The anterior limb is the front part of the internal capsule, lying between the head of the caudate nucleus medially and the lentiform nucleus laterally. It carries fibres linking the frontal lobe with the thalamus and the pons. It is crossed by bridges of grey matter that give the striatum its striped look.
| Location | Between the head of the caudate nucleus and the lentiform nucleus |
|---|---|
| Connections |
|
| Blood Supply | Recurrent artery of Heubner; Lenticulostriate arteries |
Connects the prefrontal cortex with the thalamus and pons, supporting thought, motivation and emotional regulation.
Lesions here produce relatively little weakness but may cause apathy, abulia or cognitive change because of disconnection of frontal-thalamic circuits. The anterior limb is a deep brain stimulation and lesioning target for severe obsessive compulsive disorder and treatment-resistant depression.
Small deep infarct that may cause subtle behavioural or cognitive change rather than weakness.
Severe cases may be treated by deep brain stimulation or capsulotomy in the anterior limb.
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