![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Cat - Head and neck - Transversal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/cat-head-neck-ct/images/v1/4c94e8e307d8a54eb886cd5a3dab39e46ebed1021562e8118dfd247b3557b187?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzE5LDIzOA&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=319&ty=238&w=350&wk=1&s=fc01c2f29cfbb99db9a6a88c6f26fd63)
Mesencephalon [Midbrain]
Mesencephalon
Definition
The midbrain or mesencephalon is the forward-most portion of the brainstem and is associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wakefulness, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation.
It connects the prosencephalon (telencephalon+diencephalon) to the rhombencephalon (metencephalon+myelencephalon).
References
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Cat - Head and neck - Transversal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/cat-head-neck-ct/images/v1/4c94e8e307d8a54eb886cd5a3dab39e46ebed1021562e8118dfd247b3557b187?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzE5LDIzOA&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=319&ty=238&w=200&wk=1&s=0deec2ee6a032d839bfc4b919b874c1c "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Cat - Head and neck - Transversal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Cat - Head and neck - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/cat-head-neck-ct/images/v1/e328f0c0c50b8e5e2abf55e1cc7ce58792fe59c1a5d6971d749f7c45b645c12c?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzM3LDI2Mg&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=337&ty=262&w=200&wk=1&s=d22c1962d4608b92ac12679c6fabf6f6 "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Cat - Head and neck - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Cat - Head and neck - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/cat-head-neck-ct/images/v1/91de2ea06ad5989afdf7f568ffdf0708523d5dd583eaaed0a41321e0b32c4e54?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzAxLDMzMA&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=301&ty=330&w=200&wk=1&s=15386733f93edc71f79286481c877c4c "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Cat - Head and neck - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Head - Transversal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-skull-ct/images/v1/3d9203011eede83548bbf595fb798dd3ef1e87198f6483d6295fc34290b22b9d?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzE0LDIyOA&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=314&ty=228&w=200&wk=1&s=7e0aa9eae78b898b9f84340e95b79922 "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Head - Transversal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Head - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-skull-ct/images/v1/1be168577a31a50b57b778f280621afe6ff237f2260294b3726d5de4e6049345?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=NDU3LDI3OQ&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=457&ty=279&w=200&wk=1&s=e55db2d989bad4ea7fc01c27577a29c1 "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Head - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Head - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-skull-ct/images/v1/2e536d03c94e298b2dcff72c069b7ae5bd51617604c73debf299be9eb2a5d4ff?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzI0LDQ3Mw&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=324&ty=473&w=200&wk=1&s=07f5ce1dc423075cd3903354e13da3ae "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Head - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Brain - Transverse (Spin Echo) - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-brain-mr/images/v1/7ee03f82a2fdb76bb43235f471813a59d0c816fa0afea23029e53441624d1aad?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=Mjg5LDQ1OQ&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=289&ty=459&w=200&wk=1&s=9d239bbe04aeefc78dce9186eeda6c8e "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Brain - Transverse (Spin Echo) - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Brain - Transverse (3DT1w-Gd) - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-brain-mr/images/v1/1696f97ea9a32c50759fb5d7d2eec423af79e6ddea577a0acc8a01923d5e7082?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=Mjg1LDQ2OA&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=285&ty=468&w=200&wk=1&s=90ece4d3c5f98c3fd6c6da835aeb7195 "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Brain - Transverse (3DT1w-Gd) - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Brain - Dorsal (3DT1w-Gd) - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-brain-mr/images/v1/06204da71e32963a61ce2318969d13e5ab832fe2470f0e530c1b1732e94fbcf3?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MjkxLDMzOQ&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=291&ty=339&w=200&wk=1&s=10f1f0448f4727ee872c146dcb85a0aa "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Dog - Brain - Dorsal (3DT1w-Gd) - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Horse - Head - Transversal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/horse-head-ct/images/v1/45a173c3a0a238890bae4d0c9a7e75dc941792039e895bc0aacc77dc8ecfe6ce?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzI5LDE2Mg&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=329&ty=162&w=200&wk=1&s=2e7b6bf326e8989d55d0e9e09760f97a "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Horse - Head - Transversal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Horse - Head - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/horse-head-ct/images/v1/58e12d47bd7b367b9c70b780a0a3fc2d97fca541a77c04c921d05596a9d81fb1?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=NTE5LDI1NQ&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=519&ty=255&w=200&wk=1&s=9a1141edde4697681d7b6245d5db0b43 "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Horse - Head - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Horse - Head - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/horse-head-ct/images/v1/f96137d3b4b67a35d18850ad44c920ac9239a698c7235c7a32ed392477d0a337?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzEwLDU0MQ&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=310&ty=541&w=200&wk=1&s=4a3c55cdd225a9999ac3028054bad31a "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Horse - Head - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Brachycephalic dog - Head - Transversal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-brachy-head-ct/images/v1/15d9a031dca08e178817707102b5d249b7c270145250c37354908264bacad166?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzQzLDI0NA&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=343&ty=244&w=200&wk=1&s=abdb389508458a4e957aecc593d5ae4f "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Brachycephalic dog - Head - Transversal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Brachycephalic dog - Head - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-brachy-head-ct/images/v1/dcbd6c726c5349cc873e1f85c8fb55443b1568171fc5582bf7bb9b328c19ebed?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=NDE4LDI0NA&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=418&ty=244&w=200&wk=1&s=21ff9e9cceefd935036198a73a397ceb "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Brachycephalic dog - Head - Sagittal - vet-Anatomy")
![Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Brachycephalic dog - Head - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy](https://cdn.imaios.cn/i/imaios-images/web/images/vetanatomy/modules/dog-brachy-head-ct/images/v1/80fdc673ae50e43066aed6f620c0dfecd333b8e8c0d5fe894218f0dbc6f54356?ar=640:670&auto=format,compress&bg=000000&fit=crop&p64=MzI0LDQxMg&t=TWVzZW5jZXBoYWxvbiBbTWlkYnJhaW5d&tx=324&ty=412&w=200&wk=1&s=a6e88322640eb401fea5276f7b9bc1b0 "Mesencephalon [Midbrain] - Brachycephalic dog - Head - Dorsal - vet-Anatomy")
