The external capsule is a thin sheet of white matter between the putamen medially and the claustrum laterally. Lateral to the claustrum lies the extreme capsule and then the insula. It contains association and cholinergic fibres and some corticostriatal fibres.
| Location | Between the putamen medially and the claustrum laterally |
|---|---|
| Connections | |
| Blood Supply | Lenticulostriate arteries (lateral group) |
Carries fibres between cortical regions and to and from the basal ganglia, including cholinergic fibres to the cortex.
The external capsule is a common site of small vessel disease and of hypertensive bleeding that starts in the lateral putamen. Involvement of the external capsule in white matter disease is a characteristic MRI feature of CADASIL, a hereditary small vessel disease.
An inherited small vessel disease causing migraines, strokes and dementia, with typical MRI changes in the external capsule and anterior temporal lobes.
Hypertensive bleeding that may track along the external capsule.
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