Lesson 10 of 11 · 6 min
Midbrain and hindbrain
NCERT §18.4.2–18.4.3
While Meher ran, she kept her balance on the bend and her breathing kept pace, all without a single conscious thought. Those jobs sit low in the brain.
The lesson in notes
In short
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.
The dorsal part of the midbrain is mainly four round swellings (lobes), the corpora quadrigemina. The chapter summary adds that the midbrain takes in and integrates what we see, hear and touch.
The hindbrain comprises the pons, the cerebellum and the medulla (medulla oblongata).
The pons is made of fibre tracts that link different regions of the brain.
The cerebellum has a very convoluted surface, which gives room for many more neurons. The summary adds that it integrates signals arriving from the ear's semicircular canals and from the auditory system.
The medulla is connected to the spinal cord and contains centres that control respiration, cardiovascular reflexes and gastric secretions.
The midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata together make up the brain stem, which connects the brain with the spinal cord.