Term: Cerebrum

Definition: Definitions of the cerebrum have changed over the years (Swanson 2000b). Since Aristotle it has referred to the entire brain (that part of the CNS within the cranium), as well as to the cerebral hemispheres or endbrain (that part of the neural tube derived embriologically from lateral ventricular neuroepithelium. Based on evidence reviewed elsewhere (Alvarez-Bolado et al. 1995; Alvarez-Bolado and Swanson 1996; Swanson 200c), the cerebrum contains two major divisions:cortex and nuclei (basal nuclei or ganglia). Note that the terms amygdala and septal region no longer appear as major divisions of the endbrain; they are arbitrarily defined regions that contain heterogeneous nuclei and/or cortical areas.

Nomenclature: Swanson-2004