Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 22, 2025
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Three-Dimensional Identification of the Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus in the Human Brain: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Sang Seok Yeo1, Sung Ho Jang2, Jung Won Kwon1
1Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Korea.
Background:
The medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) interacts with eye movement control circuits involved in the adjustment of horizontal, vertical, and torsional eye movements. In this study, we attempted to identify and investigate the anatomical characteristics of the MLF in human brain, using probabilistic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography.
Methods:
We recruited 31 normal healthy adults and used a 1.5-T scanner for DTI. To reconstruct MLFs, a seed region of interest (ROI) was placed on the interstitial nucleus of Cajal at the midbrain level. A target ROI was located on the MLF of the medulla in the reticular formation of the medulla. Mean values of fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and tract volumes of MLFs were measured.
Results:
The component of the MLF originated from the midbrain MLF, descended through the posterior side of the medial lemniscus (ML) and terminated on the MLF of medulla on the posterior side of the ML in the medulla midline. DTI parameters of right and left MLFs were not significantly different.
Conclusion:
The tract of the MLF in healthy brain was identified by probabilistic DTI tractography. We believe this study will provide basic data and aid future comparative research on lesion or age-induced MLF changes.
