Displaying the autonomic processing network in humans - a global tractography approach.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Autonomic Nervous System Research
• Brain Connectomics

Background:

• Internal homeostasis is regulated by the central autonomic system.
• Previous understanding focused on grey matter regions, neglecting white matter architecture.
• A comprehensive network view is needed for understanding autonomic control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reconstruct the central autonomic system's white matter network using tractography.
• To delineate the cortical autonomic network (CAN) and subcortical autonomic network (SAN).
• To elucidate the interconnections between the CAN and SAN.

Main Methods:

• Utilized diffusion-weighted imaging data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP).
• Employed a global tractography approach to reconstruct brain white matter tracts.
• Identified pathways interconnecting known autonomic processing regions.

Main Results:

• Reconstructed tracts support a division into cortical (CAN) and subcortical (SAN) networks.
• The CAN comprises three subsystems (PATP, OPTFP, limbic) converging in the insula.
• The SAN connects the hypothalamus to brainstem autonomic nuclei via dorsal and lateral pathways.
• The hypothalamus acts as the SAN interface, and the insula as the CAN hub, with interconnections via the hypothalamus and insula.

Conclusions:

• A holistic white matter network view of the central autonomic system has been established.
• The insula and hypothalamus serve as key interface structures for the CAN and SAN, respectively.
• This network mapping advances understanding of autonomic signaling in health and disease.