Orbital sulcus

Orbital sulcus is a feature of the brain's cerebral cortex, specifically located in the frontal lobe. It is also known as the orbital groove or orbital fissure. The orbital sulcus is part of the orbital surface of the frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain that faces towards the orbits.

Anatomy

The orbital sulcus is a shallow depression that separates the gyrus rectus from the lateral orbital gyrus and medial orbital gyrus. It runs in a roughly horizontal direction, parallel to the superior orbital margin. The orbital sulcus is one of several sulci (grooves) on the orbital surface of the frontal lobe, along with the olfactory sulcus and the medial orbital sulcus.

Function

The orbital sulcus, like other sulci in the brain, increases the surface area of the cerebral cortex, allowing for a greater number of neurons to be packed into the brain. The specific functions of the orbital sulcus are not well understood, but the orbital surface of the frontal lobe is generally associated with executive functions such as decision-making and impulse control.

Clinical significance

Abnormalities in the orbital sulcus and other features of the orbital surface of the frontal lobe have been implicated in several neurological disorders, including schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, more research is needed to fully understand the role of the orbital sulcus in these conditions.

See also

• Sulcus (neuroanatomy)
• Frontal lobe
• Orbit (anatomy)

• Diagram showing the orbital sulcus
  Diagram showing the orbital sulcus
• 
  Basal view of the frontal lobe
• 
  Orbital sulcus