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gyral

gyral

9.6
Relating to the raised folds on the surface of the brain
  • adjective
  • /ˈdʒaɪrəl/
  • Specialized
: giral
  • Studying the gyral patterns of the brain helps scientists understand its functions better.

Examples

  • The neurologist explained that gyral abnormalities can indicate various brain disorders.

  • In patients with epilepsy, specific gyral formations may be associated with seizure activity.

  • Prominent gyral and irregular sub-cortical enhancement after intravenous gadolinium is seen, suggestive of sub-acute infarcts and vasculitis.

    Academic text (2007)

Surface Forms

gyral positive

Morphology

gyral = gyrus (semi-transparent) = gyrus + al

The adjective is formed regularly from the anatomical noun 'gyrus', but the specialized scientific sense may not be readily inferable for many learners.

Etymology

Gyral comes from gyrus, an old word meaning 'circle' or 'ring'. Brains have many curved, ring-like folds called gyri, so gyral means 'relating to those folds'.