Anterior commissure

Last revised by Jeremy Jones on 20 May 2023

The anterior commissure (AC) is a transversely oriented commissural white matter tract that connects the two cerebral hemispheres along the midline. It is a very important anatomical landmark that connects different parts of the limbic system on both sides and plays a role in the interhemispheric transfer of visual, auditory, and olfactory information between temporal lobes 1. However, the role of the anterior commissure is not yet well understood.

Gross anatomy

The anterior commissure corresponds to a white matter tract almost completely surrounded by grey matter that crosses the midline just ventral to the supraoptic recess of the third ventricle and the columns of the fornix. It ends in the amygdaloid nucleus of the temporal pole bilaterally 2.

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