# List of regions in the human brain

The human brain anatomical regions are ordered following standard neuroanatomy hierarchies. Functional, connective, and developmental regions are listed in parentheses where appropriate.

## Hindbrain (rhombencephalon)
### Myelencephalon

* Medulla oblongata
** Medullary pyramids
** Arcuate nucleus
** Olivary body
*** Inferior olivary nucleus
** Rostral ventrolateral medulla
** Caudal ventrolateral medulla
** Solitary nucleus (Nucleus of the solitary tract)
** Respiratory center-Respiratory groups
*** Dorsal respiratory group
*** Ventral respiratory group or Apneustic centre
**** Pre-Bötzinger complex
**** Botzinger complex
**** Retrotrapezoid nucleus
**** Nucleus retrofacialis
**** Nucleus retroambiguus
**** Nucleus para-ambiguus
** Paramedian reticular nucleus
** Gigantocellular reticular nucleus
** Parafacial zone
** Cuneate nucleus
** Gracile nucleus
** Perihypoglossal nuclei
*** Intercalated nucleus
*** Prepositus nucleus
*** Sublingual nucleus
** Area postrema
** Medullary cranial nerve nuclei
*** Inferior salivatory nucleus
*** Nucleus ambiguus
*** Dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve
*** Hypoglossal nucleus
** Chemoreceptor trigger zone

### Metencephalon
#### Pons

* Pontine nuclei
* Pontine cranial nerve nuclei
** Chief or pontine nucleus of the trigeminal nerve sensory nucleus (V)
** Motor nucleus for the trigeminal nerve (V)
** Abducens nucleus (VI)
** Facial nerve nucleus (VII)
** Vestibulocochlear nuclei (vestibular nuclei and cochlear nuclei) (VIII)
** Superior salivatory nucleus
* Pontine tegmentum
** Pontine micturition center (Barrington's nucleus)
** Locus coeruleus
** Pedunculopontine nucleus
** Laterodorsal tegmental nucleus
** Tegmental pontine reticular nucleus
** Nucleus incertus
* Parabrachial area
** Medial parabrachial nucleus
** Lateral parabrachial nucleus
** Subparabrachial nucleus (Kölliker-Fuse nucleus)
*** Pontine respiratory group
* Superior olivary complex
** Medial superior olive
** Lateral superior olive
** Medial nucleus of the trapezoid body
* Paramedian pontine reticular formation
* Parvocellular reticular nucleus
* Caudal pontine reticular nucleus
* Cerebellar peduncles
** Superior cerebellar peduncle
** Middle cerebellar peduncle
** Inferior cerebellar peduncle

#### Cerebellum

* Cerebellar vermis
* Cerebellar hemispheres
** Anterior lobe
** Posterior lobe
** Flocculonodular lobe
* Cerebellar nuclei
** Fastigial nucleus
** Interposed nucleus
*** Globose nucleus
*** Emboliform nucleus
** Dentate nucleus

## Midbrain (mesencephalon)

* Tectum
** Corpora quadrigemina
*** Inferior colliculi
*** Superior colliculi
* Pretectum
* Tegmentum
** Periaqueductal gray
** Rostral interstitial nucleus of medial longitudinal fasciculus
** Midbrain reticular formation
** Dorsal raphe nucleus
** Red nucleus
** Ventral tegmental area
*** Parabrachial pigmented nucleus
*** Paranigral nucleus
*** Rostromedial tegmental nucleus
** Caudal linear nucleus
** Rostral linear nucleus of the raphe
** Interfascicular nucleus
** Substantia nigra
*** Pars compacta
*** Pars reticulata
** Interpeduncular nucleus
* Cerebral peduncle
** Crus cerebri
* Mesencephalic cranial nerve nuclei
** Oculomotor nucleus (III)
** Edinger-Westphal nucleus
** Trochlear nucleus (IV)
* Mesencephalic duct (cerebral aqueduct, aqueduct of Sylvius)

## Forebrain (prosencephalon)
### Diencephalon
#### Epithalamus

* Pineal body (pineal gland)
* Habenular nuclei
* Stria medullaris
* Taenia thalami

#### Third ventricle

* Subcommissural organ
* Circumventricular organs (also Fourth ventricle)

#### Thalamus

* Anterior nuclear group
** Anteroventral nucleus (a.k.a. ventral anterior nucleus)
** Anterodorsal nucleus
** Anteromedial nucleus
* Medial nuclear group
** Medial dorsal nucleus
** Midline nuclear group
** Paratenial nucleus
** Reuniens nucleus (a.k.a. medioventral nucleus)
** Rhomboidal nucleus
** Intralaminar nuclear group
** Centromedian nucleus
** Parafascicular nucleus
** Paracentral nucleus
** Central lateral nucleus
* Lateral nuclear group
** Lateral dorsal nucleus
** Lateral posterior nucleus
** Pulvinar
* Ventral nuclear group
** Ventral anterior nucleus
** Ventral lateral nucleus
** Ventral posterior nucleus
*** Ventral posterior lateral nucleus
*** Ventral posterior medial nucleus
* Metathalamus
** Medial geniculate body
** Lateral geniculate body
* Thalamic reticular nucleus

#### Hypothalamus (limbic system) (HPA axis)

* Anterior
** Medial area
*** Parts of preoptic area
**** Medial preoptic nucleus
***** INAH 1
***** INAH 2
***** INAH 3
***** INAH 4
**** Median preoptic nucleus
*** Suprachiasmatic nucleus
*** Paraventricular nucleus
*** Supraoptic nucleus (mainly)
*** Anterior hypothalamic nucleus
** Lateral area
*** Parts of preoptic area
**** Lateral preoptic nucleus
*** Anterior part of Lateral nucleus
*** Part of supraoptic nucleus
** Other nuclei of preoptic area
*** Median preoptic nucleus
*** Periventricular preoptic nucleus
* Tuberal
** Medial area
*** Dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus
*** Ventromedial nucleus
*** Arcuate nucleus
** Lateral area
*** Tuberal part of Lateral nucleus
*** Lateral tuberal nuclei
* Posterior
** Medial area
*** Mammillary nuclei (part of mammillary bodies)
*** Posterior nucleus
** Lateral area
*** Posterior part of Lateral nucleus
* Surface
** Median eminence
** Mammillary bodies
** Pituitary stalk (infundibulum)
* Optic chiasm
* Subfornical organ
* Periventricular nucleus
* Tuber cinereum
** Tuberal nucleus
** Tuberomammillary nucleus
* Tuberal region
* Mammillary nucleus

#### Subthalamus (HPA axis)

* Subthalamic nucleus
* Zona incerta

#### Pituitary gland (HPA axis)

* Neurohypophysis
* Pars intermedia (Intermediate Lobe)
* Adenohypophysis

### Telencephalon (cerebrum) Cerebral hemispheres
#### White matter

* Centrum semiovale
* Corona radiata
* Internal capsule
* External capsule
* Extreme capsule

#### Subcortical

* Hippocampus (Medial Temporal Lobe)
** Dentate gyrus
** Cornu ammonis (CA fields)
*** Cornu ammonis area 1 (CA1)
*** Cornu ammonis area 2 (CA2)
*** Cornu ammonis area 3 (CA3)
*** Cornu ammonis area 4 (CA4)
* Amygdala (limbic system) (limbic lobe)
** Central nucleus (autonomic nervous system)
** Medial nucleus (accessory olfactory system)
** Cortical and basomedial nuclei (main olfactory system)
** Lateral and basolateral nuclei (frontotemporal cortical system)
* Extended amygdala
** Stria terminalis
*** Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis
* Claustrum
* Basal ganglia
** Striatum
*** Dorsal striatum (a.k.a. neostriatum)
**** Putamen
**** Caudate nucleus
*** Ventral striatum
**** Nucleus accumbens
**** Olfactory tubercle
** Globus pallidus (forms nucleus lentiformis with putamen)
*** Ventral pallidum
** Subthalamic nucleus
* Basal forebrain
** Anterior perforated substance
** Substantia innominata
** Nucleus basalis
** Diagonal band of Broca
** Septal nuclei
*** Medial septal nuclei
** Lamina terminalis
*** Vascular organ of lamina terminalis

#### Rhinencephalon (paleocortex)

* Olfactory bulb
* Olfactory tract
* Anterior olfactory nucleus
* Piriform cortex
* Anterior commissure
* Uncus
* Periamygdaloid cortex

#### Cerebral cortex (neocortex)

* Frontal lobe
** Cortex
*** Primary motor cortex (Precentral gyrus, M1)
*** Premotor cortex
*** Supplementary motor cortex
*** Prefrontal cortex
**** Orbitofrontal cortex
**** Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
**** Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex
**** Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex
**** Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
** Gyri
*** Superior frontal gyrus
*** Middle frontal gyrus
*** Inferior frontal gyrus
** Brodmann areas: 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 32, 33, 44, 45, 46, 47
* Parietal lobe
** Cortex
*** Primary somatosensory cortex (S1)
*** Secondary somatosensory cortex (S2)
*** Posterior parietal cortex
** Gyri
*** Postcentral gyrus (Primary somesthetic area)
** Other
*** Precuneus
** Brodmann areas 1, 2, 3 (Primary somesthetic area); 5, 7, 23, 26, 29, 31, 39, 40
* Occipital lobe
** Cortex
*** Primary visual cortex (V1)
*** V2
*** V3
*** V4
** Gyri
*** Lateral occipital gyrus
** Other
*** Cuneus
** Brodmann areas 17 (V1, primary visual cortex); 18, 19
* Temporal lobe
** Cortex
*** Primary auditory cortex (A1)
*** Secondary auditory cortex (A2)
*** Inferior temporal cortex
*** V5/MT
*** Posterior inferior temporal cortex
** Gyri
*** Superior temporal gyrus
*** Middle temporal gyrus
*** Inferior temporal gyrus
*** Entorhinal cortex
*** Perirhinal cortex
*** Parahippocampal gyrus
*** Fusiform gyrus
** Brodmann areas: 20, 21, 22, 27, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42
** Other
*** Medial superior temporal area (MST)
* Insular cortex
* Cingulate cortex
** Anterior cingulate
** Posterior cingulate
** Retrosplenial cortex
** Indusium griseum
** Subgenual area 25
** Brodmann areas 23, 24; 26, 29, 30 (retrosplenial areas); 31, 32

## Neural pathways

* Superior longitudinal fasciculus
** Arcuate fasciculus
* Uncinate fasciculus
* Perforant pathway
* Thalamocortical radiations
* Corpus callosum
* Anterior commissure
* Amygdalofugal pathway
* Interthalamic adhesion
* Posterior commissure
* Habenular commissure
* Fornix
* Mammillotegmental fasciculus
* Incertohypothalamic pathway
* Cerebral peduncle
* Medial forebrain bundle
* Medial longitudinal fasciculus
* Myoclonic triangle
* Solitary tract
* Major dopaminergic pathways from dopaminergic cell groups
** Mesocortical pathway
** Mesolimbic pathway
** Nigrostriatal pathway
** Tuberoinfundibular pathway
* Serotonergic pathways
** Raphe Nuclei
* Norepinephrine Pathways
** Locus coeruleus and other noradrenergic cell groups
* Epinephrine pathways from adrenergic cell groups
* Glutamate and acetylcholine pathways from mesopontine nuclei

### Motor systems / Descending fibers

* Extrapyramidal system
* Pyramidal tract
** Corticospinal tract or Cerebrospinal fibers
*** Lateral corticospinal tract
*** Anterior corticospinal tract
** Corticopontine fibers
*** Frontopontine fibers
*** Temporopontine fibers
** Corticobulbar tract
* Corticomesencephalic tract
* Tectospinal tract
* Interstitiospinal tract
* Rubrospinal tract
* Rubro-olivary tract
* Olivocerebellar tract
* Olivospinal tract
* Vestibulospinal tract
** Lateral vestibulospinal tract
** Medial vestibulospinal tract
* Reticulospinal tract
* Lateral raphespinal tract
* Alpha system
* Gamma system

### Somatosensory system

* Dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway
** Gracile fasciculus
** Cuneate fasciculus
** Medial lemniscus
* Spinothalamic tract
** Lateral spinothalamic tract
** Anterior spinothalamic tract
** Spinomesencephalic tract
* Spinocerebellar tract
* Spino-olivary tract
* Spinoreticular tract

### Visual system

* Optic tract
* Optic radiation
* Retinohypothalamic tract

### Auditory system

* Medullary striae of fourth ventricle
* Trapezoid body
* Lateral lemniscus

### Nerves

* Brain stem
** Cranial nerves
*** Terminal (0)
*** Olfactory (I)
*** Optic (II)
*** Oculomotor (III)
*** Trochlear (IV)
*** Trigeminal (V)
*** Abducens (VI)
*** Facial (VII)
*** Vestibulocochlear (VIII)
*** Glossopharyngeal (IX)
*** Vagus (X)
*** Accessory (XI)
*** Hypoglossal (XII)

## Neuroendocrine systems

* Hypothalamic-pituitary hormones
** HPA axis
** HPG axis
** HPT axis
** GHRH - GH
* Hypothalamic–neurohypophyseal system

## Neuro vascular systems

* Middle cerebral artery
* Posterior cerebral artery
* Anterior cerebral artery
* Vertebral artery
* Basilar artery
* Circle of Willis (arterial system)
* Blood–brain barrier
* Glymphatic system
* Venous systems
* Circumventricular organs

## Neurotransmitter pathways

* Noradrenaline system
* Dopamine system
* Serotonin system
* Cholinergic system
* GABA
* Neuropeptides
** Opioid peptides
*** Endorphins
*** Enkephalins
*** Dynorphins
** Oxytocin
** Substance P

## Dural meningeal system

* Cerebrospinal Fluid
* Brain-cerebrospinal fluid barrier
* Meningeal coverings
** Dura mater
** Arachnoid mater
** Pia mater
* Epidural space
* Subdural space
* Subarachnoid space
** Arachnoid septum
** Superior cistern
** Cistern of lamina terminalis
** Chiasmatic cistern
** Interpeduncular cistern
** Pontine cistern
** Cisterna magna
** Spinal subarachnoid space
* Ventricular system
** Lateral ventricles
*** Angular bundle
*** Anterior horn
*** Body of lateral ventricle
*** Inferior horn
*** Posterior horn
**** Calcar avis
*** Subventricular zone
** Third ventricle
** Fourth ventricle
** Foramina
*** Interventricular Foramina
*** Cerebral Aqueduct
*** Foramina of Luschka
*** Foramen of Magendie

## Limbic system

* Cortical areas:
** Limbic lobe
** Orbitofrontal cortex
** Piriform cortex part of the olfactory system
** Entorhinal cortex
** Hippocampus and associated structures
** Fornix and septal nuclei
* Subcortical areas:
** Septal nuclei
** Amygdala
** Nucleus accumbens
* Diencephalic structures:
** Hypothalamus
** Mammillary bodies
** Anterior nuclei of thalamus
Other areas that have been included in the limbic system include the:
* Stria medullaris
* Central gray and dorsal and ventral nuclei of Gudden

## Related topics

* Human brain
* Spinal cord
* Outline of the human nervous system
* List of nerves of the human body