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The Central Core of the Brain

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Functional Anatomy of the Brain: A View from the Surgeon’s Eye

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Abstract

The central core is an ovoid shaped region at the morphological center of each cerebral hemisphere and its structures display a different pattern of organization from the rest of the brain. Whereas the cerebral lobes have a monotonous arrangement with grey matter on its surface and white matter underneath, the central core is formed by collections of grey matter that appear to be encapsulated by layers of white matter. The central core is basically composed of the insular surface, basal ganglia, and thalamus, connected to the rest of the supratentorial compartment by the cerebral isthmus, represented by the continuation of the internal, external, and extreme capsules toward the cerebral lobes. It also harbors part of the anterior commissure, part of the amygdalofugal pathways and the substantia innominata region. The central core is composed by structures with very different origins and functions, but are found topographically together forming a solid and well-delimited block between the brainstem and the cerebral lobes. The concept of a central core, from an organizational standpoint, facilitates to understand the anatomical disposition of other encephalic regions and, from a neurosurgical perspective, is particularly justified since the complexity and possible morbidities of surgery in this region are very relevant.

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Abbreviations

ACA:

Anterior Cerebral Artery

Acc.:

Accessory

AChA:

Anterior Choroidal Artery

AComA:

Anterior Communicating Artery

ALS:

anterior limiting sulcus

Amygd.:

Amygdala

Ant. Comm.:

Anterior Commissure

Ant.:

Anterior

APS:

Anterior Perforated Substance

BA:

Basilar Artery

Caud. Nucl.:

Caudate Nucleus

Chor. Fiss.:

Choroidal Fissure

Chor. Plex.:

Choroidal Plexus

Cing.:

Cingulate

Clauscort.:

Claustrocortical fibers

Cor. Rad.:

Corona Radiata

Corp. Cal.:

Corpus Callosum

Cu:

Cuneus

DLPFC:

dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

FLP:

frontal limen point

Fus.:

Fusiform

G.:

Gyrus

Gl.:

Gland

Glob. Pall.:

Globus Pallidus

GPe:

external segment of globus pallidus

GPi:

internal segment of globus pallidus

Hipothal.:

Hypothal.Hypothalamic

Int. Caps.:

Internal Capsule

ICA:

Internal Carotid Artery

IFOF:

Inferior Fronto-occipital Fascicle

IFOF:

inferior fronto-occipital fascicle

ILS:

inferior limiting sulcus

Inf. Chor. Point:

Inferior Choroidal Point

Ins.:

Insular

Int. Caps.:

Internal Capsule

Isth.:

Isthmus of Cingulate Gyrus

ITG:

Inferior Temporal Gyrus

Lat.:

Lateral

Lent. Nucl.:

Lentiform Nucleus

LGB:

Lateral Geniculate Body

LSA:

Lenticulostriate Arteries

MCA:

Middle Cerebral Artery

Mesenc.:

Mesencephalon

Olf.:

Olfactory

OMPFC:

orbital and medial prefrontal cortex

Opt. Rad.:

Optic Radiation

Opt.:

Optic

Parac.:

Paracentral Lobule

Parahip.:

Parahippocampal

PCA:

Posterior Cerebral Artery

PChorA:

Posterior Choroidal Arteries

PComA:

posterior communicating artery

PMChorA:

Postero-medial Choroidal Artery

Post.:

Posterior

PreCu:

Precuneus

RAH:

Recurrent Artery of Heubner

Rect.:

Rectus

S.:

Sulcus

Sept. Pel.:

Septum Pellucidum

Sept.:

Septal Region

SFG:

Superior Frontal Gyrus

SLF:

Superior Longitudinal Fascicle

SLS:

superior limiting sulcus

SNc:

pars compacta of substantia nigra

SNr:

pars reticulata of substantia nigra

STN:

subthalamic nucleus

Subic.:

Subiculum

Thal.:

Thalamus

TLP:

temporal limen point

TPA:

Thalamoperforating Arteries

Transv.:

Transverse

UF:

Uncinate Fascicle

Vent.:

Ventricle.

VP:

ventral pallidum

VS:

ventral striatum

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Acknowledgments

We thank the medical student and artist Giovanna Hespanhol Gütschow (Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná - PUCPR - Brazil) for drawing Fig. 7 with great talent and effort.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil

    Eduardo Carvalhal Ribas & Hung Tzu Wen

  2. Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil

    Eduardo Carvalhal Ribas

Authors
  1. Eduardo Carvalhal Ribas
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  2. Hung Tzu Wen
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth G. S. Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

    Abhidha Shah

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Lilavati Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

    Atul Goel

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University Hospital, Aichi, Japan

    Yoko Kato

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Ribas, E.C., Wen, H.T. (2023). The Central Core of the Brain. In: Shah, A., Goel, A., Kato, Y. (eds) Functional Anatomy of the Brain: A View from the Surgeon’s Eye. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3412-6_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3412-6_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-99-3411-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-99-3412-6

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