The

midbrain The midbrain or mesencephalon is the forward-most portion of the brainstem and is associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wakefulness, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation. The name comes from the Greek ''mesos'', " ...

is anatomically delineated into the

tectum The midbrain or mesencephalon is the forward-most portion of the brainstem and is associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wakefulness, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation. The name comes from the Greek ''mesos'', "m ...

(roof) and the

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 ventricular system and distinctive b ...

(floor). The midbrain tegmentum extends from the

substantia nigra The substantia nigra (SN) is a basal ganglia structure located in the midbrain that plays an important role in reward and movement. ''Substantia nigra'' is Latin for "black substance", reflecting the fact that parts of the substantia nigra app ...

to the

cerebral aqueduct The cerebral aqueduct (aqueductus mesencephali, mesencephalic duct, sylvian aqueduct or aqueduct of Sylvius) is a conduit for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle of the ventricular system of the brai ...

in a horizontal section of the midbrain. It forms the floor of the midbrain that surrounds below the cerebral aqueduct as well as the floor of the fourth ventricle while the midbrain tectum forms the roof of the fourth ventricle. The tegmentum contains a collection of tracts and nuclei with movement-related, species-specific, and pain-perception functions. The general structures of midbrain tegmentum include

red nucleus The red nucleus or nucleus ruber is a structure in the rostral midbrain involved in motor coordination. The red nucleus is pale pink, which is believed to be due to the presence of iron in at least two different forms: hemoglobin and ferritin. ...

and the

periaqueductal grey The periaqueductal gray (PAG, also known as the central gray) is a brain region that plays a critical role in autonomic function, motivated behavior and behavioural responses to threatening stimuli. PAG is also the primary control center for d ...

matter.

Unlike the midbrain tectum (which is a sensory structure located posteriorly), the midbrain tegmentum, which locates anteriorly, is related to a number of motor functions. Within the tegmentum, the

is in charge of motor coordination (specifically for limb movements) and the

periaqueductal gray The periaqueductal gray (PAG, also known as the central gray) is a brain region that plays a critical role in autonomic function, motivated behavior and behavioural responses to threatening stimuli. PAG is also the primary control center for d ...

matter (PAG) contains critical circuits for modulating behavioral responses to pains. The

(black substance) serves an important role in rewarding behaviors such as approaching desired objects. In addition, the substantia nigra forms reciprocal connections with the basal ganglia which are highly correlated with motor functions and learning. The midbrain tegmentum is also an important part of the dopaminergic system which is essential for feelings of reward and pleasure. Two regions in the midbrain tegmentum are of particular interest. The first one is the substantia nigra which is an important part of the

nigrostriatal pathway The nigrostriatal pathway is a bilateral dopaminergic pathway in the brain that connects the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) in the midbrain with the dorsal striatum (i.e., the caudate nucleus and putamen) in the forebrain. It is one of the fou ...

. This pathway serves to coordinate motor movements and when left unbalanced, motor deficits would follow. For instance, when the dopamine neurons are lost from the substantia nigra, the condition of extreme muscle rigidity occurs as in the Parkinson's disease. The second region is the ventral tegmental area (VTA; or simply ventral tegmentum) which is at the hub of the

mesolimbic pathway The mesolimbic pathway, sometimes referred to as the reward pathway, is a dopaminergic pathway in the brain. The pathway connects the ventral tegmental area in the midbrain to the ventral striatum of the basal ganglia in the forebrain. The ventral ...

. Specifically, the VTA is the origin of dopaminergic cell bodies from which signals reach the anterior parts of the brain (e.g., frontal lobes) as well as the posterior parts (e.g., cerebellum). Because of this pathway regulates the experience of reward and pleasure, it is not surprising to see that food and drugs affect it the most in terms of a loss of impulse control. That is, the mesolimbic pathway is essential in regulating drug addiction. The potential mechanism is through the associative learning of the environmental cues and reward. For instance, through each drug use, individuals increasingly associate the cues related to each drug use (e.g., the room in which the drug is taken or the people with which individuals take drug). Over time, the drug enhances the dopamine-related, classically-conditioned cues associated with drug taking. As a result, later encounters with these cues will produce and heighten dopamine activity and subsequently prompt individuals to crave drugs. Moreover, excessive mesolimbic dopamine activity plays a role in

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...

, a behavioral disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, blunted emotion, agitation, etc. On the other hand, a lack of mesolimbic dopamine activity may induce deficits in attention.

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Photo
* {{Mesencephalon Midbrain

See also

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External links