Development of the embryonic forebrain (prosencephalon), midbrain (mesencephalon) and hindbrain (rhombencephalon) give rise to five primary brain divisions: Telencephalon (Cerebrum), Diencephalon, Mesencephalon, Metencephalon, and Myelencephalon.

It is common to divide the brain into three parts: Cerebrum, Cerebellum, and Brainstem. From a clinical persepctive, the divisions Forebrain and Hindbrain are important for diagnostic localization of neurological lesions.