Ventral Thalamus – The Thalamic Reticular Nucleus

The TRN sits like a shield covering the ventral surface the thalamus and projects locally to the other nuclei of the thalamus. Read more »

Higher Order Relay Nuclear Groups in the Dorsal Thalamus

The thalamus is not just a relay for primary inputs, it also relays information between cortical areas. Read more »

Primary Relay Nuclear Groups in the Dorsal Thalamus

Sensory information enters the cerebrum through the primary relay nuclei of the dorsal thalamus. For example, retinal ganglion cells synapse in the dLGN (dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus). Read more »

Olfactory Bulb

The olfactory bulb sits on top of the cribiform plate and receives input from the olfactory receptor neurons in the nose. It is the first stage of olfactory processing, and the outputs... Read more »
Horizontal section shows several structures of the basal ganglia, including the globus pallidus, putamen, and the tail of the caudate nucleus.

Basal Ganglia

Basal ganglia have been traditionally considered part of the motor system, modulating movement and, when pathological, producing disorders like Parkinson’s disease. In the last two decades the role of several nuclei in... Read more »
Cerebral lobes as diagrammed in Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body. 1918. The illustrations from Gray's Anatomy are in the public domain.

Cerebral Cortex

The cerebral cortex, derived from the dorsal telencephalon or pallium, consists of two hemispheres (the right and the left cerebral hemispheres), each of which is divided into five lobes. Read more »
Depiction of transverse segments of spinal cord

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord, along with the brain, make up the Central Nervous System (CNS). It is a thin collection of nerves that is enclosed by the vertebral column, CSF, and meninges and... Read more »
Medulla oblongata and pons. Anterior surface.

Pons

The pons, a part of the brainstem that includes the midbrain and medulla, is a bulbous structure that is 2 cm long. The pons and cerebellum together form the metencephalon. [1] Read more »
Transverse section of mid-brain at level of inferior colliculi

Midbrain

The midbrain, or mesencephalon, is positioned between the forebrain (diencephalon) and hindbrain (metencephalon)[1]. It forms the stalk-like part of the brain that connects the brain to the spinal cord. The midbrain has... Read more »

Hypothalamus, Subthalamus, and Epithalamus

The diencephalon contains several structures, each with the term “thalamus.” Most of these structures derive from the developmental vesicle called the diencephalon. The contents of the diencephalon include the dorsal thalamus (commonly... Read more »