Human Brain's Brodmann Areas, Medial View

Description

Brodmann areas label the medial cortical mantle along the longitudinal fissure, spanning the medial frontal gyrus and paracentral lobule superiorly, then arching posteriorly across the precuneus to the cuneus and lingual gyrus around the calcarine sulcus. Anterior to posterior, the medial prefrontal cortex (areas 9, 10, 11, 12 and 32) sits superior to the corpus callosum, while the cingulate gyrus (areas 24, 25, 23 and 31) parallels the callosal body in a tight C-shaped course. Posteriorly, primary visual cortex (area 17) hugs the banks of the calcarine fissure, bordered by areas 18 and 19, and inferior-medially the parahippocampal region and isthmus align with limbic territories (commonly mapped to areas 26, 29, 30 and 28, depending on scheme). Sulcal boundaries anchor the map. Medial Brodmann topography matters whenever you need to translate a lesion location, surgical corridor, or functional imaging activation into likely deficits. Infarcts in the anterior cerebral artery territory often involve the paracentral lobule (areas 4 and 1 to 3) and supplementary motor region (area 6), yielding contralateral leg-predominant weakness and gait initiation problems. Psychiatric neurosurgery and pain pathways also keep the cingulate cortex in focus, where subgenual and anterior cingulate territories (areas 25 and 24) are referenced in deep brain stimulation planning and cingulotomy discussions; the fixed medial perspective keeps those relationships to the corpus callosum and cingulate sulcus unambiguous. A cortical map with consequences. Use this illustration for neuroanatomy and behavioral neuroscience coursework, for figure panels in fMRI and lesion-symptom mapping manuscripts that cite Brodmann nomenclature, and for patient-facing education when explaining why a medial hemispheric stroke differs from a lateral middle cerebral artery event. It also supports neurosurgical and neuroradiology teaching files that pair medial cortical landmarks with callosal, pericallosal, and calcarine reference points. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.