medial mammillary nucleus (MM)

The term medial mammillary nucleus refers to a well defined group of cells located ventromedially in the posterior hypothalamic region of the human ( Saper-2004 ), macaque ( Paxinos-2009a ), rat ( Paxinos-2009b ) and mouse ( Franklin-2008 ). Defined on the basis of Nissl stain it is the most prominent cell group in the mammillary body. It has at least two parts in each of the species: the medial part of the medial mammillary nucleus and the lateral part of the medial mammillary nucleus. They are partially separated by fibers of the fornix. In the rat and the mouse the nucleus has a third component: the median part of the medial mammillary nucleus. Some authors do not distinguish medial and lateral parts of the nucleus in the rat ( Swanson-2004 ) and the mouse ( Hof-2000 ). It is composed of two parts: the body of the medial mammillary nucleus and the median part of the medial mammillary nucleus. Functionally the nucleus is part of the behavior control column of the brainstem motor system ( Swanson-2004 ).

Also known as: medial mammillary nucleus (Gudden), medial mammillary nucleus, Nucleus corporis mamillaris medialis, Nucleus mamillaris medialis, Nucleus mamillaris, internal mammillary nucleus, medial mamillary nucleus

NeuroNames ID: 414

All Names & Sources

Showing 14 synonym(s)

Name:

медиальное ядро сосцевидного тела

Language:

Russian

Organism:

human

Citation:

AREA XVII, Moscow, 1996.

Source Title:

Stereoskopicheskii Atlas Mozga Cheloveka

Name:

medial mammillary nucleus (Gudden)

Language:

English

Organism:

rat

Source:

Swanson-1998

Citation:

Second Revised Edition, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1998

Source Title:

Brain Maps: Structure of the Rat Brain

Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Saper-1990

Citation:

Chapter 15, pp. 389-413 in The Human Nervous System, G. Paxinos (Ed.), Academic Press, San Diego, 1990

Source Title:

Hypothalamus

Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Crosby-1962

Citation:

New York: MacMillan, 1962

Source Title:

Correlative Anatomy of the Nervous System

Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Martin-1997

Citation:

Primate Information Center, University of Washington, Seattle, 1997.

Source Title:

Template Atlas of the Primate Brain

Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Language:

English

Organism:

rat

Source:

Bowden-1997

Citation:

Source Title:

A digital Rosetta stone for primate brain terminology

Name:

Nucleus corporis mamillaris medialis

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Nomina-1983

Citation:

Fifth Edition, Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1983

Source Title:

Nomina Anatomica

Name:

Nucleus mamillaris medialis

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

Nucleus mamillaris medialis

Language:

Latin

Organism:

Macaca fuscata

Source:

Kusama-1970

Citation:

University Park Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1970

Source Title:

Stereotaxic Atlas Of The Brain of Macaca fuscata

Name:

Nucleus mamillaris

Language:

Latin

Organism:

Macaca mulatta

Citation:

S. Karger, Basel, Switzerland, 1952

Source Title:

The Thalamus Of The Macaca mulatta: An Atlas For Use With The Stereotaxic Instrument

Name:

internal mammillary nucleus

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Crosby-1962

Citation:

New York: MacMillan, 1962

Source Title:

Correlative Anatomy of the Nervous System

Name:

MM

Language:

acronym

Organism:

mouse

Source:

Hof-2000

Citation:

Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2000

Source Title:

Comparative Cytoarchitectonic Atlas of the C57BL/6 and 129/Sv Mouse Brains

Name:

medial mamillary nucleus

Language:

English

Organism:

macaque

Source:

Jones-2005

Citation:

UC Regents Davis campus, 2005

Source Title:

BrainMaps.org

Name:

MMg

Language:

acronym

Organism:

rat

Source:

Swanson-2004

Citation:

Third Edition, Elsevier Academic Press, Oxford, 2004

Source Title:

Brain Maps: Structure of the Rat Brain.

Species With The Structure
Equivalent By Human Macaque Rat Mouse
Topology Has The Structure Has The Structure Has The Structure Relevant Data Not Located

Showing 10 record(s)

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

internal mammillary nucleus

Source:

Crosby-1962

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Source:

Crosby-1962

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Source:

Saper-1990

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

Nucleus corporis mamillaris medialis

Source:

Nomina-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

Nucleus mamillaris medialis

Source:

Mai-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Source:

Martin-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

Nucleus mamillaris medialis

Source:

Kusama-1970

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Their Name:

Nucleus mamillaris

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Rattus (rat)

Their Name:

medial mammillary nucleus

Source:

Bowden-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Rattus (rat)

Their Name:

medial mammillary nucleus (Gudden)

Source:

Swanson-1998

Models Where It Appears
Structural CNS Model - Macaque

Brain structures of the macaque are illustrated in BrainInfo’s NeuroMaps macaque brain atlas. Structures are grouped by proximity in a hierarchy corresponding to the central nervous system hierarchy of NeuroNames ( Bowden-1995 Martin-2000 ). Structures in the NeuroMaps atlas are based on the segmentation of an MRI of the brain of a 3-year old male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). The atlas is most useful for targeting structures for implantating electrodes and chemtrodes. Updated 29 Oct 2025.

Functional CNS Model - Rat

The Functional CNS Model - Rat (FMrat) ( Swanson-2004) is one of three hierarchical models representing the internal organization of the central nervous system (CNS). The others are the Structural CNS Model - Human (SThmn) and the Functional CNS Model - Human (FMhmn). The FMrat model represents the basic organization of the mouse ( Hof-2000 AMBA-2024 ) and, presumably, other rodents. Functional CNS models differ from structural models in that structures are defined and named by connectivity rather than by proximity to other structures at the same level. Functional models are more useful for representing longitudinal components of are grouped based on information drawn from multiple neuroscientific disciplines. such as connections, neurochemical characteristics, and role in physiogical and behavioral processes. While the Functional Model was developed primarily for an atlas of the rat brain ( Swanson-2004 ), the hierarchical organization of structures is for the most part applicable to the human, macaque, mouse and other mammalian brains as well. Structures at lower levels of the Functional CNS hierarchy are largely the same as in the Classical and Developmental Models, i.e., they were originally identified by stains for gray matter (Nissl substance) and white matter (myelin). At the next higher level they are grouped into basic connectional and functional systems of the CNS, such as the subcortical sensory systems, the brainstem motor system and the behavioral state system. At the highest levels CNS structures are grouped on the basis of dissection and embryologic precursors into cerebrum ( cerebral cortex and cerebral nuclei ), cerebellum, and cerebrospinal trunk.