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The "brain structure" type includes all anatomical structures of the human brain.
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203 Brain Structure topics matching:
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| x Entorhinal cortex |
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The entorhinal cortex (EC) is an important memory center in the brain. The EC forms the main input to the hippocampus and is responsible for the pre-processing (familiarity) of the input signals. In the reflex nictitating membrane response of...
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| x Broca's area |
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Broca's area is a region of the brain with functions linked to speech production.
The production of language has been linked to the Broca’s area since Paul Pierre Broca reported impairments in two patients. They had lost the ability to speak after...
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| x Substantia nigra |
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The substantia nigra is a brain structure located in the mesencephalon (midbrain) that plays an important role in reward, addiction, and movement. Substantia nigra is Latin for "black substance", as parts of the substantia nigra appear darker than...
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| x Hypothalamus |
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The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland ...
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| x Thalamus |
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The thalamus (from Greek θάλαμος = room, chamber, IPA= /ˈθæləməs/) is a midline paired symmetrical structure within the brain of vertebrate animals, including humans. It is between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain, both in terms of its location...
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| x Basal ganglia |
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The basal ganglia (or basal nuclei) are a group of nuclei in the brains of vertebrates, situated at the base of the forebrain and strongly connected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus and other areas. The basal ganglia are associated with a variety...
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| x Medulla oblongata |
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The medulla oblongata is the lower half of the brainstem. In discussions of neurology and similar contexts where no ambiguity will result, it is often referred to as simply the medulla. The medulla contains the cardiac, respiratory, vomiting and...
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| x Pons |
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The pons (sometimes pons Varolii after Costanzo Varolio) is a structure located on the brain stem. It is cranial to (up from) the medulla oblongata, caudal to (down from) the midbrain, and ventral to (in front of) the cerebellum. In humans and other...
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| x Brain stem |
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The brainstem (or brain stem) is the lower part of the brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the spinal cord. The brain stem provides the main motor and sensory innervation to the face and neck via the cranial nerves. Though small, this...
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| x Corpus callosum |
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The corpus callosum is a structure of the mammalian brain in the longitudinal fissure that connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres. It facilitates communication between the two hemispheres. It is the largest white matter structure in the...
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| x Ventricular system |
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The ventricular system is a set of structures containing cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. It is continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord.
The system comprises four ventricles:
There are several small holes or foramina that connect these...
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| x Dentate gyrus |
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The dentate gyrus is part of the hippocampal formation. It is thought to contribute to new memories as well as other functional roles. It is notable as being one of a select few brain structures currently known to have high rates of neurogenesis in...
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| x Cingulate cortex |
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The cingulate cortex is a part of the brain situated in the medial aspect of the cortex. It is extended from the corpus callosum below to the cingulate sulcus above, at least anteriorly.
Cingulum means belt in Latin. The name was likely chosen...
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| x Brodmann area |
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A Brodmann area is a region of the cortex defined based on its cytoarchitecture, or organization of cells.
Brodmann areas were originally defined and numbered by Korbinian Brodmann based on the organization of neurons he observed in the cortex using...
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| x Cingulate sulcus |
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The cingulate sulcus is a sulcus (brain fold) on the medial wall of the cerebral cortex. The frontal and parietal lobes are separated by the cingulate sulcus from the cingulate gyrus.
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| x Caudate nucleus |
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The caudate nucleus is a nucleus located within the basal ganglia of the brains of many animal species. The caudate nucleus is an important part of the brain's learning and memory system.
The caudate nuclei are located near the center of the brain,...
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| x Olfactory bulb |
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The olfactory bulb is a structure of the vertebrate forebrain involved in olfaction, the perception of odors.
In most vertebrates, the olfactory bulb is the most rostral (forward) part of the brain. In humans, however, the olfactory bulb is on the...
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| x Parietal lobe |
The parietal lobe is a lobe in the brain. It is positioned above (superior to) the occipital lobe and behind (posterior to) the frontal lobe.
The parietal lobe integrates sensory information from different modalities, particularly determining...
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| x Temporal lobe |
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The temporal lobe is a region of the cerebral cortex that is located beneath the Sylvian fissure on both the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
The temporal lobe is involved in auditory processing and is home to the primary auditory cortex. It...
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| x Frontal lobe |
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The frontal lobe is an area in the brain of mammals. It is located at the front of each cerebral hemisphere and positioned anterior to (in front of) the parietal lobes and above and anterior to the temporal lobes. It is separated from the parietal...
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| x Central sulcus |
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The central sulcus is a fold in the cerebral cortex of brains in vertebrates. Also called the central fissure, it was originally called the fissure of Rolando or the Rolandic fissure, after Luigi Rolando.
The central sulcus is a prominent landmark...
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| x Occipital lobe |
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The occipital lobe is the visual processing center of the mammalian brain containing most of the anatomical region of the visual cortex. The primary visual cortex is Brodmann area 17, commonly called V1 (visual one). Human V1 is located on the...
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| x Prosencephalon |
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In the anatomy of the brain of vertebrates, the prosencephalon (or forebrain) is the rostral-most (forward-most) portion of the brain. The prosencephalon, the mesencephalon (midbrain), and rhombencephalon (hindbrain) are the three primary portions...
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| x Globus pallidus |
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The globus pallidus (Latin for "pale globe") is a sub-cortical structure of the brain. It is a major element of the basal ganglia system. In this system, it is a major constituent of the basal ganglia core, which consists of the striatum and its...
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| x Mesencephalon |
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In biological anatomy, the mesencephalon (or midbrain) comprises the tectum (or corpora quadrigemini), tegmentum, the ventricular mesocoelia (or "iter"), and the cerebral peduncles, as well as several nuclei and fasciculi. Caudally the mesencephalon...
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| x Cerebral peduncle |
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The cerebral peduncle, by most classifications, is everything in the mesencephalon except the tectum. The region includes the midbrain tegmentum, crus cerebri, substantia nigra and pretectum. By this definition, the cerebral peduncles are also known...
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| x Rhinencephalon |
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In animal anatomy, the rhinencephalon is a part of the brain involved with olfaction.
The term "Rhinencephalon" has been used to describe different structures at different points in time.
One definition includes the olfactory bulb, olfactory tract,...
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| x Raphe nuclei |
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The raphe nuclei ("raffe", Greek: ραφή = seam) are a moderate-size cluster of nuclei found in the brain stem. Their main function is to release serotonin to the rest of the brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants are...
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| x Mammillary body |
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The mammillary bodies (mamillary bodies) are a pair of small round bodies, located on the undersurface of the brain, that form part of the limbic system. They are located at the ends of the anterior arches of the fornix. They consist of two groups...
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| x Choroid plexus |
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The choroid plexus (from Latin: chorion - delicate, plexus knot) is the area on the ventricles of the brain where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is produced by modified ependymal cells.
Choroid plexus is present in all components of the ventricular...
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| x Brodmann area 40 |
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Brodmann area 40, or BA40, is part of the parietal cortex in the human brain. The inferior part of BA40 is in the area of the supramarginal gyrus, which lies at the posterior end of the lateral fissure, in the inferior lateral part of the parietal...
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| x Fornix |
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The fornix (Latin, "vault" or "arch") is a C-shaped bundle of fibres (axons) in the brain, and carries signals from the hippocampus to the mammillary bodies and septal nuclei.
The fibres begin in the hippocampus on each side of the brain (where they...
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| x Internal capsule |
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The internal capsule is an area of white matter in the brain that separates the caudate nucleus and the thalamus from the lenticular nucleus. The internal capsule contains both ascending and descending axons.
It consists of axonal fibres that run...
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| x Nucleus accumbens |
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The nucleus accumbens (NAcc), also known as the accumbens nucleus or as the nucleus accumbens septi (Latin for nucleus leaning against the septum), is a collection of neurons within the striatum. It is thought to play an important role in reward,...
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| x Claustrum |
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The claustrum, which is suspected to be present in all mammals, is a fairly thin (fraction of 1 mm to multiple mms) vertical curved sheet of subcortical gray matter oriented sagittally between the white matter tracts of the external capsule and...
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| x Corticospinal tract |
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The corticospinal or pyramidal tract is a collection of axons that travel between the cerebral cortex of the brain and the spinal cord.
The corticospinal tract mostly contains motor axons. It actually consists of two separate tracts in the spinal...
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| x Supraoptic nucleus |
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The supraoptic nucleus (SON) is a nucleus of magnocellular neurosecretory cells in the hypothalamus of the mammalian brain. The nucleus is situated at the base of the brain, adjacent to the optic chiasm. In humans, it contains about 3,000 neurons....
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| x Paraventricular nucleus |
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The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a neuronal nucleus in the hypothalamus. It contains multiple subpopulations of neurons that are activated by a variety of stressful and/or physiological changes. Many PVN neurons project directly to the posterior...
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| x Suprachiasmatic nucleus |
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The suprachiasmatic nucleus, or nuclei, (SCN), a tiny region on the brain's midline in a shallow impression of the optic chiasm, is responsible for controlling endogenous circadian rhythms. The neuronal and hormonal activities it generates regulate...
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| x Cerebral aqueduct |
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The mesencephalic duct, also known as the aqueductus mesencephali, aqueduct of Sylvius or the cerebral aqueduct, contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), is within the mesencephalon (or midbrain) and connects the third ventricle in the diencephalon to...
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| x Pulvinar |
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The pulvinar is the caudal-most nucleus of the thalamus. The pulvinar is usually grouped as one of the lateral thalamic nuclei.
It is conventionally divided into oral, inferior, lateral, and medial subnuclei.
The pulvinar varies in importance in...
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| x Hypoglossal nucleus |
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The hypoglossal nucleus is a cranial nerve nucleus, and it extends the length of the medulla, and being a motor nucleus, is close to the midline. In the open medulla, it is visible as what is known as the hypoglossal trigone, a raised area (medial...
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| x Medial lemniscus |
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The medial lemniscus, also known as Reil's band or Reil's ribbon, is a pathway in the brainstem that carries sensory information from the gracile and cuneate nuclei to the thalamus.
After neurons carrying proprioceptive or touch information synapse...
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| x Oculomotor nucleus |
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The fibers of the oculomotor nerve arise from a nucleus in the midbrain, which lies in the gray substance of the floor of the cerebral aqueduct and extends in front of the aqueduct for a short distance into the floor of the third ventricle. From...
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| x Solitary nucleus |
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The solitary tract and nucleus are structures in the brainstem that carry and receive visceral sensation and taste from the facial (VII), glossopharyngeal (IX) and vagus (X) cranial nerves.
The nucleus of the solitary tract, or NTS, is located along...
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| x Nucleus ambiguus |
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The nucleus ambiguus (literally "ambiguous nucleus") is a region of histologically disparate cells located just dorsal (posterior) to the inferior olivary nucleus in the lateral portion of the upper (rostral) medulla. It receives upper motor neuron...
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| x Medial longitudinal fasciculus |
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The medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) is a pair of crossed fiber tracts (group of axons), one on each side of the brainstem. These bundles of axons are situated near the midline of the brainstem and are composed of both ascending and descending...
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| x Lateral lemniscus |
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The lateral lemniscus is a tract of axons in the brainstem that carries information about sound from the cochlear nucleus to various brainstem nuclei and ultimately the contralateral inferior colliculus of the midbrain. Three distinct, primarily...
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| x Midbrain tegmentum |
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The midbrain tegmentum is the part of the midbrain extending from the substantia nigra to the cerebral aqueduct in a horizontal section of the midbrain. It forms the floor of the midbrain which surrounds the cerebral aqueduct.
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| x Arcuate nucleus |
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The arcuate nucleus (or infundibular nucleus) is an aggregation of neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus, adjacent to the third ventricle and the median eminence. The arcuate nucleus includes several important populations of neurons, including:...
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| x Diencephalon |
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The diencephalon (or interbrain) is the region of the brain that includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, prethalamus or subthalamus and pretectum. The diencephalon is located at the midline of the brain, above the mesencephalon of the...
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| x Locus ceruleus |
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The Locus coeruleus, also spelled locus caeruleus, is a nucleus in the brain stem involved with physiological responses to stress and panic. It was discovered in the 1700s by Félix Vicq-d'Azyr.
Its name is derived from the Latin words "caeruleus"...
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| x Postcentral gyrus |
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The lateral postcentral gyrus is a prominent structure in the parietal lobe of the human brain and an important landmark. It was initially defined from surface stimulation studies of Penfield, and parallel surface potential studies of Bard, Woolsey,...
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| x Lateral sulcus |
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The lateral sulcus (also called Sylvian fissure or lateral fissure) is one of the most prominent structures of the human brain.
It divides the frontal lobe and parietal lobe above from the temporal lobe below. It is in both hemispheres of the brain...
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| x Fourth ventricle |
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The fourth ventricle is one of the four connected fluid-filled cavities within the human brain. These cavities, known collectively as the ventricular system, consist of the left and right lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth...
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| x Inferior frontal gyrus |
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The inferior frontal gyrus is a gyrus of the frontal lobe of the human brain. Its superior border is the inferior frontal sulcus, its inferior border the lateral fissure, and its posterior border is the inferior precentral sulcus. Above it is the...
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| x Middle frontal gyrus |
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The middle frontal gyrus makes up about one-third of the frontal lobe of the human brain. (A gyrus is one of the prominent "bumps" or "ridges" on the surface of the human brain.)
The middle frontal gyrus, like the inferior frontal gyrus and the...
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| x Superior frontal gyrus |
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The superior frontal gyrus makes up about one-third of the frontal lobe of the human brain. It is bounded laterally by the superior frontal sulcus.
The superior frontal gyrus, like the inferior frontal gyrus and the middle frontal gyrus, is more of...
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| x Medial longitudinal fissure |
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The great longitudinal fissure (or longitudinal cerebral fissure, or longitudinal fissure, or interhemispheric fissure) is the deep groove which separates the two hemispheres of the vertebrate brain.
The falx cerebri, a dural brain covering, lies...
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| x Brodmann area 4 |
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Brodmann area 4 comprises the primary motor cortex of the human brain. It is located in the posterior portion of the frontal lobe.
Brodmann area 4 is about the same as the precentral gyrus. The borders of this area are: the precentral sulcus in...
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