Structural Components of Neuroanatomy
Structure Description Appearance
Surface of Cerebral cortex
Occipital lobe The occipital lobe is the smallest of
the four lobes of the brain. It sits
posterior to the temporal lobe and
parietal lobes, underlying the occipital
bone and overlying the tentorium
cerebelli. Its most notable functional
component is the primary and
secondary visual cortex.
Temporal lobe The temporal lobe is one of the four
lobes of the brain (along with the
frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and
occipital lobe), and largely occupies
the middle cranial fossa.
Parietal lobe The parietal lobe is one of the four
lobes of the brain (along with the
frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and
occipital lobe), located between the
frontal and occipital lobes and
underlying the parietal bone. It
occupies about 19% of the cerebral
hemispheres volume.
Frontal lobe The frontal lobe is by far the largest
of the four lobes of the cerebrum
(other lobes: parietal lobe, temporal
lobe, and occipital lobe), and is
responsible for many of the functions
which produce voluntary and
purposeful action.
TJW Notes
,Insular lobe The insular cortex, or the insula, lies
deep to the lateral surface of the
brain, completely covered by the
frontal, parietal, and temporal
opercula. It accounts for
approximately 2% of the cortical
surface.
Central sulcus The central sulcus separates the
frontal lobe from the parietal lobe,
and more specifically separates the
primary motor cortex anteriorly from
the primary somatosensory cortex
posteriorly
Lateral sulcus The Sylvian fissure, also known as
the lateral sulcus or fissure, begins
near the basal forebrain and extends
to the lateral surface of the brain
separating the frontal and parietal
lobes superiorly from the temporal
lobe inferiorly3. The insular cortex is
located immediately deep to the
Sylvian fissure.
Parieto- The parieto-occipital fissure or sulcus,
occipital is an oblique sulcus which
sulcus demarcates the occipital lobe from
the parietal lobe on the medial
surface of the cerebral hemisphere
Preoccipital The preoccipital notch is an
notch indentation approximately 5 cm in
front of the occipital pole on the
inferolateral border of the temporal
lobe. It is a significant landmark as
the occipital lobe lies behind the
lateral parietotemporal line, joining
the preoccipital notch and the
parieto-occipital sulcus.
TJW Notes
,Superior, The superior frontal gyrus is the
middle and medial most gyrus of the frontal
inferior frontal lobe's superolateral surface. Laterally
gyri it is bounded by the superior frontal
sulcus, which separates it from the
middle frontal gyrus.
The middle frontal gyrus is part of the
superolateral surface of the frontal
lobe, located between the superior
frontal sulcus and inferior frontal
sulcus, which respectively separate it
from the superior frontal gyrus and
inferior frontal gyrus.
The inferior frontal gyrus makes up
the lateral and inferior surface of the
frontal lobe and is separated from the
middle frontal gyrus above by the
inferior frontal sulcus. It contains the
frontal operculum (hiding the
anterosuperior part of the insular
cortex).
Precentral The precentral gyrus, also known as
gyrus the primary motor cortex, is a very
important structure involved in
executing voluntary motor
movements.
The precentral gyrus is a diagonally
orientated cerebral convolution
situated in the posterior portion of
the frontal lobe. It is located
immediately anterior to the central
sulcus (fissure of Rolando), running
parallel to it
Postcentral The postcentral gyrus lies in the
gyrus parietal lobe, posterior to the central
sulcus. It is the site of the primary
somatosensory cortex.
TJW Notes
, Superior The superior parietal lobule is one of
parietal lobule the three subdivisions of the parietal
lobe. The other subdivisions include
the inferior parietal lobule and
postcentral gyrus. It is involved with
sensorimotor integration
Inferior The inferior parietal lobule (IPL), also
parietal lobule known as Geschwind territory or
area, is one of the three divisions of
the parietal lobe. It is composed of a
supramarginal gyrus rostrally and an
angular gyrus caudally. It is involved
with sensorimotor integration, spatial
attention and visuomotor and
auditory processing
Superior The superior temporal gyrus forms
temporal the most superior part of the
gyrus temporal lobe, and has a role in both
verbal and non-verbal
communication.
Middle The middle temporal gyrus is one of
temporal three gyri on the lateral surface of the
gyrus temporal lobe.
TJW Notes
Structure Description Appearance
Surface of Cerebral cortex
Occipital lobe The occipital lobe is the smallest of
the four lobes of the brain. It sits
posterior to the temporal lobe and
parietal lobes, underlying the occipital
bone and overlying the tentorium
cerebelli. Its most notable functional
component is the primary and
secondary visual cortex.
Temporal lobe The temporal lobe is one of the four
lobes of the brain (along with the
frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and
occipital lobe), and largely occupies
the middle cranial fossa.
Parietal lobe The parietal lobe is one of the four
lobes of the brain (along with the
frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and
occipital lobe), located between the
frontal and occipital lobes and
underlying the parietal bone. It
occupies about 19% of the cerebral
hemispheres volume.
Frontal lobe The frontal lobe is by far the largest
of the four lobes of the cerebrum
(other lobes: parietal lobe, temporal
lobe, and occipital lobe), and is
responsible for many of the functions
which produce voluntary and
purposeful action.
TJW Notes
,Insular lobe The insular cortex, or the insula, lies
deep to the lateral surface of the
brain, completely covered by the
frontal, parietal, and temporal
opercula. It accounts for
approximately 2% of the cortical
surface.
Central sulcus The central sulcus separates the
frontal lobe from the parietal lobe,
and more specifically separates the
primary motor cortex anteriorly from
the primary somatosensory cortex
posteriorly
Lateral sulcus The Sylvian fissure, also known as
the lateral sulcus or fissure, begins
near the basal forebrain and extends
to the lateral surface of the brain
separating the frontal and parietal
lobes superiorly from the temporal
lobe inferiorly3. The insular cortex is
located immediately deep to the
Sylvian fissure.
Parieto- The parieto-occipital fissure or sulcus,
occipital is an oblique sulcus which
sulcus demarcates the occipital lobe from
the parietal lobe on the medial
surface of the cerebral hemisphere
Preoccipital The preoccipital notch is an
notch indentation approximately 5 cm in
front of the occipital pole on the
inferolateral border of the temporal
lobe. It is a significant landmark as
the occipital lobe lies behind the
lateral parietotemporal line, joining
the preoccipital notch and the
parieto-occipital sulcus.
TJW Notes
,Superior, The superior frontal gyrus is the
middle and medial most gyrus of the frontal
inferior frontal lobe's superolateral surface. Laterally
gyri it is bounded by the superior frontal
sulcus, which separates it from the
middle frontal gyrus.
The middle frontal gyrus is part of the
superolateral surface of the frontal
lobe, located between the superior
frontal sulcus and inferior frontal
sulcus, which respectively separate it
from the superior frontal gyrus and
inferior frontal gyrus.
The inferior frontal gyrus makes up
the lateral and inferior surface of the
frontal lobe and is separated from the
middle frontal gyrus above by the
inferior frontal sulcus. It contains the
frontal operculum (hiding the
anterosuperior part of the insular
cortex).
Precentral The precentral gyrus, also known as
gyrus the primary motor cortex, is a very
important structure involved in
executing voluntary motor
movements.
The precentral gyrus is a diagonally
orientated cerebral convolution
situated in the posterior portion of
the frontal lobe. It is located
immediately anterior to the central
sulcus (fissure of Rolando), running
parallel to it
Postcentral The postcentral gyrus lies in the
gyrus parietal lobe, posterior to the central
sulcus. It is the site of the primary
somatosensory cortex.
TJW Notes
, Superior The superior parietal lobule is one of
parietal lobule the three subdivisions of the parietal
lobe. The other subdivisions include
the inferior parietal lobule and
postcentral gyrus. It is involved with
sensorimotor integration
Inferior The inferior parietal lobule (IPL), also
parietal lobule known as Geschwind territory or
area, is one of the three divisions of
the parietal lobe. It is composed of a
supramarginal gyrus rostrally and an
angular gyrus caudally. It is involved
with sensorimotor integration, spatial
attention and visuomotor and
auditory processing
Superior The superior temporal gyrus forms
temporal the most superior part of the
gyrus temporal lobe, and has a role in both
verbal and non-verbal
communication.
Middle The middle temporal gyrus is one of
temporal three gyri on the lateral surface of the
gyrus temporal lobe.
TJW Notes
