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Mapping tracts in the human subthalamic area by 11.7T ex vivo diffusion tensor imaging
Kenichi Oishi1, Susumu Mori2,3, Juan C Troncoso4
1Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 208 Traylor Building, 720 Rutland Ave., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. koishi2@jhmi.edu.
Brain Structure & Function
|April 19, 2020
Summary
This study maps human brain pathways connecting the basal ganglia and thalamus using advanced imaging. These findings aid in understanding movement disorders and planning neurosurgery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Connectomics
Background:
- Cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical feedback loops are crucial for brain function.
- Understanding these pathways is vital for in vivo imaging and neurosurgical planning for movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map human subthalamic white matter pathways using ex vivo diffusion tensor imaging and tractography.
- To identify the precise locations of these tracts relative to adjacent gray matter structures.
Main Methods:
- Ex vivo mesoscopic diffusion tensor imaging (250 μm) and tractography were employed.
- Tract locations were identified in relation to key subcortical gray matter structures.
Main Results:
- Detailed mapping of fiber connections between the basal ganglia and thalamus in the human brain.
- Identification of pathways within the fields of Forel, including motor, sensory, and cognitive fibers.
Conclusions:
- The developed connectome atlas of the human subthalamic region provides a valuable resource.
- This atlas can significantly aid future in vivo imaging studies and neurosurgical planning for movement disorders.
