The cerebrum is also called the forebrain and it is the largest part of the human brain responsible for the most complicated psycho-emotional and intellectual aspects of humans.

The cerebral cortex forms the outer part of the cerebrum and it represents the grey matter - mainly formed by nerve cell bodies, while deeper regions - below the cortex - are known as the white matter, and it is formed mainly by axons of neurons.

The human cerebral cortex is also known as the neocortex. On the outside, the cerebrum is surrounded by the meninges.

Cerebral hemispheres

The cerebrum consists of two almost symmetrical parts - cerebral hemispheres - interconnected with the help of the corpus callosum.

Each hemisphere has three poles: frontal pole, temporal pole and occipital pole.

Both hemispheres are separated by a deep groove called the longitudinal cerebral fissure extending between the frontal and occipital poles.

Each hemisphere has three surfaces and three margins.

The surfaces are:

Medial surface - located in the sagittal plane and faces the medial surface of the other hemisphere;
Inferior surface - horizontal, lies against the cranial base;
Superolateral surface - convex and facing the calvaria.

The margins of the cerebral hemispheres are as follows:

Superior margin - between the superolateral surface and medial surface;
Inferomedial margin - between the medial surface and inferior surface;
Inferolateral margin - between the superolateral surface and inferior surface.

The cerebral hemispheres are made of several parts called the cerebral lobes.

Altogether there are six lobes composing each hemisphere: frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe and insular lobe, as well as the limbic lobe.

The surface of the cerebrum is not smooth. It contains numerous folds known as gyri, and grooves - sulci.

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Cerebrum (Cerebral hemispheres)