Basal Ganglia, Lateral View

Description

From a lateral (sagittal) perspective through the cerebral hemisphere, the basal ganglia nuclei appear deep to the cerebral cortex and lateral to the diencephalon, with the caudate nucleus arching anterosuperiorly and the lentiform nucleus (putamen lateral, globus pallidus medial) positioned more ventrolaterally. White matter of the internal capsule courses between the caudate nucleus and thalamus medially and the lentiform nucleus laterally, creating the clean separation emphasized in this plate. Inferiorly, the brainstem (midbrain, pons, medulla) continues into the cervical axis, while the cerebellum sits posteroinferior to the occipital lobe, separated from the cerebrum by the tentorial plane. Internal capsule anatomy is the teaching point. Small lacunar infarcts in the posterior limb often produce dense contralateral pure motor hemiparesis by interrupting corticospinal fibers, and the lateral view clarifies why a small lesion can cause a large deficit when tracts are compacted between thalamus and lentiform nucleus. The same spatial logic underlies patterns seen with hypertensive hemorrhage in the putamen and with vascular compromise of lenticulostriate arteries. Orientation matters here because the internal capsule is easier to conceptualize in relation to the basal ganglia than as an abstract “white matter bundle.” Use this illustration in neuroanatomy and neuroscience courses when introducing the telencephalon, basal ganglia circuitry, and internal capsule somatotopy, or in clinical teaching materials on lacunar stroke syndromes and movement disorder localization. It also fits well in medical publisher atlases and patient-facing neurology handouts that need a clear lateral map of deep gray nuclei against the cerebrum, diencephalon, brainstem, and cerebellum. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.