The hindbrain, rhombencephalon (shaped like a rhombus) is a Morphogenesis categorization of portions of the central nervous system in vertebrates. It includes the medulla, pons, and cerebellum. Together they support vital bodily processes.
Metencephalon
Rh3-Rh1 form the
metencephalon.
The metencephalon is composed of the pons and the cerebellum; it contains:
Myelencephalon
Rhombomeres Rh8-Rh4 form the
myelencephalon.
The myelencephalon forms the medulla oblongata in the adult brain; it contains:
Evolution
The hindbrain is homologous to a part of the
arthropod brain known as the sub-oesophageal ganglion, in terms of the genes that it expresses and its position in between the brain and the nerve cord.
It has been suggested that the hindbrain first evolved in the
urbilaterian—the last common ancestor of chordates and arthropods—between 570 and 555 million years ago.
Hindbrain diseases
A rare brain disease of the
cerebellum is rhombencephalosynapsis characterized by an absent or partially formed
vermis. Symptoms can include
truncal ataxia. The disorder is a main feature of Gomez-Lopez-Hernandez syndrome.
Further reading
