Midbrain, hindbrain and brain stem

The midbrain lies between the thalamus and hypothalamus of the forebrain and the pons of the hindbrain. A canal, the cerebral aqueduct, runs through it. Its upper (dorsal) side has four round swellings (lobes), the corpora quadrigemina.

The hindbrain has three parts:

• The pons: made of fibre tracts that connect different regions of the brain.
• The cerebellum: its surface is very deeply folded, which makes room for many more neurons. (It helps keep balance and coordinate movement.)
• The medulla (medulla oblongata): it joins the brain to the spinal cord, and has the centres controlling breathing, heart and blood-vessel reflexes, and gastric secretions.

The midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata together make up the brain stem, which connects the brain to the spinal cord.