Part of the pons of the brain involved in REM sleep. It is located in proximity to the raphe nucleus and the locus coreuleus .

Animal studies have shown that lesions of the pontine tegmentum can greatly reduce or even eliminate REM sleep. Injection of a cholinergic agonist (e.g. carbachol), into the pontine tegmentum, produces a state of REM sleep in the cat.

PET studies seem to indicate that there is a correlation between the blood flow in the pontine tegmentum, REM sleep and dreaming.

Pontine waves (P-waves), or ponto-geniculate-occipital waves, are generated in the pontine tegmentum. They can be observed in mammals, and precede the onset and continue throughout REM sleep. After training, P-wave density increases in rats. This may be an indication of a link between sleep and learning.

Trapezoid body is part of the pontine tegmentum.