Brainstem:
Midbrain
1. Midbrain – gross external anatomy
2. Internal structure of the midbrain:
cerebral peduncles
tegmentum
tectum (guadrigeminal plate)
Midbrain
Midbrain – general features
location – between forebrain and hindbrain
the smallest region of the brainstem – 6-7g
the shortest brainstem segment ~ 2 cm long
least differentiated brainstem division
human midbrain is archipallian –
shared general architecture with the most ancient of vertebrates
embryonic origin – mesencephalon
main functions:
a sort of relay station
for sound and visual information
serves as a nerve pathway
of the cerebral hemispheres
controls the eye movement
involved in control of body movement
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 2
Midbrain
Midbrain – gross anatomy
dorsal part – tectum (quadrigeminal plate):
superior colliculi
inferior colliculi
cerebral aqueduct
ventral part – cerebral peduncles:
dorsal – tegmentum (central part)
ventral – cerebral crus
substantia nigra
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 3
Midbrain
Cerebral crus – internal structure
Cerebral peduncle:
crus cerebri
tegmentum mesencephali
substantia nigra
two thick semilunar white matter bundles
composition – somatotopically arranged motor tracts:
corticospinal } pyramidal tracts – medial ⅔
corticobulbar
corticopontine fibers:
frontopontine tracts – medially
temporopontine tracts – laterally
interpeduncular fossa (of Tarin)
posterior perforated substance
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 4
Midbrain
Midbrain tegmentum – internal structure
crus cerebri
tegmentum mesencephali
substantia nigra
location:
ventral to the cerebral aqueduct
dorsal to the substantia nigra
grey matter content:
periaqueductal grey matter NB: tegmentum is Latin for covering
nuclei of cranial nerves III & IV
midbrain reticular formation
red nucleus, nucleus ruber:
parvocellular part – rostral third
magnocellular part – caudal portion
ventral tegmental area
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov “The Red and the Black” – Stendhal (1830) 5
Midbrain
Red nucleus, nucleus ruber
Red nucleus:
ovoid mass ~ 5 mm in diameter
pinkish-yellow in color – iron-containing pigment
Rubral inputs:
contralateral cerebellum – cerebellorubral tract
ipsilateral motor cortex – corticorubral tract
Rubral outputs – rubrospinal projections
(tract of Monakow) to:
contralateral side (crossed in
ventral tegmental decussation of Forel) of:
rhombencephalic reticular formation
spinal cord
Functions – extrapyramidal system:
controls the muscles of the shoulder&upper arm
in humans – vestigial (dominated by corticospinal tract):
large muscle movement such as that for arms and legs
arm-swinging in normal walking
crawling of babies
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 6
Midbrain
Ventral tegmental area
a group of neurons located close to the midline on the floor of the midbrain
dorsomedial to the substantia nigra
ventral to the red nucleus
rich in dopaminergic (50-60% of all neurons)
and serotoninergic neurons
comprises the mesocorticolimbic
dopamine system (A10)
important projection to nucleus accumbens
Functions:
implicated in the reward system, motivation,
cognition, drug addiction
process various types of emotion output
from the amygdala
role in avoidance and fear-conditioning
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 7
Midbrain
Substantia nigra
crus cerebri
tegmentum mesencephali
substantia nigra
pigmented grey matter
(also called “Black Matter”
though it is not entirely black!)
neuromelanin and dopamine:
nigrostriatal pathway
part of the basal ganglia
subdivisions – two entirely different parts:
pars compacta: dorsal cell-rich zone of numerous
medium-sized neuromelanin-containing dopaminergic neurons
pars reticularis: ventral cell-poor zone of dopaminergic
and nonpigmented GABAergic neurons intermingled
with nerve fibers
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 8
Midbrain
Substantia nigra: efferent connections
pars compacta – input to the basal ganglia:
nigrostriatal projection – dopamine
pars reticulata – output conveying signals
from the basal ganglia to numerous other
brain structures:
thalamus – nigrothalamic pathway (GABA)
superior colliculus
reticular formation
Functions:
pars compacta: motor control
Parkinson's disease
learned responses to stimuli
"spatial learning"
pars reticulata: important processing center
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 9
Midbrain
Tectum, quadrigeminal plate
superior colliculi (Latin, higher hills)
inferior colliculi (lower hills)
Location:
rostral half of the tectum,
beneath the thalamus
brachium of superior colliculus
lateral geniculate body
alternate grey and white layers
superior colliculus nucleus
oculomotor nucleus
accessory oculomotor nucleus
(of Edinger-Westphal)
Functions:
primary integrating center
for visual responses
visual coordination of eye and
head movements – start reflex
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov corpora quadrigemina = "quadruplet bodies" 10
Midbrain
Tectum, quadrigeminal plate
superior colliculi
inferior colliculi
Location:
caudal to the superior colliculus,
above the trochlear nerve
inferior brachium
medial geniculate body
principal midbrain nucleus
of the auditory pathway
inferior colliculus nucleus
lateral lemniscus
trochlear nucleus –
trochlear decussation
Function:
principal way station for
ascending sound information
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 11
Thank you…
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Lazarov 12
