muscles of
mastication, teeth, ocular and facial muscles
Q.Draw well-labeled diagram of TS midbrain at level of
superior colliculus or at level of red nucleus
• Section of midbrain at level of superior colliculi shows
anterior cerebral peduncles and posterior tectum
• Cerebral peduncle consists of crus cerebri, substantia
nigra, and tegmentum
Tectum
• Represented by superior colliculus
• Associated with reflex movement of eyes, head and
neck in response to visual stimuli
TS of Midbrain at Level of Superior Colliculus
Tegmentum
• Lies between substantia nigra anteriorly and tectum
posteriorly
• Shows following structures:
• Gray matter
• Periaqueductal gray matter
• Oculomotor nucleus
• Edinger-Westphal nucleus
• Mesencephalic nucleus
• Pretectal nucleus
• Red nucleus
• Nuclei of reticular formation
 TS of Midbrain at Level of Superior Colliculus
Tegmentum
• White matter
• Dorsal tegmental decussation (decussation of
tectospinal and tectobulbar tracts)
• Central tegmental decussation (decussation of
rubrospinal fibers)
• Medial longitudinal bundle
• Three lemnisci from medial to lateral: Medial
lemniscus, trigeminal, and spinal lemnisci
• Fibers of oculomotor nerve
 Some Interesting Facts
Oculomotor nucleus
• Motor nucleus of oculomotor nerve
• Lies in ventral part of central gray matter, close to midline
• Dorsal part forms Edinger-Westphal nucleus
• Two sides fuse together in midline
Edinger-Westphal nucleus
• Dorsolateral part of oculomotor nucleus
• Gives rise to preganglionic parasympathetic fibers supply sphincter
pupillae and ciliary muscles
Fibers of oculomotor nerve
• Pass ventrally through tegmentum, and substantia nigra
• Emerge on medial aspect of crus cerebri in posterior part of
interpeduncular fossa
 Red nucleus
Q.Write short note on red nucleus
• Cigar-shaped mass of gray matter
• Location: Lies in anterior part of
tegmentum, close to median plane,
behind substantia nigra, at level of
superior colliculus in midbrain
• Size: 0.5 cm in diameter
• Color: Pink in fresh specimen
• Reason behind pink color: Highly
vascular and cells contain iron
pigment
 Red nucleus
Connections
• Afferent
• Cerebellorubral fibers from contralateral
dentate nucleus of cerebellum
• Corticorubral fibers from ipsilateral motor
area
• Pallidorubral fibers from globus pallidum
• From subthalamus, superior colliculus and
substantia nigra
• Efferent
• Rubrospinal tract to contralateral anterior
horn cells of spinal cord
• Rubrobulbar tract to cranial nerve nuclei
 Red nucleus
• Rubroreticular tract to reticular
formation
• Rubro-olivary, rubrothalamic,
rubrocerebellar and rubronigral
fibers
Functions
• Important center of
extrapyramidal system
• Helps in maintenance of posture
and muscle tone
 Blood Supply of Midbrain
• Supplied by branches of basilar artery through
posterior cerebral, superior cerebellar arteries
• Also supplied by branches of
• Posterior communicating arteries
• Anterior choroidal arteries
 Clinical Integration
Weber syndrome
• Synonyms: Midbrain stroke
syndrome, superior
alternating hemiplegia
• Cause: Occlusion of branch of
posterior cerebral artery
damage to midbrain
involving oculomotor nerve
and crus cerebri
 Clinical Integration
Weber syndrome
Features
• Damage to III cranial nerve
ipsilateral lateral squint,
drooping of upper eyelid
• Damage to III nerve (fibers of
Edinger-Westphal nucleus)
dilated pupil, loss of light and
accommodation reflex
 Clinical Integration
Weber syndrome
Features
• Damage to corticospinal tract contralateral hemiplegia
• Damage to corticonuclear fibers contralateral paralysis
of lower part of face and tongue