Our glossary of brain anatomy

Overwhelmed by all the new terms about the anatomy of the brain? Below we listed all terms you have come across in the video of Dr Michiel Wagemakers and their explanations.

At the very bottom of this page, you can download the list as a pdf.

Angular gyrus

• Brain region in the parietal lobe

Anterior

• Near the front

Arcuate fasciculus

• Bundle of subcortica tracts, connecting the parietal and temporal regions with the frontal regions of the brain

Broca’s area

• Brain region in the frontal lobe, associated with language production

Central sulcus

• Anatomical landmark separating the frontal and the parietal lobe

Cerebellum

• Lower part of brain, associated with balance and muscle coordination

Cerebrum

• Large part of the brain, containing the two cerebral hemispheres and their white matter connections, and some subcortical structures

Corpus callosum

• Bundle of subcortical fibers, connecting the two hemispheres

Dura mater

• Outermost layer of membrane surrounding the brain

Fissure

• Anatomical groove, creating gyri, also generally called sulcus

Frontal lobe

• Lobe in the front of the hemisphere

Gyrus

• Anatomical ridge, created by sulci surrounding it

Hemisphere

• One of the two halves of the brain

Inferior

• Lower part of a complex structure, in the brain, lowest structure in the lobe

Inferior Fronto Occipital Fasciculus

• Bundle of subcortical tracts, connecting the frontal lobe with parts of the temporal and occipital lobe

Insular

• Lobe folded underneath the temporal, frontal and parietal lobes

Lateral

• To the outside of (the brain)

Lobes

• Divisions of the hemisphere into smaller parts, separated by fissures

Limbic lobe

• Arc-shaped lobe in the medial parts of the brain, consisting of the medial parts of frontal, temporal and parietal lobe

Middle

• Middle part of a complex structure

Occipital lobe

• Lobe in the back of the brain

Pars Opercularis

• Brain region in the frontal lobe, part of Broca’s area

Pars Orbital

• Brain region in the frontal lobe, next to Broca’s area

Pars Triangularis

• Brain region in the frontal lobe, part of Broca’s area

Parietal lobe

• Lobe in the centre of the hemisphere

Postcentral gyrus

• First gyrus in the parietal lobe, behind the central sulcus, location of the primary somatosensory cortex

Posterior

• Near the back

Precentral gyrus

• In front of the postcentral gyrus, in front of the central sulcus, location of the primary motor cortex

Primary motor cortex

• Located in the precentral gyrus, associated with motor functions

Primary sensory cortex

• Located in the postcentral gyrus, associated with sensory reception

Sulcus

• Anatomical groove, creating gyri

Superficial cerebral cortex

• Most outer layer of the brain, hosting motor and cognitive function

Superior

• High part of a complex structure, in the brain, highest structure in the lobe

Supramarginal gyrus

• Brain region in the parietal lobe

Sylvian fissure

• Anatomical landmark separating the temporal from the frontal and parietal lobe

Temporal lobe

• Lobe in the lower part of the hemisphere

Wernicke’s area

• Brain region in the temporal lobe, associated with language comprehension

White matter tracts

• Subcortical connections of the central nervous system, enabling communication between the cortical areas