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
    - Bötzinger 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

Fourth ventricle

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