White Matter Of Cerebrum

MYELINATED AXONS THAT FORM

BUNDLES OF FIBERS BETWEEN
DIFFRENT NUCLEAR MASSES
 White Matter Of Cerebrum

Intracortical fibers
short, project to nearby cortical areas
most from horizontal neurons in layer I
some from horizontal axon collaterals from pyramidal cells
 White Matter Of Cerebrum

Association fibers

gyrus to gyrus and lobe to

lobe in the same hemisphere
arcuate fibers connect
adjacent gyri
long association fibers
connect distant gyri
originate from pyramidal
neurons in layers II and III
 White Matter Of Cerebrum

Short Association fibres

Arcuate fibers
U Cortical fibres
Connect the Adjacent
gyris
 White Matter Of Cerebrum

Long Association fibers Long association fibers

Connect the different Superior longitudinal

lobes of the same
hemisphere
Cingulum
Superior longitudinal
Bundle
Inferior longitudinal
Bundle
Arcuate fasciculus
Uncinate fasciculus
fasciculus: connects sup. &
medial frontal gyri to
parietal & occipital lobe
Arcuate fasciculus: arches
around the insular region,
connects Brocas and
Wernickes areas
Uncinate fasciculus:
connects orbital frontal gyri
to anterior parts of the
temporal lobe
 White Matter Of Cerebrum
Projection fibers connect cortex
with subcortical neurons
corticofugal/efferent, project

from cortex
corticopetal/afferent, project to

cortex
Corticofugal project to corpus
striatum, brainstem, and spinal cord
Corticopetal projections arise
mainly from the thalamus - the
thalamic radiations
Internal capsule carries most of
these connections
 Clinical Case

A patient presented with paralysis of the left side of

the limbs and left side of the lower face and deviation
of the tongue to the left with no atrophy and with no
loss of taste sensation. This constellation of deficits
most likely resulted from a lesion of the:
1. Left internal capsule
2. Right internal capsule
3. Left pontine tegmentum
4. Ventromedial medulla on the right side
5. Ventromedial medulla on the left side
 Clinical Case

A 35-year-old man suffered a stroke that did not

cause paralysis. However, he discovered that he was
unable to perform complex learned movements. The
region of the cerebral cortex most likely affected by
the stroke was the:
Precentral gyrus
Postcentral gyrus
Premotor cortex
Temporal neocortex
Prefrontal cortex
 White Matter Of Cerebrum

Projection fibers are deep to association fibers

Corona Radiata: afferent & efferent fibers in
radially arranged bundles that converge towards the
brainstem
form a compact band of fibers (Internal Capsule) between
the caudate nucleus and the thalamus
Internal Capsule:
Anterior limb: separates caudate nucleus from putamen
Posterior limb: separates thalamus from lentiform nucleus ( =
putamen + globus pallidus)
Both limbs meet at the genu of the internal capsule
White Matter Of Cerebrum
 Internal Capsule Part 1

Anterior limb
frontal lobe
connections
cortex to striatum and

pontine nuclei
anterior and medial

thalamus to frontal
lobe
Genu
Ventral anterior and

ventral lateral
thalamus to premotor
and motor cortex
 Internal Capsule Part 2

Posterior limb
corticospinal
retrolenticular =
optic radiations
sublenticular =
auditory radia.
Somatosensory
thalamocortical
fibers
Internal Capsule Clinical Illustration

Posterior limb of internal capsule is most common site of

stroke (supplied by MCA)
Capsular stroke
contralateral spastic hemiplegia

contralateral hemianesthesia

contralateral lower facial paralysis

if retrolenticular part is damaged then contralateral

homonymous hemianopsia will result (deficit in
contralateral half of visual field of both eyes)
Anterior limb supplied by ACA
 White Matter Of Cerebrum

Corpus callosum
Commissural fibers

Connect homologous
areas of the two
hemispheres
Corpus Callosum
Anterior Commissure
Posterior commissure
Hebelunar commissure
Hippocampal commissure
 White Matter Of Cerebrum

connect homologous areas of the two hemispheres

Corpus callosum: rostrum, genu, trunk, splenium
rostrum & genu connect frontal lobes
trunk connects posterior frontal lobes, parietal lobes, and superior
temporal lobe
splenium connects the occipital lobes
Originate with pyramidal neurons in layers II and III
White Matter Of Cerebrum
 Split Brain Patients

Transection of corpus callosum sometimes

performed for epilepsy treatment
Separates 2 hemispheres except for anterior and
posterior commissures
 White Matter Of Cerebrum
Anterior commissure
connects the inferior and
middle temporal gyri in
opposite hemispheres;
also olfactory connections
Posterior commissure
carries fibers from the
pretectal nuclei and other
nearby neurons