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Updated: Apr 24, 2026

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
Published on: November 8, 2012
Brainstem white matter tracts and the control of eye movements
Koji Sakai1, Hajime Yokota2, Kentaro Akazawa3
1Department of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Abstract:
This article summarizes the anatomy of brainstem tracts and cranial nerves as depicted by magnetic resonance imaging, with special emphasis on the structures that are involved in the control of eye movement. It discusses the anatomical structures that can be observed on conventional magnetic resonance images as well as structures that can only be observed using more advanced imaging techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging and tractography. The basic mechanisms of various kinds of ophthalmoplegia are also discussed.
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