midbrain

American  

[mid-breyn] / ˈmɪdˌbreɪn /

noun

Anatomy.

1. the middle of the three primary divisions of the brain in the embryo of a vertebrate or the part of the adult brain derived from this tissue; mesencephalon.

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midbrain British  

/ ˈmɪdˌbreɪn /

noun

1. the nontechnical name for mesencephalon

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midbrain Scientific  

/ mĭd′brān′ /

1. The middle part of the vertebrate brain. In most animals except mammals, the midbrain processes sensory information. In mammals, it serves primarily to connect the forebrain with the hindbrain.

2. Compare forebrain hindbrain

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Etymology

Origin of midbrain

First recorded in 1870–75; mid- + brain

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

midbrain

The disorder harms midbrain dopaminergic neurons, which release dopamine to regulate movement and learning.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2025

Associative learning, which takes place in the midbrain, can be impaired in some cases of obesity as a result of poor signaling to the brain from the GLP-1 peptides in the intestine.

From Salon ● Jan. 24, 2025

Northwestern's Zhou found correlations to BMI in the circuit between the olfactory tubercle and the midbrain region, the periaqueductal gray.

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2024

“It’s only been in the past few years, where the midbrain has gotten more attention from neuroscientists studying social communication,” Bass said in an earlier statement.

From Salon ● Jan. 8, 2024

Such masses are found in the bulb, the pons, the midbrain, and the base of the cerebrum.

From Physiology and Hygiene for Secondary Schools by Francis M. Walters