Space
Lateral sulcus
The cleft containing the Sylvian cistern
High-yield
The MCA travels through the Sylvian region and branches across the insula and opercula. This makes the sulcus both a cortical landmark and a major vascular corridor.
Overview
The lateral, or Sylvian, sulcus separates temporal cortex from the overlying frontal and parietal opercula. Its deep surface includes the insula, and its arachnoid-lined cistern contains CSF and major cerebral vessels. On the lateral surface, short anterior branches enter the inferior frontal region and a longer posterior branch extends toward the inferior parietal lobule.
Reference facts
- Boundaries
- Frontal and parietal opercula superiorly, temporal operculum inferiorly, and insula deep within the cleft
- Contents
- CSF within the Sylvian cistern, MCA trunk and insular/opercular branches, and superficial and deep Sylvian veins; the insula forms a cortical boundary
- Communications
- The cistern communicates medially with basal subarachnoid spaces. The posterior surface ramus usually ends beneath the arch of the supramarginal gyrus
Clinical correlation
Dominant-hemisphere MCA infarcts can disrupt language networks distributed along the frontal, temporal and parietal sides of the fissure. Aphasia depends on which network components are injured; language regions are not confined to the posterior end of the sulcus.
Frequently asked questions
What are the boundaries of the lateral sulcus?
The lateral sulcus is bounded by the frontal and parietal opercula superiorly, temporal operculum inferiorly, and insula deep within the cleft.
What does the lateral sulcus contain?
CSF within the Sylvian cistern, MCA trunk and insular/opercular branches, and superficial and deep Sylvian veins; the insula forms a cortical boundary.
What does the lateral sulcus communicate with?
The cistern communicates medially with basal subarachnoid spaces. The posterior surface ramus usually ends beneath the arch of the supramarginal gyrus.