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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.
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
Cerebrum
- Lower part of brain, associated with balance and muscle coordination
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
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