Mesencephalon facts for kids
| Brain: Mesencephalon | ||
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Quick facts for kids
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| Diagram depicting the main subdivisions of the embryonic vertebrate brain. These regions will later differentiate into forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain structures. | ||
| Latin | mesencephalon | |
| Gray's | subject #188 800 | |
| NeuroNames | hier-445 | |
| MeSH | Mesencephalon | |
The mesencephalon or midbrain is a part of the brain stem. It is associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep/wake, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation.
In the anatomy of developing animals, the brain forms from the neural tube, which turns into three vesicles. The mesencephalon (midbrain) is the middle vesicle, and becomes part of the brain stem.
The mesencephalon is ancient in origin, meaning its general architecture is shared with the most ancient of vertebrates. Dopamine produced in the substantia nigra plays a role in motivation and habituation of species from humans to insects.
Images for kids
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Principal connections of the tectum
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Ventricular system anatomy showing the cerebral aqueduct, labelled centre right.
See also
In Spanish: Mesencéfalo para niños
