Cerebral hemisphere

The cerebral hemisphere forms each half of a brain the left and right. Humans (and many other types of animals) have a brain divided into two hemispheres. Each hemisphere has corresponding structures, and structural locations; however, they are not mirror images. Instead, the hemispheres usually are asymmetrical giving specialized function to each hemisphere. Each hemisphere also has an outer layer of grey matter called the cerebral cortex. The architecture, the types of cells, the types of neurotransmitters and their receptor subtypes, all are distributed asymmetrically, which in turn, are reponsible for the distinct functions of the hemispheres.

Related Topics:
Brain - Left and right - Human - Hemisphere - Grey matter - Cerebral cortex - Neurotransmitter - Receptor

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Neurologists normally subdivide the cerebral cortex into the following four lobes:

Related Topics:
Neurologist - Lobe

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• the frontal lobe - in front of the parietal lobe
• the parietal lobe - above the occipital lobe, behind the frontal lobe
• the occipital lobe - in the rearmost portion of the skull
• the temporal lobe - at the side of the skull

Neurologists also recognize two additional areas of the cerebral cortex:

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• the Limbic Cortex - including the cingulate cortex, located above the corpus callosum.
• the Insular Cortex - buried within the lateral sulcus.

The hemispheres operate together, linked by the corpus callosum, a very large bundle of nerve fibers, and also by other smaller commissures, including the anterior commissure, posterior commissure, and hippocampal commisure. These commissures transfer information very effectively between the two hemispheres thus minimizing the effects of the dominate hemisphere.

Related Topics:
Corpus callosum - Anterior commissure - Posterior commissure - Hippocampal commisure

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Cerebral hemisphere: Hemisphere lateralization ►