Network Architecture of Verticality Processing in the Human Thalamus
Julian Conrad1,2,3, Bernhard Baier4,5, Laurenz Eberle1
1Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Annals of Neurology
|March 26, 2023
Summary
Thalamic lesions impact verticality perception and balance. Specific thalamic nuclei control subjective visual vertical (SVV) tilts, influencing sensorimotor integration and adaptation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Vestibular System
Background:
- Thalamic dysfunction can disrupt verticality perception, leading to postural imbalance and falls.
- Understanding the thalamus's role in vestibular processing is crucial for addressing balance disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the structural and functional connectivity of vestibular representations within the thalamus.
- To identify thalamic nuclei associated with subjective visual vertical (SVV) perception.
Main Methods:
- Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 74 patients with acute unilateral thalamic infarcts.
- Multivariate lesion-symptom mapping to correlate infarct location with SVV tilts.
- Functional connectivity analysis in healthy subjects using lesion maps.
Main Results:
- Contraversive SVV tilts linked to lesions in ventral posterior lateral/medial, ventral lateral, medial pulvinar, and medial central/parafascicular nuclei.
- Ipsiversive SVV tilts associated with lesions in ventral posterior inferior, ventral lateral, ventral posterior lateral, and reticular nuclei.
- Distinct functional connectivity patterns identified for contraversive (somatomotor network) and ipsiversive (multisensory vestibular areas) tilts.
Conclusions:
- The thalamus exhibits functional specialization for verticality processing, crucial for sensorimotor integration and environmental adaptation.
- Targeting thalamocortical circuitry may offer novel therapeutic strategies for balance disorders of thalamocortical origin.
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