External capsule

External capsule
Horizontal section of right cerebral hemisphere. (external capsule shown in orange, indicated by red arrow.)
Deep dissection of cortex and brain-stem. (External capsule visible at center.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	capsula externa
NeuroNames	hier-235
NeuroLex ID	External capsule
TA	A14.1.09.551
FMA	61959
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The external capsule is a series of white matter fiber tracts in the brain. These fibers run between the most lateral (toward the side of the head) segment of the lentiform nucleus and the claustrum.

The white matter of the external capsule contains fibers known as corticocortical association fibers. These fibers are responsible for connecting the cerebral cortex to another cortical area. The capsule itself appears as a thin white sheet of white matter.^[1]

The external capsule is a route for cholinergic fibers from the basal forebrain to the cerebral cortex.

The external capsule eventually joins the internal capsule around the lentiform nucleus.

Additional images

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  Superficial dissection of brain-stem. Lateral view.
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  Superficial dissection of brain-stem. Ventral view.
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  Dissection of brain-stem. Dorsal view.
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  External capsule
• 
  External capsule
• 
  Ventricles of brain and basal ganglia.Superior view. Horizontal section.Deep dissection
• 
  Ventricles of brain and basal ganglia.Superior view. Horizontal section.Deep dissection

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to External capsule.

• "Anatomy diagram: 13048.000-2". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2014-01-01. 
• Image at Univ. of South Carolina