Development of Midbrain and

Forebrain
By
DR. A.U. AGU
MBBS, MSc, PhD

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 MESENCEPHALON:MIDBRAIN
• The midbrain develops from the mesencephalon
• Each basal plate contains 2 groups of motor nuclei:
– A medial SE group – gives rise to the oculomotor & trochlear
nerves
– A small GVE group - gives rise to Edinger Westphal nucleus
• The marginal layer of each basal plate enlarges &
forms the crus cerebri.

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• These crura serve as pathways for nerve fibers descending
from the cerebral cortex to lower centers in the pons & spinal
cord.
• The alar plates give rise to the of the colliculus which is divided
into anterior (superior) & posterior (inferior) by a transverse
groove
• They serve as relay stations for visual & auditory reflexes
respectively

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Exercise
• Edinger Westphal nucleus arises from ------
• List the cranial nerves of midbrain

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 PROSENCEPHALON: FOREBRAIN
• The prosencephalon consists of the:
– Telencephalon - the cerebral hemispheres
– Diencephalon - the optic cup & stalk, pituitary, thalamus,
hypothalamus, & epiphysis.

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Telencephalon
• Is the most rostral of the brain vesicles.
• Consists of 2 lateral out pocketing:
– The 2 cerebral hemispheres
• A median portion
– The lamina terminales
• The cavities of the hemispheres (lateral ventricles),
communicate with the lumen of the diencephalon
via the interventricular foramina of Monro.

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Corpus striatum
• Is a derivative of telencephalon
• The telencephalic vessicle
divides into 2 parts
– Basal part which is thick
– Superior part which is thin
• Some of the cells in the mantle
layer of the thick basal part
migrate into the overlying
marginal layer to form part of
cerebral cortex
• The remaining cells of the
mantle layer form the corpus
striatum (CS)
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• The developing CS divided into
medial & lateral parts which
increases in thickness.
• As the cerebral cortex is
developing, numerous axons
growing from it or towards it pass
through the CS & divide it into
deep & superficial parts.
• Those axon (fibers) form the
internal capsule (IC)
• The part of CS deep to the IC
forms the caudate nucleus & the
part superficial to the IC forms the
lentiform nucleus (LN)
• The LN later divided into the
putamen & the globus pallidus
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Cerebral cortex
• Is formed by the migration of cells
from the mantle layer into the
marginal layer.
• Multiple divisions of the cells lead to
the thickening of the cortex
• Continuous growth of the cerebral
cortex in anterior, dorsal, & inferior
directions results in the formation of
frontal, temporal, & occipital lobes,
respectively.
• As growth in the region overlying the
corpus striatum slows, the area b/w
the frontal & temporal lobes
becomes depressed & is called the
insula
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• As the surface expansion is at greater rate than that
of hemisphere, the cortex becomes folded on itself.
• These folding result to the formation of sulci & gyri
• The insula region is later overgrown by the adjacent
lobes & at the time of birth is almost completely
covered.

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Developmentally, the cerebral cortex consists of
– Hippocampal cortex (HC)
– Pyriform cortex
– Neocortex (most important part)

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The Hippocampal Cortex
• It is closely related to the choroid fissure
• As the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle is formed, the
HC follow the curve of the choroid fissure & thus assume a
ring like shape
• The superior part of the HC is separated form the fissure
by the formation of corpus callosum
• This superior part of the HC forms the indusium griseum.
• The lower part of the HC enlarge & becomes the
hippocampus & dentate gyrus

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The pyriform cortex
– Gives rise to the part of cortex that receives olfactory
sensation.
– Forms the uncus, anterior part of parahippocampal
gyrus & anterior perforated substance
Neocortex
– Expands & forms the whole of cerebral cortex seen on
the superior lateral & medial surfaces of cerebral
hemisphere
– The cortex of inferior surface

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Cerebral Commissures
• The part of the neural tube that
closes the cranial end of the
prosencephalon is called the
lamina terminalis
• Neurons growing from one
hemisphere to the other pass
through the lamina
• To facilitate this passage, the
lamina thickens to form he
commissural plate
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• The 1st commissural fiber to form is the anterior
commissure, followed by hippocamoal commissure
• The corpus callosum forms later
• Others that appear are: optic chiasma, habenular &
posterior commissures.

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Diencephalon
Roof Plate and Epiphysis
• The diencephalon consist of a
roof plate & 2 alar plates
• The roof plate consists of a single
layer of ependymal cells covered
by vascular mesenchyme, these
form the choroid plexus of the 3rd
ventricle
• The most caudal part of the roof
plate forms the pineal body
(epiphysis).
– It serves as a channel through
which light & darkness affect
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endocrine & behavioral rhythms.
• Alar Plate - Thalamus and
Hypothalamus
• The alar plates form the lateral walls of
the diencephalon.
• A groove (hypothalamic sulcus) divides
the plate into a dorsal & a ventral region
(thalamus & hypothalamus) respectively.
• The thalamus proliferates & projects into
the lumen of the diencephalon.
• The right & left sides fuse in the midline,
forming interthalamic connexus.
• The lower portion of the alar plate forms
the hypothalamus.
• The various nuclei of the thala &
hypothalamus (eg mamillary body) are
due to multiplication of cells of mantle
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layer.
 Hypophysis or Pituitary Gland
• Develops from 2 different
parts:
– Rathke’s pouch (evagination of
oropharyngeal membrane)
– Infundibulum (evagination of
neuroectoderm)
• At 3rd wk of IUL, Rathke’s
pouch appears as an
evagination of the oral cavity
grows toward the infundibulum.
• By the end of the 2nd month it
loses its connection with the
oral cavity & is in close contact
with the infundibulum.
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• The anterior wall of Rathke’s pouch forms the anterior
lobe of the hypophysis (adenohypophysis)
• A small extension of this lobe (pars tuberalis) grows along
the stalk of the infundibulum & eventually surrounds it.
• The posterior wall of Rathke’s pouch develops into the
pars intermedia.
• The infundibulum gives rise to the stalk & the pars
nervosa, or posterior lobe of pituitary (neurohypophysis)

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 Clinical correlates
Cranial Defects
Holoprosencephaly (HPE)
• Abnormalities in which a loss of
midline structures results in
malformations of the brain & face.
• In severe cases, the lateral ventricles
merge into a single telencephalic
vesicle (alobar HPE),
• The eyes are fused, & there is a
single nasal chamber along with other
midline facial defects
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Schizencephaly
• A rare disorder in which
large clefts occur in the
cerebral hemispheres
• Sometimes causing a loss
of brain tissue

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Meningocele, meningoencephalocele, &
meningohydroencephalocele
• Are all caused by an ossification defect in the
bones of the skull.
• Squamous part of the occipital bone is more
affected.
• If the opening of the occipital bone is small, only
meninges bulge through it (meningocele)
• If the defect is large, part of the brain & even part
of the ventricle may penetrate through the
opening into the meningeal sac
meningoencephalocele &
meningohydroencephalocele, respectively
• 02/21/2024
These defects occur in 1/2000 births. 22
Exencephaly
• Characterized by failure of the
cephalic part of the neural tube to
close.
• The vault of the skull does not
form, leaving the malformed brain
exposed.
 Later this tissue degenerates,
leaving a mass of necrotic tissue.
• This defect is called anencephaly,
although the brainstem remains
intact

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Hydrocephalus
• Characterized by an abnormal
accumulation of cerebrospinal
fluid within the ventricular system.
• Mostly due to an obstruction of
the aqueduct of Sylvius

Arnold-Chiari malformation
• Caudal displacement & herniation
of cerebellar structures through the
foramen magnum.
• occurs with spina bifida cystica &
usually accompanied by
hydrocephalus
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Microcephaly
• Cranial vault that is smaller than normal
• Size of the cranium depends on growth of the brain, thus, the
underlying defect is in brain development.
• Causes varied;
– Genetic (autosomal recessive)
– Prenatal insults such as (infection or exposure to drugs or other
teratogens).
• Impaired mental development occurs in more than half of
cases.

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Fetal infection by toxoplasmosis
• Causes
– Cerebral calcification,
– Mental retardation,
– Hydrocephalus , or microcephaly. Likewise,
• Exposure to radiation during the early stages of
development may produce
– microcephaly.
– Hyperthermia
– spina bifida.

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 THANKS
FOR
LISTENING

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