Search
-
- Glossary
Optic tract
The optic tract refers to the optic nerve after half of the fibers have crossed sides at the optic chiasm. However, it still consists of the axons (long fiber-like extensions) of the retinal ganglion cells. Most of the optic tract ends in the lateral geniculate nucleus, while others end in the superior colliculi, among other places.
-
- Glossary
Soma
The cell body, also known as the soma, is the metabolic center of the cell. In addition to the cell organelles – such as the mitochondria – it also contains the cell nucleus with the genetic material. The dendrites and axon (long, fiber-like extension of nerve cells) extend from the cell body.
-
- Glossary
Subthalamus
The subthalamus is an area of the diencephalon located ventrally below the thalamus. It includes the subthalamic nucleus, which functionally belongs to the basal ganglia network. The subthalamus plays an important role in the regulation and inhibition of movement sequences and in impulse control.
-
- Glossary
Tegmentum
Tegmentum (from the Latin "tegere," meaning "to cover"). This is the ventral part of the midbrain located beneath the aqueduct. It contains nuclei such as the substantia nigra, the reticular formation, the cranial nerve nuclei, and the red nucleus.
-
- Glossary
Tuber cinereum
The tuber cinereum is a hill-shaped area in the hypothalamus from which the infundibulum, the pituitary stalk, originates. The tuber nuclei are located in the tuber cinereum, including the nucleus tuberomammillaris, which is the only region in the brain that uses histamine as a neurotransmitter.
-
- Glossary
Visual system
The visual system is the part of the nervous system that processes visual information. It primarily comprises the eye, the optic nerve, the optic chiasm, the optic tract, the lateral geniculate nucleus, the optic radiation, the primary visual cortex, and the visual association cortices.
-
- Glossary
Ventral tegmental area
Located in the midbrain, the uppermost section of the brain stem, is the ventral tegmental area (VTA) – a central component of the reward system. The area itself is not particularly large, but its influence is immense: the neurons of the VTA send their axons to the nucleus accumbens and widely into the prefrontal cortex (PFC), where they release the neuromodulator dopamine. In this way, they enhance learning processes, but can also contribute to the development of addictions.
-
- News
- Question to the brain
Why do we get Headaches?
The brain has no pain receptors. So why do we still get headaches?
14.10.2025
-
- Basics
- Anatomy
The Occipital Lobe
The sophisticated interconnection of the occipital lobe demonstrates just how complex the visual process is.
28.08.2025
-
- Act
- Motor Skills
Forced Right-Handedness
When left-handed people were retrained to use their right hand, their brains were also retrained.
25.10.2025
