[A study of the motor and sensory cortex using functional magnetic resonance: tasks of active and passive movement]

The objective of this study was to locate the rolandic area (pre- and post-central) by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) and define its correspondence on a Talairach map, whilst active and passive movements of the dominant hand were performed.

Ten healthy volunteers were found, 6 men and 4 women, of an average age of 26 years (range 22-33). Two appropriate tasks were designed: one involving active and one passive movement. The examination was carried out using a 1.5 Tesla (General Electric) MRI apparatus. An echo-sequence of planar echo-gradient (BOLD technique) was used, making sagittal and axial planes, parallel to the AC-PC line (anterior commissure-posterior commissure). Subsequently an anatomofunctional Talairach map was drawn for each subject, to include the information obtained on FMRI.

In all subjects central activity was detected in the rolandic area during the tasks involving selected active and passive movements. Overlap was seen between the pre- and post-rolandic areas with both types of tasks.

There is good correlation between the image obtained of motor-sensory activity in the rolandic zone and the Talairach anatomofunctional map.