Transverse Section - Anterior Commissural Fibres

The anterior commissure is a compact bundle of commissural white-matter fibres that crosses the midline and connects corresponding regions of the two cerebral hemispheres. Although much smaller than the corpus callosum, it provides an additional pathway for interhemispheric communication. Its fibres primarily connect the temporal lobes, including regions associated with the amygdala, and also carry fibres related to the olfactory system. Anatomically, the anterior commissure lies anterior to the columns of the fornix and is an important landmark in sections through the basal forebrain. The anterior commissure can provide an alternative route for interhemispheric transfer when callosal connections are absent or disrupted and is also an important landmark in neuroimaging and stereotactic neurosurgery.