Transverse section showing internal capsule structures

The internal capsule is a crucial subcortical structure in the brain, forming a V-shaped bundle of white matter that carries motor and sensory fibers between the cerebral cortex and the rest of the brainstem and spinal cord. It is functionally significant due to the concentration of ascending sensory and descending motor pathways, and anatomically divided into the anterior limb, genu, and posterior limb. It is also a common site for stroke due to its supply by small perforating arteries that are prone to occlusion or rupture.