Laterality and aging of thalamic subregions measured by diffusion tensor imaging

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neuroanatomy
• Brain Structure

Background:

• Thalamic nuclei connect to cortical regions; thalamic abnormalities link to cognitive and behavioral deficits.
• Previous research indicated whole-thalamus laterality and regional variations among nuclei.
• Understanding thalamic subregion characteristics is crucial for cognitive and behavioral research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate regional characteristics and laterality within five major thalamic subregions.
• To utilize diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) to analyze thalamic microstructure.
• To explore the relationship between aging and DTI metrics in thalamic subregions.

Main Methods:

• Diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) was employed to examine five major subregions of the thalamus bilaterally.
• Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant lateralities and regional differences.
• Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between age and DTI metrics.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant lateralities and regional differences were identified across the studied thalamic subregions.
• Age showed a significant correlation with DTI metrics in specific thalamic subregions.
• Thalamic subregions demonstrated independent microstructural characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Thalamic subregions exhibit independent microstructural properties, supporting distinct functional roles.
• DTI metrics in thalamic subregions are influenced by age, highlighting vulnerability to aging processes.
• Further investigation into the microstructural integrity of thalamic subregions is warranted.