Brain Atlas

Midbrain 

The midbrain  sits between the forebrain  and the hindbrain  and is approximately 2 cm long. It forms a major part of the brainstem ; the name given to the part of the brain which connects the spinal cord  and the forebrain. The dorsal  surface of the midbrain forms the tectum , meaning 'roof'. The ventral  surface is characterised by two large fibre bundles, the cerebral peduncles, containing axons  that travel between the cerebral cortex , the brainstem and the spinal cord. The cerebral peduncles divide the brain into two halves. Each half is further divided into an anterior and posterior part by a band of grey matter , the substantia nigra . These structures form important connections between the cerebral cortex and the brainstem and spinal cord to control sensory processes such as vision and movement.