Lateral fissure is another term for which landmark?

• A. Central fissure
• B. Sylvian fissure
• C. Longitudinal fissure
• D. Interhemispheric fissure

Answer: (B)

The lateral fissure is the Sylvian fissure. It’s a prominent groove on the brain’s lateral surface that separates the temporal lobe from the frontal and parietal lobes. This landmark runs along the side of the brain and is often used to orient cortical anatomy. Near its floor lie important auditory and language-related areas, such as the primary auditory cortex in the transverse temporal gyrus and nearby language regions in the superior temporal gyrus.

Other fissures have different roles: the central fissure separates the frontal and parietal lobes; the longitudinal (interhemispheric) fissure runs along the sagittal plane to divide the two cerebral hemispheres.