Fields of Forel

Fields of Forel

File:Brain diagram showing Fields of Forel.jpg

Diagram of the human brain showing the location of the Fields of Forel

The Fields of Forel are a group of subcortical structures in the human brain that are part of the basal ganglia system. Named after Swiss neuroanatomist Auguste Forel, these fields are involved in the regulation of motor functions and are implicated in several neurological disorders.

Anatomy

The Fields of Forel are located in the subthalamus, a part of the diencephalon. They are divided into three distinct areas: Field H1 (Forel's field H1), Field H2 (Forel's field H2), and Field H (Forel's field H). Field H1 and H2 are also known as the lenticular fasciculus and thalamic fasciculus respectively.

Function

The Fields of Forel are part of the basal ganglia system, a group of nuclei in the brain involved in controlling voluntary motor movements, procedural learning, habit learning, eye movements, cognition, and emotion. The Fields of Forel play a crucial role in the transmission of information from the cerebral cortex to the cerebellum, and vice versa.

Clinical Significance

Abnormalities or damage to the Fields of Forel can lead to a variety of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and various forms of dystonia. In particular, the Fields of Forel are a target for deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical treatment for movement disorders.

See Also

• Basal ganglia
• Deep brain stimulation
• Parkinson's disease
• Huntington's disease