Elaboration versus suppression of cued memories: influence of memory recall instruction and success on parietal lobe, default network, and hippocampal activity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah I Gimbel

Full Text Available Functional imaging studies of episodic memory retrieval consistently report task-evoked and memory-related activity in the medial temporal lobe, default network and parietal lobe subregions. Associated components of memory retrieval, such as attention-shifts, search, retrieval success, and post-retrieval processing also influence regional activity, but these influences remain ill-defined. To better understand how top-down control affects the neural bases of memory retrieval, we examined how regional activity responses were modulated by task goals during recall success or failure. Specifically, activity was examined during memory suppression, recall, and elaborative recall of paired-associates. Parietal lobe was subdivided into dorsal (BA 7, posterior ventral (BA 39, and anterior ventral (BA 40 regions, which were investigated separately to examine hypothesized distinctions in sub-regional functional responses related to differential attention-to-memory and memory strength. Top-down suppression of recall abolished memory strength effects in BA 39, which showed a task-negative response, and BA 40, which showed a task-positive response. The task-negative response in default network showed greater negatively-deflected signal for forgotten pairs when task goals required recall. Hippocampal activity was task-positive and was influenced by memory strength only when task goals required recall. As in previous studies, we show a memory strength effect in parietal lobe and hippocampus, but we show that this effect is top-down controlled and sensitive to whether the subject is trying to suppress or retrieve a memory. These regions are all implicated in memory recall, but their individual activity patterns show distinct memory-strength-related responses when task goals are varied. In parietal lobe, default network, and hippocampus, top-down control can override the commonly identified effects of memory strength.

Recency Effects in the Inferior Parietal Lobe during Verbal Recognition Memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bradley Russell Buchsbaum

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The most recently encountered information is often most easily remembered in psychological tests of memory. Recent investigations of the neural basis of such recency effects have shown that activation in the lateral inferior parietal cortex (LIPC tracks the recency of a probe item when subjects make recognition memory judgments. A key question regarding recency effects in the LIPC is whether they fundamentally reflect the storage (and strength of information in memory, or whether such effects are a consequence of task difficulty or an upswing in resting state network activity. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI we show that recency effects in the LIPC are independent of the difficulty of recognition memory decisions, that they are not a by-product of an increase in resting state network activity, and that they appear to dissociate from regions known to be involved in verbal working memory maintenance. We conclude with a discussion of two alternative explanations – the memory strength and expectancy hypotheses, respectively -- of the parietal lobe recency effect.

Temporo-Parietal and Fronto-Parietal Lobe Contributions to Theory of Mind and Executive Control: An fMRI Study of Verbal Jokes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Chen eChan

2015-09-01

Full Text Available ‘Getting a joke’ always requires resolving an apparent incongruity but the particular cognitive operations called upon vary depending on the nature of the joke itself. Previous research has identified the primary neural correlates of the cognitive and affective processes called upon to respond to humor generally, but little work has been done on the substrates underlying the distinct cognitive operations required to comprehend particular joke types. This study explored the neural correlates of the cognitive processes required to successfully comprehend three joke types: bridging-inference jokes, exaggeration jokes and ambiguity jokes. For all joke types, the left dlPFC appeared to support common cognitive mechanisms, such as script-shifting, while the vACC was associated with affective appreciation. The temporo-parietal lobe (TPJ and MTG was associated with bridging-inference jokes, suggesting involvement of these regions with ‘theory of mind’ processing. The ventral fronto-parietal lobe (IPL and IFG was associated with both exaggeration and ambiguity jokes, suggesting that it supports executive control processes such as retrieval from episodic memory, self-awareness, and language-based decoding. The social-affective appreciation of verbal jokes was associated with activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC, and parahippocampal gyrus. These results allow a more precise account of the neural

[Brodmann Areas 39 and 40: Human Parietal Association Area and Higher Cortical Function].

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, Yasuhisa

2017-04-01

The anatomy and function of the angular gyrus (Brodmann Area 39) and supramarginal gyrus (Brodmann Area 40) are described here. Both gyri constitute the inferior part of the parietal lobe. Association fibers from the angular gyrus project to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex via the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) II/arcuate fasciculus (AF), whereas those from the supramarginal gyrus project to the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex via SLF III/AF. Damage to the left angular gyrus causes kanji agraphia (lexical agraphia) and mild anomia, whereas damage to the left supramarginal gyrus causes kana alexia (phonological dyslexia) and kana agraphia (phonological agraphia). Damage to either gyrus causes Gerstmann's syndrome (finger agnosia, left-right disorientation, agraphia and acalculia) and verbal short-term memory impairment. "Angular alexia with agraphia" results from damage to the middle occipital gyrus posterior to the angular gyrus. Alexia and agraphia, with lesions in the angular or supramarginal gyrus, are characterized by kana transposition errors in reading words, which suggests the impairment of sequential phonological processing.

Short parietal lobe connections of the human and monkey brain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Catani, Marco; Robertsson, Naianna; Beyh, Ahmad

2017-01-01

projections were reconstructed for both species and results compared to identify similarities or differences in tract anatomy (i.e., trajectories and cortical projections). In addition, post-mortem dissections were performed in a human brain. The largest tract identified in both human and monkey brains...... and angular gyri of the inferior parietal lobule in humans but only to the supramarginal gyrus in the monkey brain. The third tract connects the postcentral gyrus to the anterior region of the superior parietal lobule and is more prominent in monkeys compared to humans. Finally, short U-shaped fibres...... and monkeys with some differences for those areas that have cytoarchitectonically distinct features in humans. The overall pattern of intraparietal connectivity supports the special role of the inferior parietal lobule in cognitive functions characteristic of humans....

Differential roles of polar orbital prefrontal cortex and parietal lobes in logical reasoning with neutral and negative emotional content.

Science.gov (United States)

Eimontaite, Iveta; Goel, Vinod; Raymont, Vanessa; Krueger, Frank; Schindler, Igor; Grafman, Jordan

2018-05-14

To answer the question of how brain pathology affects reasoning about negative emotional content, we administered a disjunctive logical reasoning task involving arguments with neutral content (e.g. Either there are tigers or women in NYC, but not both; There are no tigers in NYC; There are women in NYC) and emotionally laden content (e.g. Either there are pedophiles or politicians in Texas, but not both; There are politicians in Texas; There are no pedophiles in Texas) to 92 neurological patients with focal lesions to various parts of the brain. A Voxel Lesion Symptom Mapping (VLSM) analysis identified 16 patients, all with lesions to the orbital polar prefrontal cortex (BA 10 & 11), as being selectively impaired in the emotional reasoning condition. Another 17 patients, all with lesions to the parietal cortex, were identified as being impaired in the neutral content condition. The reasoning scores of these two patient groups, along with 23 matched normal controls, underwent additional analysis to explore the effect of belief bias. This analysis revealed that the differences identified above were largely driven by trials where there was an incongruency between the believability of the conclusion and the validity of the argument (i.e. valid argument /false conclusion or invalid argument /true conclusion). Patients with lesions to polar orbital prefrontal cortex underperformed in incongruent emotional content trials and over performed in incongruent neutral content trials (compared to both normal controls and patients with parietal lobe lesions). Patients with lesions to parietal lobes underperformed normal controls (at a trend level) in neutral trials where there was a congruency between the believability of the conclusion and the validity of the argument (i.e. valid argument/true conclusion or invalid argument/false conclusion). We conclude that lesions to the polar orbital prefrontal cortex (i) prevent these patients from enjoying any emotionally induced cognitive

Abnormal activation of the occipital lobes during emotion picture processing in major depressive disorder patients

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jianying; Xu, Cheng; Cao, Xiaohua; Gao, Qiang; Wang, Yan; Wang, Yanfang; Peng, Juyi; Zhang, Kerang

2013-01-01

A large number of studies have demonstrated that depression patients have cognitive dysfunction. With recently developed brain functional imaging, studies have focused on changes in brain function to investigate cognitive changes. However, there is still controversy regarding abnormalities in brain functions or correlation between cognitive impairment and brain function changes. Thus, it is important to design an emotion-related task for research into brain function changes. We selected positive, neutral, and negative pictures from the International Affective Picture System. Patients with major depressive disorder were asked to judge emotion pictures. In addition, functional MRI was performed to synchronously record behavior data and imaging data. Results showed that the total correct rate for recognizing pictures was lower in patients compared with normal controls. Moreover, the consistency for recognizing pictures for depressed patients was worse than normal controls, and they frequently recognized positive pictures as negative pictures. The consistency for recognizing pictures was negatively correlated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Functional MRI suggested that the activation of some areas in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, limbic lobe, and cerebellum was enhanced, but that the activation of some areas in the frontal lobe, parietal lobe and occipital lobe was weakened while the patients were watching positive and neutral pictures compared with normal controls. The activation of some areas in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and limbic lobe was enhanced, but the activation of some areas in the occipital lobe were weakened while the patients were watching the negative pictures compared with normal controls. These findings indicate that patients with major depressive disorder have negative cognitive disorder and extensive brain dysfunction. Thus, reduced activation of the occipital lobe may be an initiating factor for

Clinical evidence of parietal cortex dysfunction and correlation with extent of allodynia in CRPS type 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, H; McCabe, C; Harris, N; Hall, J; Lewis, J; Blake, D R

2013-04-01

Unusual symptoms such as digit misidentification and neglect-like phenomena have been reported in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), which we hypothesized could be explained by parietal lobe dysfunction. Twenty-two patients with chronic CRPS attending an in-patient rehabilitation programme underwent standard neurological examination followed by clinical assessment of parietal lobe function and detailed sensory testing. Fifteen (68%) patients had evidence of parietal lobe dysfunction. Six (27%) subjects failed six or more test categories and demonstrated new clinical signs consistent with their parietal testing impairments, which were impacting significantly on activities of daily living. A higher incidence was noted in subjects with >1 limb involvement, CRPS affecting the dominant side and in left-handed subjects. Eighteen patients (82%) had mechanical allodynia covering 3-57.5% of the body surface area. Allochiria (unilateral tactile stimulation perceived only in the analogous location on the opposite limb), sensory extinction (concurrent bilateral tactile stimulation perceived only in one limb), referred sensations (unilateral tactile stimulation perceived concurrently in another discrete body area) and dysynchiria (unilateral non-noxious tactile stimulation perceived bilaterally as noxious) were present in some patients. Greater extent of body surface allodynia was correlated with worse parietal function (Spearman's rho = -0.674, p = 0.001). In patients with chronic CRPS, detailed clinical examination may reveal parietal dysfunction, with severity relating to the extent of allodynia. © 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

Visual Short-Term Memory Activity in Parietal Lobe Reflects Cognitive Processes beyond Attentional Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheremata, Summer L; Somers, David C; Shomstein, Sarah

2018-02-07

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) and attention are distinct yet interrelated processes. While both require selection of information across the visual field, memory additionally requires the maintenance of information across time and distraction. VSTM recruits areas within human (male and female) dorsal and ventral parietal cortex that are also implicated in spatial selection; therefore, it is important to determine whether overlapping activation might reflect shared attentional demands. Here, identical stimuli and controlled sustained attention across both tasks were used to ask whether fMRI signal amplitude, functional connectivity, and contralateral visual field bias reflect memory-specific task demands. While attention and VSTM activated similar cortical areas, BOLD amplitude and functional connectivity in parietal cortex differentiated the two tasks. Relative to attention, VSTM increased BOLD amplitude in dorsal parietal cortex and decreased BOLD amplitude in the angular gyrus. Additionally, the tasks differentially modulated parietal functional connectivity. Contrasting VSTM and attention, intraparietal sulcus (IPS) 1-2 were more strongly connected with anterior frontoparietal areas and more weakly connected with posterior regions. This divergence between tasks demonstrates that parietal activation reflects memory-specific functions and consequently modulates functional connectivity across the cortex. In contrast, both tasks demonstrated hemispheric asymmetries for spatial processing, exhibiting a stronger contralateral visual field bias in the left versus the right hemisphere across tasks, suggesting that asymmetries are characteristic of a shared selection process in IPS. These results demonstrate that parietal activity and patterns of functional connectivity distinguish VSTM from more general attention processes, establishing a central role of the parietal cortex in maintaining visual information. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Visual short-term memory (VSTM) and

[Mirror movement due to the medial frontal lobe lesion].

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, N; Kawamura, M; Hirayama, K

1995-01-01

We reported a case with acquired mirror movement in upper limbs due to the lesion of right medial frontal lobe including supplementary motor area, and also discussed a possible mechanism underlying it. A 59-year-old right-handed woman developed left hemiparesis caused by cerebral hemorrhage in the right frontoparietal lobe, on April 5, 1981. She had right hemiparesis and right hemianopsia due to cerebral hemorrhage in the left parieto-occipital lobe, 13 days later. As the patient was recovering from paresis, mirror movement appeared on upper limbs. The features of the mirror movement of this case are summarized as follows: (1) it appeared when using both proximal and distal region of upper limbs; (2) it appeared on left upper limb when the patient intended to move right upper limb or on right upper limb when intended to move left upper limb, while it appeared predominantly in the former; and (3) it was more remarkably found in habitual movement using gesture and pantomimic movement for the use of objects, and it was found in lower degree when actual object was used or when the patient tried to imitate the gesture of the examiner. The lesions in MRI were found in medial region of right frontal lobe (supplementary motor area, medial region of motor area, and cingulate gyrus), right medial parietal lobe, posterior region of right occipital lobe, and medial regions of left parietal and occipital lobes. There was no apparent abnormality in corpus callosum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intrinsic connections and architectonics of posterior parietal cortex in the rhesus monkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandya, D.N.; Seltzer, B.

1982-01-01

By means of autoradiographic and ablation-degeneration techniques, the intrinsic cortical connections of the posterior parietal cortex in the rhesus monkey were traced and correlated with a reappraisal of cerebral architectonics. Two major rostral-to-caudal connectional sequences exist. One begins in the dorsal postcentral gyrus (area 2) and proceeds, through architectonic divisions of the superior parietal lobule (areas PE and PEc), to a cortical region on the medial surface of the parietal lobe (area PGm). This area has architectonic features similar to those of the caudal inferior parietal lobule (area PG). The second sequence begins in the ventral post/central gyrus (area 2) and passes through the rostral inferior parietal lobule (areas PG and PFG) to reach the caudal inferior parietal lobule (area PG). Both the superior parietal lobule and the rostral inferior parietal lobule also send projections to various other zones located in the parietal opercular region, the intraparietal sulcus, and the caudalmost portion of the cingulate sulcus. Areas PGm and PG, on the other hand, project to each other, to the cingulate region, to the caudalmost portion of the superior temporal gyrus, and to the upper bank of the superior temporal sulcus. Finally, a reciprocal sequence of connections, directed from caudal to rostral, links together many of the above-mentioned parietal zones. With regard to the laminar pattern of termination, the rostral-to-caudal connections are primarily distributed in the form of cortical ''columns'' while the caudal-to-rostral connections are found mainly over the first cortical cell layer

Differential Medial Temporal Lobe and Parietal Cortical Contributions to Real-world Autobiographical Episodic and Autobiographical Semantic Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Thackery I; Rissman, Jesse; Chow, Tiffany E; Uncapher, Melina R; Wagner, Anthony D

2018-04-18

Autobiographical remembering can depend on two forms of memory: episodic (event) memory and autobiographical semantic memory (remembering personally relevant semantic knowledge, independent of recalling a specific experience). There is debate about the degree to which the neural signals that support episodic recollection relate to or build upon autobiographical semantic remembering. Pooling data from two fMRI studies of memory for real-world personal events, we investigated whether medial temporal lobe (MTL) and parietal subregions contribute to autobiographical episodic and semantic remembering. During scanning, participants made memory judgments about photograph sequences depicting past events from their life or from others' lives, and indicated whether memory was based on episodic or semantic knowledge. Results revealed several distinct functional patterns: activity in most MTL subregions was selectively associated with autobiographical episodic memory; the hippocampal tail, superior parietal lobule, and intraparietal sulcus were similarly engaged when memory was based on retrieval of an autobiographical episode or autobiographical semantic knowledge; and angular gyrus demonstrated a graded pattern, with activity declining from autobiographical recollection to autobiographical semantic remembering to correct rejections of novel events. Collectively, our data offer insights into MTL and parietal cortex functional organization, and elucidate circuitry that supports different forms of real-world autobiographical memory.

Right parietal cortex and calculation processing: intraoperative functional mapping of multiplication and addition in patients affected by a brain tumor.

Science.gov (United States)

Della Puppa, Alessandro; De Pellegrin, Serena; d'Avella, Elena; Gioffrè, Giorgio; Munari, Marina; Saladini, Marina; Salillas, Elena; Scienza, Renato; Semenza, Carlo

2013-11-01

The role of parietal areas in number processing is well known. The significance of intraoperative functional mapping of these areas has been only partially explored, however, and only a few discordant data are available in the surgical literature with regard to the right parietal lobe. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical impact of simple calculation in cortical electrostimulation of right-handed patients affected by a right parietal brain tumor. Calculation mapping in awake surgery was performed in 3 right-handed patients affected by high-grade gliomas located in the right parietal lobe. Preoperatively, none of the patients presented with calculation deficits. In all 3 cases, after sensorimotor and language mapping, cortical and intraparietal sulcus areas involved in single-digit multiplication and addition calculations were mapped using bipolar electrostimulation. In all patients, different sites of the right parietal cortex, mainly in the inferior lobule, were detected as being specifically related to calculation (multiplication or addition). In 2 patients the intraparietal sulcus was functionally specific for multiplication. No functional sites for language were detected. All sites functional for calculation were spared during tumor resection, which was complete in all cases without postoperative neurological deficits. These findings provide intraoperative data in support of an anatomofunctional organization for multiplication and addition within the right parietal area. Furthermore, the study shows the potential clinical relevance of intraoperative mapping of calculation in patients undergoing surgery in the right parietal area. Further and larger studies are needed to confirm these data and assess whether mapped areas are effectively essential for function.

The Effects of Maternal Hyperthyroidism on Histologic Changes in Parietal Lobe in Rat Embryos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Mirsafi

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background Maternal hyperthyroidism causes developmental defects on the nervous system of fetuses. Objectives The present study was designed to study the effects of maternal hyperthyroidism on the development of the parietal lobe in the brain of rat embryos. Methods In this experimental study, thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. The control group received no injections, the sham group received intraperitoneal injections of distilled water solution containing salt and polysorbate (solvent of levothyroxine, and the experimental group received once-daily, intraperitoneal injections of 0.5 mg/kg levothyroxine for a 10-day period to become hyperthyroid rats. The hyperthyroid rats were then mated, and all pregnant rats were killed on the 20th day of gestation. Fetuses were removed, fixed, and processed for histological procedures. The fetuses were sagitally sectioned at 5 µ thickness and stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H and E technique. The sections were examined using a light microscope and Motic software. Results The results showed no significant difference in the studied variables between the sham and control groups. A significantly increase in body weight and a significant decrease in crown-rump length of embryos was observed in the experimental group when compared to the control group. The mean total thickness of the parietal cortex, ventricular layer, and intermediate layer of embryos showed a significant decrease in the experimental group compared to the control and sham groups. The mean number of cells also showed a significant decrease in the intermediate and ventricular layers in the experimental group compared to the control and sham groups. Conclusions This study showed that maternal hyperthyroidism leads to a reduction in development of the parietal cortex in embryos. Maternal hyperthyroidism can disturb the growth and development of embryos.

Frontal lobe atrophy in motor neuron diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiernan, J A; Hudson, A J

1994-08-01

Neuronal degeneration in the precentral gyrus alone cannot account for the occurrence of spastic paresis in motor neuron diseases. To look for more extensive cortical atrophy we measured MRIs of the upper parts of the frontal and parietal lobes in 11 sporadic cases of classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), eight patients with primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) and an age- and sex-matched group of 49 neurologically normal people. None of the patients had overt dementia or other mental diseases. In PLS there is progressive spastic paresis but in contrast to ALS there is no lower motor neuron degeneration. The surface area of the precentral gyri and the amount of underlying white matter in PLS were consistently approximately 75% of the normal size. By contrast, there was some shrinkage of the precentral gyri in some of the ALS patients but the mean measurements for the group did not differ significantly from the controls. Anterior to the precentral sulci, the cortical surface area in PLS was approximately 85% of that of the controls, with correspondingly reduced white matter. In ALS the cortical surface areas of the anterior frontal lobes did not differ from those of the controls, but the amount of underlying white matter was reduced almost as much in ALS as it was in PLS. The measured changes in the frontal lobes suggest that in PLS there is simultaneous atrophy of the primary, premotor and supplementary motor areas of the cortex, with consequent degeneration of corticospinal and corticoreticular axons descending through the underlying white matter. These changes could account for the progressive upper motor neuron syndrome. In ALS, with no significant frontal cortical atrophy, the shrinkage of the white matter may be due to degeneration of axons projecting to the frontal cortex from elsewhere. Deprivation of afferents could explain the diminution of motor functions of the frontal lobes in ALS and also the changes in word fluency, judgement and attention that

Emotion unfolded by motion: a role for parietal lobe in decoding dynamic facial expressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkheil, Pegah; Goebel, Rainer; Schneider, Frank; Mathiak, Klaus

2013-12-01

Facial expressions convey important emotional and social information and are frequently applied in investigations of human affective processing. Dynamic faces may provide higher ecological validity to examine perceptual and cognitive processing of facial expressions. Higher order processing of emotional faces was addressed by varying the task and virtual face models systematically. Blood oxygenation level-dependent activation was assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging in 20 healthy volunteers while viewing and evaluating either emotion or gender intensity of dynamic face stimuli. A general linear model analysis revealed that high valence activated a network of motion-responsive areas, indicating that visual motion areas support perceptual coding for the motion-based intensity of facial expressions. The comparison of emotion with gender discrimination task revealed increased activation of inferior parietal lobule, which highlights the involvement of parietal areas in processing of high level features of faces. Dynamic emotional stimuli may help to emphasize functions of the hypothesized 'extended' over the 'core' system for face processing.

[Successive subcortical hemorrhages in the superior parietal lobule and postcentral gyrus in a 23-year-old female].

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, K; Yoshikawa, H; Komai, K; Takamori, M

1998-04-01

We report a non-hypertensive 23-year-old female with successive hemorrhages in parietal subcortical regions. She had first experienced a transient pain in the left upper extremity one month before admission. She noticed dysesthesia in the same limb and weakness on her left hand, and, five days after, visited our hospital because of suddenly developed convulsion in the limb and loss of consciousness for a few minutes. Neurological examination revealed distal dominant flaccid paresis, positive pathological reflex and touch and position sense disturbances in the affected limb. Brain CT detected two high-density areas in the parietal lobe. Brain MRI demonstrated an acute phase subcortical hematoma in the left postcentral gyrus and a subacute phase one in the left superior parietal lobule. SPECT indicated hypoperfusion in the left frontal and parietal cortex. Cerebral angiography showed no abnormal findings. Her symptoms gradually improved, but left ulnar-type pseudoradicular sensory impairment remained on discharge. We considered the hemorrhage in this patient have arisen from rupture of cavernous hemangioma, because she was relatively young, the hematomas were oval in shape and successively developed in the left parietal lobe. Our patient suggests that a subcortical hemorrhage in the post-central gyrus causes flaccid paresis and pyramidal tract involvement.

Acupuncture at Waiguan (SJ5) and sham points influences activation of functional brain areas of ischemic stroke patients: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Ji; Chen, Junqi; Huang, Yong; Lai, Xinsheng; Tang, Chunzhi; Yang, Junjun; Chen, Hua; Qu, Shanshan

2014-02-01

Most studies addressing the specificity of meridians and acupuncture points have focused mainly on the different neural effects of acupuncture at different points in healthy individuals. This study examined the effects of acupuncture on brain function in a pathological context. Sixteen patients with ischemic stroke were randomly assigned to true point group (true acupuncture at right Waiguan (SJ5)) and sham point group (sham acupuncture). Results of functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed activation in right parietal lobe (Brodmann areas 7 and 19), the right temporal lobe (Brodmann area 39), the right limbic lobe (Brodmann area 23) and bilateral occipital lobes (Brodmann area 18). Furthermore, inhibition of bilateral frontal lobes (Brodmann area 4, 6, and 45), right parietal lobe (Brodmann areas 1 and 5) and left temporal lobe (Brodmann area 21) were observed in the true point group. Activation in the precuneus of right parietal lobe (Brodmann area 7) and inhibition of the left superior frontal gyrus (Brodmann area 10) was observed in the sham group. Compared with sham acupuncture, acupuncture at Waiguan in stroke patients inhibited Brodmann area 5 on the healthy side. Results indicated that the altered specificity of sensation-associated cortex (Brodmann area 5) is possibly associated with a central mechanism of acupuncture at Waiguan for stroke patients.

[Functional mapping using subdural electrodes combined with monitoring during awake craniotomy enabled preservation of function and extensive resection of a glioma adjacent to the parietal lobe language sites: a case report].

Science.gov (United States)

Takebayashi, Kento; Saito, Taiichi; Nitta, Masayuki; Tamura, Manabu; Maruyama, Takashi; Muragaki, Yoshihiro; Okada, Yoshikazu

2015-01-01

Surgical resection of gliomas located in the dominant parietal lobe is difficult because this lesion is surrounded by multiple functional areas. Although functional mapping during awake craniotomy is very useful for resection of gliomas adjacent to eloquent areas, the limited time available makes it difficult to sufficiently evaluate multiple functions, such as language, calculative ability, distinction of right and left sides, and finger recognition. Here, we report a case of anaplastic oligodendroglioma, which was successfully treated with a combination of functional mapping using subdural electrodes and monitoring under awake craniotomy for glioma. A 32-year-old man presented with generalized seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a non-enhanced tumor in the left angular and supramarginal gyri. In addition, the tumor showed high accumulation on 11C-methionine positron emission tomography(PET)(tumor/normal brain tissue ratio=3.20). Preparatory mapping using subdural electrodes showed absence of brain function on the tumor lesion. Surgical removal was performed using cortical mapping during awake craniotomy with an updated navigation system using intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). The tumor was resected until aphasia was detected by functional monitoring, and the extent of tumor resection was 93%. The patient showed transient transcortical aphasia and Gerstmann's syndrome after surgery but eventually recovered. The pathological diagnosis was anaplastic oligodendroglioma, and the patient was administered chemo-radiotherapy. The patient has been progression free for more than 2 years. The combination of subdural electrode mapping and monitoring during awake craniotomy is useful in order to achieve preservation of function and extensive resection for gliomas in the dominant parietal lobe.

The Role of the Parietal Lobe in Visual Extinction Studied with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Science.gov (United States)

Battelli, Lorella; Alvarez, George A.; Carlson, Thomas; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro

2009-01-01

Interhemispheric competition between homologous areas in the human brain is believed to be involved in a wide variety of human behaviors from motor activity to visual perception and particularly attention. For example, patients with lesions in the posterior parietal cortex are unable to selectively track objects in the contralesional side of…

MRI in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kodama, Kazuhiro

1992-01-01

The present study investigated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in temporal lobe epilepsy and correlated them with clinical variables, such as age, illness duration, past history, and the frequency of seizure. Cerebral MRI was performed in 45 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy of unknown etiology, using a 0.5 T and/or a 1.5 T MRI systems. The temporal lobe was seen as high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and/or proton density-weighted images in 6 patients, although it was missed on CT and T1-weighted images. The high intensity area seemed to reflect sclerosis of the temporal lobe. This finding was significantly associated with partial seizure. Of these patients, 3 had a history of febrile convulsions. Ten patients had slight dilatation of the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle. They were significantly old at the time of onset and examination, as compared with those without dilatation. Furthermore, 6 patients with unilateral dilatation were significantly younger than the other 4 with bilateral dilatation. Nine patients had small multiple high signal areas in white matter, mainly in the parietal lobe, which suggested vascular origin. These patients were significantly old at the time of onset and examination, as compared with those having no such findings. In depicting high signal intensity areas, a 1.5 T MRI system was not always superior to a 0.5 T MRI system. Proton density-weighted images were better than T2-weighted images in some patients. (N.K.)

Visual interhemispheric communication and callosal connections of the occipital lobes.

Science.gov (United States)

Berlucchi, Giovanni

2014-07-01

Callosal connections of the occipital lobes, coursing in the splenium of the corpus callosum, have long been thought to be crucial for interactions between the cerebral hemispheres in vision in both experimental animals and humans. Yet the callosal connections of the temporal and parietal lobes appear to have more important roles than those of the occipital callosal connections in at least some high-order interhemispheric visual functions. The partial intermixing and overlap of temporal, parietal and occipital callosal connections within the splenium has made it difficult to attribute the effects of splenial pathological lesions or experimental sections to splenial components specifically related to select cortical areas. The present review describes some current contributions from the modern techniques for the tracking of commissural fibers within the living human brain to the tentative assignation of specific visual functions to specific callosal tracts, either occipital or extraoccipital. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parietal and premotor cortices: activation reflects imitation accuracy during observation, delayed imitation and concurrent imitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Krüger, Britta; Bischoff, Matthias; Blecker, Carlo; Langhanns, Christine; Kindermann, Stefan; Sauerbier, Isabell; Reiser, Mathias; Stark, Rudolf; Munzert, Jörn; Pilgramm, Sebastian

2014-10-15

This study investigated whether activation within areas belonging to the action observation and imitation network reveals a linear relation to the subsequent accuracy of imitating a bimanual rhythmic movement measured via a motion capturing system. 20 participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) when asked to imitate observed bimanual movements either concurrently versus with a delay (2s) or simply to observe the movements without imitation. Results showed that action observation relates to activation within classic mirror-related areas. Activation patterns were more widespread when participants were asked to imitate the movement. During observation with concurrent imitation, activation in the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) was associated negatively with imitation accuracy. During observation in the delayed imitation condition, higher subsequent imitation accuracy was coupled with higher activation in the right superior parietal lobe (SPL) and the left parietal operculum (POp). During the delayed imitation itself, a negative association between imitation accuracy and brain activation was revealed in the right ventral premotor cortex (vPMC). We conclude that the IPL is involved in online comparison and visuospatial attention processes during imitation, the SPL provides a kinesthetic blueprint during movement observation, the POp preserves body identity, and the vPMC recruits motor representations--especially when no concurrent visual guidance is possible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The fMRI study on the front-parietal activation in abacus mental calculation trained children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Kunyuan; Wang Bin; Long Jinfeng; Li Lixin; Shen Xiaojun

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the difference in front-parietal activation between the trained and untrained children engaged in addition and multiplication with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and to explore the role of abacus mental calculation in brain development. Methods: Twenty-four children trained with abacus mental calculation and twelve untrained children performed mental calculation tasks including addition, multiplication and number-object control judging tasks. Blood oxygenation level dependence (BOLD) fMRI was performed when they were calculating. All data were analyzed by SPM2 (statistical parametric mapping 2) to generate the brain activation map. Results: The performance of the trained group had better correctness and shorter reaction time than that of the untrained group. The front-parietal activation between two groups had obvious difference. The activation involved less prefrontal cortex in the trained group than in the untrained group (P<0.05). The parietal activation in the trained group was mainly in the posterior superior parietal lobe/ precuneus, whereas the activation areas focused on the inferior parietal lobule in the untrained group. Conclusion: Abacus mental calculation involves multiple functional areas. and these areas may work together as a whole in processing arithmetic problems. Abacus mental calculation not only enhances the information processing in some brain areas and improves the utilization efficiency of neural resources, but also plays an important role in developing brain. (authors)

Dissociation of Subtraction and Multiplication in the Right Parietal Cortex: Evidence from Intraoperative Cortical Electrostimulation

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaodan; Chen, Chuansheng; Pu, Song; Wu, Chenxing; Li, Yongnian; Jiang, Tao; Zhou, Xinlin

2011-01-01

Previous research has consistently shown that the left parietal cortex is critical for numerical processing, but the role of the right parietal lobe has been much less clear. This study used the intraoperative cortical electrical stimulation approach to investigate neural dissociation in the right parietal cortex for subtraction and…

Transcortical mixed aphasia due to cerebral infarction in left inferior frontal lobe and temporo-parietal lobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeshima, S.; Matsumoto, T.; Ueyoshi, A.; Toshiro, H.; Sekiguchi, E.; Okita, R.; Yamaga, H.; Ozaki, F.; Moriwaki, H.; Roger, P.

2002-01-01

We present a case of transcortical mixed aphasia caused by a cerebral embolism. A 77-year-old right-handed man was admitted to our hospital with speech disturbance and a right hemianopia. His spontaneous speech was remarkably reduced, and object naming, word fluency, comprehension, reading and writing were all severely disturbed. However, repetition of phonemes and sentences and reading aloud were fully preserved. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cerebral infarcts in the left frontal and parieto-occipital lobe which included the inferior frontal gyrus and angular gyrus, single photon emission CT revealed a wider area of low perfusion over the entire left hemisphere except for part of the left perisylvian language areas. The amytal (Wada) test, which was performed via the left internal carotid artery, revealed that the left hemisphere was dominant for language. Hence, it appears that transcortical mixed aphasia may be caused by the isolation of perisylvian speech areas, even if there is a lesion in the inferior frontal gyrus, due to disconnection from surrounding areas. (orig.)

Transcortical mixed aphasia due to cerebral infarction in left inferior frontal lobe and temporo-parietal lobe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maeshima, S.; Matsumoto, T.; Ueyoshi, A. [Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama (Japan); Toshiro, H.; Sekiguchi, E.; Okita, R.; Yamaga, H.; Ozaki, F.; Moriwaki, H. [Department of Neurological Surgery, Hidaka General Hospital, Wakayama (Japan); Roger, P. [School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW (Australia)

2002-02-01

We present a case of transcortical mixed aphasia caused by a cerebral embolism. A 77-year-old right-handed man was admitted to our hospital with speech disturbance and a right hemianopia. His spontaneous speech was remarkably reduced, and object naming, word fluency, comprehension, reading and writing were all severely disturbed. However, repetition of phonemes and sentences and reading aloud were fully preserved. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cerebral infarcts in the left frontal and parieto-occipital lobe which included the inferior frontal gyrus and angular gyrus, single photon emission CT revealed a wider area of low perfusion over the entire left hemisphere except for part of the left perisylvian language areas. The amytal (Wada) test, which was performed via the left internal carotid artery, revealed that the left hemisphere was dominant for language. Hence, it appears that transcortical mixed aphasia may be caused by the isolation of perisylvian speech areas, even if there is a lesion in the inferior frontal gyrus, due to disconnection from surrounding areas. (orig.)

The extratemporal lobe epilepsies in the epilepsy monitoring unit

Science.gov (United States)

Dash, Deepa; Tripathi, Manjari

2014-01-01

Extratemporal lobe epilepsies (ETLE) are characterized by the epileptogenic foci outside the temporal lobe. They have a wide spectrum of semiological presentation depending upon the site of origin. They can arise from frontal, parietal, occipital lobes and from hypothalamic hamartoma. We discuss in this review the semiology of different types of ETLE encountered in the epilepsy monitoring unit. PMID:24791090

Connections of the medial posterior parietal cortex (area 7m) in the monkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Leichnetz, G R

2001-06-01

The afferent and efferent cortical and subcortical connections of the medial posterior parietal cortex (area 7m) were studied in cebus (Cebus apella) and macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys using the retrograde and anterograde capabilities of the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) technique. The principal intraparietal corticocortical connections of area 7m in both cebus and macaque cases were with the ipsilateral medial bank of the intraparietal sulcus (MIP) and adjacent superior parietal lobule (area 5), inferior parietal lobule (area 7a), lateral bank of the IPS (area 7ip), caudal parietal operculum (PGop), dorsal bank of the caudal superior temporal sulcus (visual area MST), and medial prestriate cortex (including visual area PO and caudal medial lobule). Its principal frontal corticocortical connections were with the prefrontal cortex in the shoulder above the principal sulcus and the cortex in the shoulder above the superior ramus of the arcuate sulcus (SAS), the area purported to contain the smooth eye movement-related frontal eye field (FEFsem) in the cebus monkey by other investigators. There were moderate connections with the cortex in the rostral bank of the arcuate sulcus (purported to contain the saccade-related frontal eye field; FEFsac), supplementary eye field (SEF), and rostral dorsal premotor area (PMDr). Area 7m also had major connections with the cingulate cortex (area 23), particularly the ventral bank of the cingulate sulcus. The principal subcortical connections of area 7m were with the dorsal portion of the ventrolateral thalamic (VLc) nucleus, lateral posterior thalamic nucleus, lateral pulvinar, caudal mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and medial pulvinar, central lateral, central superior lateral, and central inferior intralaminar thalamic nuclei, dorsolateral caudate nucleus and putamen, middle region of the claustrum, nucleus of the diagonal band, zona incerta, pregeniculate nucleus, anterior and posterior pretectal nuclei, intermediate layer of

Medical image of the week: azygous lobe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhupinder Natt

2013-12-01

Full Text Available No abstract available. Article truncated at 150 words. A 59 year old man underwent chest radiography for evaluation of fever and cough. Imaging showed an accessory azygous lobe. An azygos lobe is found in 1% of anatomic specimens and forms when the right posterior cardinal vein, one of the precursors of the azygos vein, fails to migrate over the apex of the lung (1. Instead, the vein penetrates the lung carrying along pleural layers that entrap a portion of the right upper lobe. The vein appears to run within the lung, but is actually surrounded by both parietal and visceral pleura. The azygos fissure therefore consists of four layers of pleura, two parietal layers and two visceral layers, which wrap around the vein giving the appearance of a tadpole. Apart from an interesting incidental radiological finding, it is of limited clinical importance except that its presence should be recognized during thoracoscopic procedures. This patient was found to have …

Microsurgical anatomy of the central lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Frigeri, Thomas; Paglioli, Eliseu; de Oliveira, Evandro; Rhoton, Albert L

2015-03-01

The central lobe consists of the pre- and postcentral gyri on the lateral surface and the paracentral lobule on the medial surface and corresponds to the sensorimotor cortex. The objective of the present study was to define the neural features, craniometric relationships, arterial supply, and venous drainage of the central lobe. Cadaveric hemispheres dissected using microsurgical techniques provided the material for this study. The coronal suture is closer to the precentral gyrus and central sulcus at its lower rather than at its upper end, but they are closest at a point near where the superior temporal line crosses the coronal suture. The arterial supply of the lower two-thirds of the lateral surface of the central lobe was from the central, precentral, and anterior parietal branches that arose predominantly from the superior trunk of the middle cerebral artery. The medial surface and the superior third of the lateral surface were supplied by the posterior interior frontal, paracentral, and superior parietal branches of the pericallosal and callosomarginal arteries. The venous drainage of the superior two-thirds of the lateral surface and the central lobe on the medial surface was predominantly through the superior sagittal sinus, and the inferior third of the lateral surface was predominantly through the superficial sylvian veins to the sphenoparietal sinus or the vein of Labbé to the transverse sinus. The pre- and postcentral gyri and paracentral lobule have a morphological and functional anatomy that differentiates them from the remainder of their respective lobes and are considered by many as a single lobe. An understanding of the anatomical relationships of the central lobe can be useful in preoperative planning and in establishing reliable intraoperative landmarks.

Abstract Representations of Object-Directed Action in the Left Inferior Parietal Lobule.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E; Jacobs, Robert A; Mahon, Bradford Z

2018-06-01

Prior neuroimaging and neuropsychological research indicates that the left inferior parietal lobule in the human brain is a critical substrate for representing object manipulation knowledge. In the present functional MRI study we used multivoxel pattern analyses to test whether action similarity among objects can be decoded in the inferior parietal lobule independent of the task applied to objects (identification or pantomime) and stimulus format in which stimuli are presented (pictures or printed words). Participants pantomimed the use of objects, cued by printed words, or identified pictures of objects. Classifiers were trained and tested across task (e.g., training data: pantomime; testing data: identification), stimulus format (e.g., training data: word format; testing format: picture) and specific objects (e.g., training data: scissors vs. corkscrew; testing data: pliers vs. screwdriver). The only brain region in which action relations among objects could be decoded across task, stimulus format and objects was the inferior parietal lobule. By contrast, medial aspects of the ventral surface of the left temporal lobe represented object function, albeit not at the same level of abstractness as actions in the inferior parietal lobule. These results suggest compulsory access to abstract action information in the inferior parietal lobe even when simply identifying objects.

Alteration of functional connectivity within visuospatial working memory-related brain network in patients with right temporal lobe epilepsy: a resting-state fMRI study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Zong-xia; Huang, Dong-Hong; Ye, Wei; Chen, Zi-rong; Huang, Wen-li; Zheng, Jin-ou

2014-06-01

This study aimed to investigate the resting-state brain network related to visuospatial working memory (VSWM) in patients with right temporal lobe epilepsy (rTLE). The functional mechanism underlying the cognitive impairment in VSWM was also determined. Fifteen patients with rTLE and 16 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and handedness underwent a 6-min resting-state functional MRI session and a neuropsychological test using VSWM_Nback. The VSWM-related brain network at rest was extracted using multiple independent component analysis; the spatial distribution and the functional connectivity (FC) parameters of the cerebral network were compared between groups. Behavioral data were subsequently correlated with the mean Z-value in voxels showing significant FC difference during intergroup comparison. The distribution of the VSWM-related resting-state network (RSN) in the group with rTLE was virtually consistent with that in the healthy controls. The distribution involved the dorsolateral prefrontal lobe and parietal lobe in the right hemisphere and the partial inferior parietal lobe and posterior lobe of the cerebellum in the left hemisphere (pright superior frontal lobe (BA8), right middle frontal lobe, and right ventromedial prefrontal lobe compared with the controls (pright superior frontal lobe (BA11), right superior parietal lobe, and left posterior lobe of the cerebellum (prights reserved.

Visual Categorization and the Parietal Cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie K Fitzgerald

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The primate brain is adept at rapidly grouping items and events into functional classes, or categories, in order to recognize the significance of stimuli and guide behavior. Higher cognitive functions have traditionally been considered the domain of frontal areas. However, increasing evidence suggests that parietal cortex is also involved in categorical and associative processes. Previous work showed that the parietal cortex is highly involved in spatial processing, attention and saccadic eye movement planning, and more recent studies have found decision-making signals in LIP. We recently found that a subdivision of parietal cortex, the lateral intraparietal area (LIP, reflects learned categories for multiple types of visual stimuli. Additionally, a comparison of categorization signals in parietal and frontal areas found stronger and earlier categorization signals in parietal cortex, arguing that parietal abstract association or category signals are unlikely to arise via feedback from prefrontal cortex (PFC.

Exercise Training Increases Parietal Lobe Cerebral Blood Flow in Chronic Stroke: An Observational Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew D. Robertson

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Exercise is increasingly recommended as an essential component of stroke rehabilitation, yet uncertainty remains with respect to its direct effect on the cerebral vasculature. The current study first demonstrated the repeatability of pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (ASL magnetic resonance imaging (MRI in older adults with stroke, and then investigated the change in cerebrovascular function following a 6-month cardiovascular rehabilitation program. In the repeatability study, 12 participants at least 3 months post-stroke underwent two ASL imaging scans 1 month apart. In the prospective observational study, eight individuals underwent ASL imaging and aerobic fitness testing before and after a 6-month cardiovascular rehabilitation program. Cerebral blood flow (CBF and the spatial coefficient of variation of CBF (sCoV were quantified to characterize tissue-level perfusion and large cerebral artery transit time properties, respectively. In repeat scanning, intraclass correlation (ICC indicated moderate test-retest reliability for global gray matter CBF (ICC = 0.73 and excellent reliability for sCoV (ICC = 0.94. In the observational study, gray matter CBF increased after training (baseline: 40 ± 13 vs. 6-month: 46 ± 12 ml·100 g−1·min−1, P = 0.036. The greatest change occurred in the parietal lobe (+18 ± 12%. Gray matter sCoV, however, did not change following training (P = 0.31. This study provides preliminary evidence that exercise-based rehabilitation in chronic stroke enhances tissue-level perfusion, without changing the relative hemodynamic properties of the large cerebral arteries.

Exercise Training Increases Parietal Lobe Cerebral Blood Flow in Chronic Stroke: An Observational Study

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Andrew D.; Marzolini, Susan; Middleton, Laura E.; Basile, Vincenzo S.; Oh, Paul I.; MacIntosh, Bradley J.

2017-01-01

Exercise is increasingly recommended as an essential component of stroke rehabilitation, yet uncertainty remains with respect to its direct effect on the cerebral vasculature. The current study first demonstrated the repeatability of pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in older adults with stroke, and then investigated the change in cerebrovascular function following a 6-month cardiovascular rehabilitation program. In the repeatability study, 12 participants at least 3 months post-stroke underwent two ASL imaging scans 1 month apart. In the prospective observational study, eight individuals underwent ASL imaging and aerobic fitness testing before and after a 6-month cardiovascular rehabilitation program. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the spatial coefficient of variation of CBF (sCoV) were quantified to characterize tissue-level perfusion and large cerebral artery transit time properties, respectively. In repeat scanning, intraclass correlation (ICC) indicated moderate test-retest reliability for global gray matter CBF (ICC = 0.73) and excellent reliability for sCoV (ICC = 0.94). In the observational study, gray matter CBF increased after training (baseline: 40 ± 13 vs. 6-month: 46 ± 12 ml·100 g−1·min−1, P = 0.036). The greatest change occurred in the parietal lobe (+18 ± 12%). Gray matter sCoV, however, did not change following training (P = 0.31). This study provides preliminary evidence that exercise-based rehabilitation in chronic stroke enhances tissue-level perfusion, without changing the relative hemodynamic properties of the large cerebral arteries. PMID:29033829

Parietal scalp is another affected area in female pattern hair loss: an analysis of hair density and hair diameter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rojhirunsakool S

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Salinee Rojhirunsakool, Poonkiat Suchonwanit Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand Purpose: Female pattern hair loss (FPHL is a common hair disease. However, studies of the quantitative measurement of FPHL are still limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of hair density and hair diameter in normal women and FPHL patients, and further correlate the quantitative measurement with the clinical presentation of FPHL.Patients and methods: An evaluation of 471 FPHL patients and 236 normal women was carried out according to the Ludwig classification, and analysis was performed by using a computerized handheld USB camera with computer-assisted software. Various areas of the scalp, including frontal, parietal, midscalp, and occipital, were analyzed for hair density, non-vellus hair diameter, and percentage of miniaturized hair.Results: The hair density in normal women was the highest and the lowest in the midscalp and parietal areas, respectively. The FPHL group revealed the lowest hair density in the parietal area. Significant differences in hair density, non-vellus hair diameter, and percentage of miniaturized hair between the normal and FPHL groups were observed, especially in the midscalp and parietal areas.Conclusion: The parietal area is another important affected area in FPHL in addition to the midscalp area. This finding provides novel important information of FPHL and will be useful for hair transplant surgeons choosing the optimal donor sites for hair transplantation in women. Keywords: androgenetic alopecia, alopecia, phototrichogram, miniaturization

Examining the role of the temporo-parietal network in memory, imagery and viewpoint transformations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiret eDhindsa

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The traditional view of the medial temporal lobe (MTL focuses on its role in episodic memory. However, some of the underlying functions of the MTL can be ascertained from its wider role in supporting spatial cognition in concert with parietal and prefrontal regions. The MTL is strongly implicated in the formation of enduring allocentric representations (e.g. O’Keefe (1976; Ekstrom et al. (2003; King et al. (2002. According to our BBB model (Byrne et al. (2007, these representations must interact with head-centered and body-centered representations in posterior parietal cortex via a transformation circuit involving retrosplenial areas. Egocentric sensory representations in parietal areas can then cue the recall of allocentric spatial representations in long-term memory and, conversely, the products of retrieval in MTL can generate mental imagery within a parietal ’window’. Such imagery is necessarily egocentric and forms part of visuospatial working memory, where it can be manipulated for the purpose of planning/imagining the future. Recent fMRI evidence (Lambrey et al. (2012; Zhang et al. (2012 supports the BBB model. To further test the model, we had participants learn the locations of objects in a virtual scene and tested their spatial memory under conditions that impose varying demands on the transformation circuit. We analyzed how brain activity correlated with accuracy in judging the direction of an object 1 from visuospatial working memory (we assume working memory due to the order of tasks and the consistency viewpoint, but long-term memory is also possible, 2 after a rotation of viewpoint, or 3 after a rotation and translation (judgement of relative direction. We found performance-related activity in both tasks requiring viewpoint rotation in the core medial temporal to medial parietal. These results are consistent with the BBB model and shed further light on the mechanisms underlying spatial memory, mental imagery and viewpoint

Projections to early visual areas V1 and V2 in the calcarine fissure from parietal association areas in the macaque.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena eBorra

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Non-extrastriate projections to area V1 in monkeys, now demonstrated by several anatomical studies, are potential substrates of physiologically documented multisensory effects in primary sensory areas. The full network of projections among association and primary areas, however, is likely to be complex and is still only partially understood. In the present report, we used the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine to investigate projections to areas V1 and V2 from subdivisions of the parietal association cortex in macaque. Parietal cortex was chosen to allow comparisons between projections from this higher association area and from other previously reported areas. In addition, we were interested in further elucidating pathways to areas V1 and V2 from parietal areas, as potentially contributing to attention and active vision. Of eight cases, three brains had projections only to area V2, and the five others projected to both areas V1 and V2. Terminations in area V1 were sparse. These were located in supragranular layers I, II, upper III; occasionally in IVB; and in layer VI. Terminations in V2 were denser, and slightly more prevalent in the supragranular layers. For both areas, terminations were in the calcarine region, corresponding to the representation of the peripheral visual field. By reconstructions of single axons, we demonstrated that four of nine axons had collaterals, either to V1 and V2 (n=1 or to area V1 and a ventral area likely to be TEO (n=3. In area V1, axons extended divergently in layer VI as well as layer I. Overall, these and previous results suggest a nested connectivity architecture, consisting of multiple direct and indirect recurrent projections from association areas to area V1. Terminations in area V1 are not abundant, but could be potentiated by the network of indirect connections.

Individual structural differences in left inferior parietal area are associated with schoolchildrens’ arithmetic scores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongxin eLi

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Arithmetic skill is of critical importance for academic achievement, professional success and everyday life, and childhood is the key period to acquire this skill. Neuroimaging studies have identified that left parietal regions are a key neural substrate for representing arithmetic skill. Although the relationship between functional brain activity in left parietal regions and arithmetic skill has been studied in detail, it remains unclear about the relationship between arithmetic achievement and structural properties in left inferior parietal area in schoolchildren. The current study employed a combination of voxel-based morphometry (VBM for high-resolution T1-weighted images and fiber tracking on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI to examine the relationship between structural properties in the inferior parietal area and arithmetic achievement in 10-year-old schoolchildren. VBM of the T1-weighted images revealed that individual differences in arithmetic scores were significantly and positively correlated with the grey matter (GM volume in the left intraparietal sulcus (IPS. Fiber tracking analysis revealed that the forceps major, left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF were the primary pathways connecting the left IPS with other brain areas. Furthermore, the regression analysis of the probabilistic pathways revealed a significant and positive correlation between the fractional anisotropy (FA values in the left SLF, ILF and bilateral IFOF and arithmetic scores. The brain structure-behavior correlation analyses indicated that the GM volumes in the left IPS and the FA values in the tract pathways connecting left IPS were both related to children’s arithmetic achievement. The present findings provide evidence that individual structural differences in the left IPS are associated with arithmetic scores in schoolchildren.

OCCIPITAL LOBE SYNDROME

OpenAIRE

Shahdevi Nandar Kurniawan

2016-01-01

The ability to recognize objects and words is not just depend on the integrity of visual pathway and primary vision area on cerebral cortex (Brodmann area 17), but also secondary vision area 18 and tertiary vision area 19 on occipital lobe. Lesion in occipital lobe could disturb of human visual function such as visual field defects, inability to recognize colors, inability to recognize words, visual hallucinations and illusions, occipital lobe epilepsy, and Anton’s syndrome. Some causes of oc...

Phosphene-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation of occipital but not parietal cortex suppresses stimulus visibility

Science.gov (United States)

Tapia, Evelina; Mazzi, Chiara; Savazzi, Silvia; Beck, Diane M.

2014-01-01

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) applied over the occipital lobe approximately 100 ms after the onset of a stimulus decreases its visibility if it appears in the location of the phosphene. Because phosphenes can also be elicited by stimulation of the parietal regions, we asked if the same procedure that is used to reduce visibility of stimuli with occipital TMS will lead to decreased stimulus visibility when TMS is applied to parietal regions. TMS was randomly applied at 0 to 130 ms after the onset of the stimulus (SOA) in steps of 10 ms in occipital and parietal regions. Participants responded to the orientation of the line stimulus and rated its visibility. We replicate previous reports of phosphenes from both occipital and parietal TMS. As previously reported, we also observed visual suppression around the classical 100 ms window both in the objective line orientation and subjective visibility responses with occipital TMS. Parietal stimulation, on the other hand, did not consistently reduce stimulus visibility in any time window. PMID:24584900

Examining the role of the temporo-parietal network in memory, imagery, and viewpoint transformations.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhindsa, Kiret; Drobinin, Vladislav; King, John; Hall, Geoffrey B; Burgess, Neil; Becker, Suzanna

2014-01-01

The traditional view of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) focuses on its role in episodic memory. However, some of the underlying functions of the MTL can be ascertained from its wider role in supporting spatial cognition in concert with parietal and prefrontal regions. The MTL is strongly implicated in the formation of enduring allocentric representations (e.g., O'Keefe, 1976; King et al., 2002; Ekstrom et al., 2003). According to our BBB model (Byrne et al., 2007), these representations must interact with head-centered and body-centered representations in posterior parietal cortex via a transformation circuit involving retrosplenial areas. Egocentric sensory representations in parietal areas can then cue the recall of allocentric spatial representations in long-term memory and, conversely, the products of retrieval in MTL can generate mental imagery within a parietal "window." Such imagery is necessarily egocentric and forms part of visuospatial working memory, in which it can be manipulated for the purpose of planning/imagining the future. Recent fMRI evidence (Lambrey et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2012) supports the BBB model. To further test the model, we had participants learn the locations of objects in a virtual scene and tested their spatial memory under conditions that impose varying demands on the transformation circuit. We analyzed how brain activity correlated with accuracy in judging the direction of an object (1) from visuospatial working memory (we assume transient working memory due to the order of tasks and the absence of change in viewpoint, but long-term memory retrieval is also possible), (2) after a rotation of viewpoint, or (3) after a rotation and translation of viewpoint (judgment of relative direction). We found performance-related activity in both tasks requiring viewpoint rotation (ROT and JRD, i.e., conditions 2 and 3) in the core medial temporal to medial parietal circuit identified by the BBB model. These results are consistent with the

Quantifying interictal metabolic activity in human temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henry, T.R.; Mazziotta, J.C.; Engel, J. Jr.; Christenson, P.D.; Zhang, J.X.; Phelps, M.E.; Kuhl, D.E.

1990-01-01

The majority of patients with complex partial seizures of unilateral temporal lobe origin have interictal temporal hypometabolism on [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) studies. Often, this hypometabolism extends to ipsilateral extratemporal sites. The use of accurately quantified metabolic data has been limited by the absence of an equally reliable method of anatomical analysis of PET images. We developed a standardized method for visual placement of anatomically configured regions of interest on FDG PET studies, which is particularly adapted to the widespread, asymmetric, and often severe interictal metabolic alterations of temporal lobe epilepsy. This method was applied by a single investigator, who was blind to the identity of subjects, to 10 normal control and 25 interictal temporal lobe epilepsy studies. All subjects had normal brain anatomical volumes on structural neuroimaging studies. The results demonstrate ipsilateral thalamic and temporal lobe involvement in the interictal hypometabolism of unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy. Ipsilateral frontal, parietal, and basal ganglial metabolism is also reduced, although not as markedly as is temporal and thalamic metabolism

Bilateral front-parietal polymicrogyria accompanied by cobblestone lissencephaly: 3T MR imaging findings of a case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozkurt, Y.; Battal, B.; Ozcan, E.; Kocaoglu, M.

2012-01-01

Full text: Background: The cerebral cortex develops in three overlapping stages: cell proliferation, neuronal migration, and cortical organization. Lissencephaly (smooth brain) is a severe malformation of the cerebral cortex that results from impaired neuronal migration. Polymicrogyria is a disorder of late migration or cortical organization, and supposed to reflect a disruption of normal neuronal migration with subsequent disordered cortical organization. A combination of cobblestone lissencephaly and polymicrogyria is very rare in the same patient's brain. Objective: To present clinical and 3T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of a 17-year-old male with bilateral fronto-parietal polimicrogyria accompanied by cobblestone lissencaphaly. Materials and methods: A 17-year-old male who had seizures and involuntary muscular spasm from birth, was referred to our Hospital. The patient was evaluated by a complete history, physical examination, a laboratory work-up, and cranial MR examination for evaluate the central nervous system. Results: A sharp wave paroxysm in the left temporal area was observed in the electroencephalogram (EEG). The neurological examination of our patient was normal. A slight increase have seen in the aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT) levels. The other biochemical tests were found to be normal. Cranial MR imaging showed an irregular nodular cortex with hypomyelination of the white matter at the lateral and posterior part of the right occipital lobe. We also observed the changes compatible with polymicrogyria in a large area of the medial parts of the bilateral temporal and parietal lobes. Conclusion: The role of radiological modalities for diagnosis of cortical formation disorders are very important. MR imaging are fairly useful for evaluation of these anomalies

Uncertain relational reasoning in the parietal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragni, Marco; Franzmeier, Imke; Maier, Simon; Knauff, Markus

2016-04-01

The psychology of reasoning is currently transitioning from the study of deductive inferences under certainty to inferences that have degrees of uncertainty in both their premises and conclusions; however, only a few studies have explored the cortical basis of uncertain reasoning. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we show that areas in the right superior parietal lobe (rSPL) are necessary for solving spatial relational reasoning problems under conditions of uncertainty. Twenty-four participants had to decide whether a single presented order of objects agreed with a given set of indeterminate premises that could be interpreted in more than one way. During the presentation of the order, 10-Hz TMS was applied over the rSPL or a sham control site. Right SPL TMS during the inference phase disrupted performance in uncertain relational reasoning. Moreover, we found differences in the error rates between preferred mental models, alternative models, and inconsistent models. Our results suggest that different mechanisms are involved when people reason spatially and evaluate different kinds of uncertain conclusions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Executive Functions in Healthy Older Adults Are Differentially Related to Macro- and Microstructural White Matter Characteristics of the Cerebral Lobes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Hirsiger

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Aging is associated with microstructural white matter (WM changes. WM microstructural characteristics, measured with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI, are different in normal appearing white matter (NAWM and WM hyperintensities (WMH. It is largely unknown how the microstructural properties of WMH are associated with cognition and if there are regional effects for specific cognitive domains. We therefore examined within 200 healthy older participants (a differences in microstructural characteristics of NAWM and WMH per cerebral lobe; and (b the association of macrostructural (WMH volume and microstructural characteristics (within NAWM and WMH separately of each lobe with measures of executive function and processing speed. Multi-modal imaging (i.e., T1, DTI, and FLAIR was used to assess WM properties. The Stroop and the Trail Making Test were used to measure inhibition, task-switching (both components of executive function, and processing speed. We observed that age was associated with deterioration of white matter microstructure of the NAWM, most notably in the frontal lobe. Older participants had larger WMH volumes and lowest fractional anisotropy values within WMH were found in the frontal lobe. Task-switching was associated with cerebral NAWM volume and NAWM volume of all lobes. Processing speed was associated with total NAWM volume, and microstructural properties of parietal NAWM, the parietal WMH, and the temporal NAWM. Task-switching was related to microstructural properties of WMH of the frontal lobe and WMH volume of the parietal lobe. Our results confirm that executive functioning and processing speed are uniquely associated with macro- and microstructural properties of NAWM and WMH. We further demonstrate for the first time that these relationships differ by lobar region. This warrants the consideration of these distinct WM indices when investigating cognitive function.

Reorganization of Language Areas in Patient with a Frontal Lobe Low Grade Glioma – fMRI Case Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kośla, Katarzyna; Bryszewski, Bartosz; Jaskólski, Dariusz; Błasiak-Kołacińska, Nina; Stefańczyk, Ludomir; Majos, Agata

2015-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) studies results in case of an adult patient with low grade glioma (LGG) in dominant hemisphere suggest brain plasticity process with acquisition of language functions by the non-dominant hemisphere speech regions. A 36-years old right-handed woman was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery for surgical treatment of brain tumor. An MRI examination revealed a pathological mass in the left frontal lobe, in close topographical relationship to the Broca’s area. A left fronto-parietal craniotomy was performed, with an intraoperative awake language mapping procedure. A total resection of the pathological mass was achieved. The tumor was examined histologically as LGG. In the follow-up MRI exam 32 months after the operation a tumor recurrence was suggested. The fMRI exams performed preoperative and 3, 32 and 41 months after the operation showed changes in language regions activation patterns, with a progressive right-sided activation of Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas. Pre- and postoperative cognitive evaluation by a neuropsychologist did not detect any language impairment. We present a running process of reorganization of language areas in a patient after brain tumor resection, from strong left-sided to symmetrical lateralization. 1. FMRI results in comparison with the psychological status of the patient proved contribution of functional reorganization to the preservation of language performance. 2. A slow growing LGG as well as the recurrence of the tumor near the left Broca’s area might be the factors leading to reorganization of language-related areas by recruiting the right hemisphe

Parietal Lobe Volume Deficits in Adolescents with Schizophrenia and Adolescents with Cannabis Use Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Kumra, Sanjiv; Robinson, Paul; Tambyraja, Rabindra; Jensen, Daniel; Schimunek, Caroline; Houri, Alaa; Reis, Tiffany; Lim, Kelvin

2012-01-01

Objective: In early-onset schizophrenia (EOS), the earliest structural brain volumetric abnormalities appear in the parietal cortices. Early exposure to cannabis may represent an environmental risk factor for developing schizophrenia. This study characterized cerebral cortical gray matter structure in adolescents in regions of interest (ROIs) that…

Cognitive dysfunctions in occipital lobe epilepsy compared to temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Santangelo, Gabriella; Trojano, Luigi; Vitale, Carmine; Improta, Ilaria; Alineri, Irma; Meo, Roberta; Bilo, Leonilda

2017-06-01

To compare cognitive profiles of occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and to investigate whether impairment of visuospatial functions is a specific deficit of OLE. Eighteen patients with OLE, 18 patients with TLE, and 18 controls underwent a neuropsychological battery assessing memory, visuospatial functions, and frontal/executive functions. Multivariate analysis evidenced poorer performance of patients with TLE and patients with OLE relative to controls on tasks assessing verbal and non-verbal long-term memory, frontal functions, and visuospatial functions. Patients with OLE had poorer performance than patients with TLE on visuospatial tasks, whereas patients with TLE performed worse than patients with OLE on verbal long-term memory test. Discriminant analysis identified two canonical discriminant functions: The first explained 53.3% of the variance, and the second explained 46.7% of the variance. The first function included verbal and non-verbal memory tests distinguishing controls from both OLE and TLE, whereas the second factor including a visuoconstructional test distinguished OLE from TLE and controls. The results demonstrate that visuoconstructional dysfunction is related to OLE and support the idea that alterations of occipito-parietal stream may be specific to patients with OLE. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

It's how you get there: Walking down a virtual alley activates premotor and parietal areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna eWagner

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Voluntary drive is crucial for motor learning, therefore we are interested in the role that motor planning plays in gait movements. In this study we examined the impact of an interactive Virtual Environment (VE feedback task on the EEG patterns during robot assisted walking. We compared walking in the VE modality to two control conditions: walking with a visual attention paradigm, in which visual stimuli were unrelated to the motor task; and walking with mirror feedback, in which participants observed their own movements. Eleven healthy participants were considered. Application of independent component analysis to the EEG revealed three independent component clusters in premotor and parietal areas showing increased activity during walking with the adaptive VE training paradigm compared to the control conditions. During the interactive VE walking task spectral power in frequency ranges 8-12Hz, 15-20Hz and 23-40Hz was significantly (p ≤ 0.05 decreased. This power decrease is interpreted as a correlate of an active cortical area. Furthermore activity in the premotor cortex revealed gait cycle related modulations significantly different (p ≤ 0.05 from baseline in the frequency range 23-40Hz during walking. These modulations were significantly (p ≤ 0.05 reduced depending on gait cycle phases in the interactive VE walking task compared to the control conditions.We demonstrate that premotor and parietal areas show increased activity during walking with the adaptive VE training paradigm, when compared to walking with mirror- and movement unrelated feedback. Previous research has related a premotor-parietal network to motor planning and motor intention. We argue that movement related interactive feedback enhances motor planning and motor intention. We hypothesize that this might improve gait recovery during rehabilitation.

Decrease in N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio in the motor area and the frontal lobe in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, K.; Takanashi, M.; Yanagihara, T.; Watanabe, Y.; Tanaka, H.; Fujita, N.; Hirabuki, N.

2001-01-01

We studied whether N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a neuronal marker, is reduced in the brain of 14 patients with clinically definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and whether NAA levels in the motor area and frontal lobe correlate with the clinical features, including frontal lobe function. We also studied 14 normal controls were evaluated. We obtained peak integrals in 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for NAA, creatine (Cr), and choline-containing compounds (Cho). Severity of the disease was determined using the manual muscle strength test, and the Norris limb and bulbar scales. In the patients, the NAA/Cr ratio was reduced in the motor area and frontal lobe, while the Cho/Cr ratio was normal throughout the brain. There were significant correlations between the NAA/Cr ratio in the motor area and the Norris limb scale (r = 0.50; P < 0.01) and between the NAA/Cr ratio in the frontal lobe and the number of categories achieved in the Wisconsin Card Sorting test (r = 0.71; P < 0.05), implying frontal lobe dysfunction. These correlations suggest that a reduced NAA/Cr ratio is a marker of cortical neuronal loss and dysfunction in ALS. (orig.)

Decrease in N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio in the motor area and the frontal lobe in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abe, K.; Takanashi, M.; Yanagihara, T. [Dept. of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine (Japan); Watanabe, Y.; Tanaka, H.; Fujita, N.; Hirabuki, N. [Dept. of Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine (Japan)

2001-07-01

We studied whether N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a neuronal marker, is reduced in the brain of 14 patients with clinically definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and whether NAA levels in the motor area and frontal lobe correlate with the clinical features, including frontal lobe function. We also studied 14 normal controls were evaluated. We obtained peak integrals in {sup 1}H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for NAA, creatine (Cr), and choline-containing compounds (Cho). Severity of the disease was determined using the manual muscle strength test, and the Norris limb and bulbar scales. In the patients, the NAA/Cr ratio was reduced in the motor area and frontal lobe, while the Cho/Cr ratio was normal throughout the brain. There were significant correlations between the NAA/Cr ratio in the motor area and the Norris limb scale (r = 0.50; P < 0.01) and between the NAA/Cr ratio in the frontal lobe and the number of categories achieved in the Wisconsin Card Sorting test (r = 0.71; P < 0.05), implying frontal lobe dysfunction. These correlations suggest that a reduced NAA/Cr ratio is a marker of cortical neuronal loss and dysfunction in ALS. (orig.)

Neuropsychology and its correlation with cerebral blood flow in patients with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and normal seniors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ang Qiuqing; Jiang Kaida; Huang Yanyan; Zhang Mingyuan; Zhao Jinghua; Lin Xiangtong; He Fengfeng; Gu Niufan

1999-01-01

Objective: To study the psychological, functional imaging findings and the relationship between them in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD) and normal seniors (NS). Methods: Psychological evaluation with rating scales and functional imaging examination with single photon emission computed tomography were conducted to AD, VD (both met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria) and NS. Results: In psychological examination, AD and VD showed significantly lower scores in every scale than NS, and in Fuld goods memory test (FOM), AD appeared even worse than VD. In functional imaging examination, at most brain areas, radioactive ratio (RAR) in AD and VD were obviously lower than that in NS. While in right parietal lobe and bilateral frontal lobes, RAR in AD showed significantly lower than in VD. FOM score of NS was correlated with RAR in several brain areas. RARs of right parietal lobe in AD and of left parietal lobe in VD showed correlation with scores of most rating scales. Conclusions: Hypoperfusion in right parietal lobe of AD and in left parietal lobe of VD contributes mainly to their cognitive deficiency, this may further suggest the different right or left hemisphere mechanism in AD and VD

The Safe Area in the Parieto-Occipital Lobe in the Human Brain: Diffusion Tensor Tractography.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Sung Ho; Kim, Seong Ho; Kwon, Hyeok Gyu

2015-06-01

A recent study reported on the relatively safe area in the frontal lobe for performance of neurological interventions; however, no study on the posterior safe area has been reported. In this study, using diffusion tensor tractography, we attempted to identify the safe area in the parieto-occipital lobe in healthy subjects. A total of 47 healthy subjects were recruited for this study. Eleven neural tracts were reconstructed in and around the parieto-occipital area of the brain using diffusion tensor tractography. The safe area, which is free from any trajectory of 10 neural tracts, was measured anteriorly and medially from the line of the most posterior and lateral margin of the brain at 5 axial levels (from the cerebral cortex to the corona radiata). The anterior boundaries of the safe area in the upper cerebral cortex, lower cerebral cortex, centrum semiovale, upper corona radiata, and lower corona radiata levels were located at 31.0, 32.6, 32.7, 35.1, and 35.2 mm anteriorly from the line of the most posterior margin of the brain, respectively, and the medial boundaries were located at an average of 34.7, 38.1, 39.2, 36.1, and 33.6 mm medially from the line of the most lateral margin of the brain, respectively. According to our findings, the safe area was located in the posterolateral portion of the parieto-occipital lobe in the shape of a triangle. However, we found no safe area in the deep white matter around the lateral ventricle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of human parietal area 7A as a link between sequencing in hand actions and in overt speech production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan eHeim

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Research on the evolutionary basis of the human language faculty has proposed the mirror neuron system as a link between motor processing and speech development. Consequently, most work has focussed on the left inferior frontal cortex, in particular Broca's region, and the left inferior parietal cortex. However, the direct link between planning of hand motor and speech actions remains to be elucidated. Thus, the present study investigated whether sequencing of hand motor actions vs. speech motor actions has a common neural denominator. For the hand motor task, 25 subjects performed single, repeated, or sequenced button presses with either the left or right hand. The speech task was in analogy; the same subjects produced the syllable "po" once or repeatedly, or a sequence of different syllables (po-pi-po. Speech motor vs. hand motor effectors resulted in increased perisylvian activation including Broca's region (left area 44 and areas medially adjacent to left area 45. In contrast, common activation for sequenced vs. repeated production of button presses and syllables revealed the effector-independent involvement of left area 7A in the superior parietal lobule (SPL in sequencing. These data demonstrate that sequencing of vocal gestures, an important precondition for ordered utterances and ultimately human speech, shares area 7A, rather than inferior parietal regions, as a common cortical module with hand motor sequencing. Interestingly, area 7A has previously also been shown to be involved in the observation of hand and non-hand actions. In combination with the literature, the present data thus suggest a distinction between area 44, which is specifically recruited for (cognitive aspects of speech, and SPL area 7A for general aspects of motor sequencing. In sum, the study demonstrates a yet little considered role of the superior parietal lobule in the origins of speech, and may be discussed in the light of embodiment of speech and language in the

Modulation of Speech Motor Learning with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Inferior Parietal Lobe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mickael L. D. Deroche

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The inferior parietal lobe (IPL is a region of the cortex believed to participate in speech motor learning. In this study, we investigated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS of the IPL could influence the extent to which healthy adults (1 adapted to a sensory alteration of their own auditory feedback, and (2 changed their perceptual representation. Seventy subjects completed three tasks: a baseline perceptual task that located the phonetic boundary between the vowels /e/ and /a/; a sensorimotor adaptation task in which subjects produced the word “head” under conditions of altered or unaltered feedback; and a post-adaptation perceptual task identical to the first. Subjects were allocated to four groups which differed in current polarity and feedback manipulation. Subjects who received anodal tDCS to their IPL (i.e., presumably increasing cortical excitability lowered their first formant frequency (F1 by 10% in opposition to the upward shift in F1 in their auditory feedback. Subjects who received the same stimulation with unaltered feedback did not change their production. Subjects who received cathodal tDCS to their IPL (i.e., presumably decreasing cortical excitability showed a 5% adaptation to the F1 alteration similar to subjects who received sham tDCS. A subset of subjects returned a few days later to reiterate the same protocol but without tDCS, enabling assessment of any facilitatory effects of the previous tDCS. All subjects exhibited a 5% adaptation effect. In addition, across all subjects and for the two recording sessions, the phonetic boundary was shifted toward the vowel /e/ being repeated, consistently with the selective adaptation effect, but a correlation between perception and production suggested that anodal tDCS had enhanced this perceptual shift. In conclusion, we successfully demonstrated that anodal tDCS could (1 enhance the motor adaptation to a sensory alteration, and (2 potentially affect the

Damage to Broca’s area OR the anterior temporal lobe is implicated in stroke-induced agrammatic comprehension: it depends on the task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corianne Rogalsky

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The neurobiology of sentence comprehension remains unresolved. Previous large-scale studies of stroke patients have yielded conflicting results regarding sentence comprehension, implicating inferior frontal, anterior temporal and/or posterior temporal regions (Dronkers et al., 2004; Magnusdottir et al., 2013; Thothathiri et al. 2012. Furthermore, only one large-scale lesion study (Magnusdottir et al. 2013 has examined the neural underpinnings of agrammatic comprehension (i.e. substantially worse performance on sentences with noncanonical word orders compared to canonical word order sentences in English, a hallmark of Broca’s aphasia. This one previous study of noncanonical < canonical sentence performance on a sentence picture-matching task implicated damage to the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL and to a lesser degree Broca’s area damage (i.e. < 10% of significant voxels (Magnusdottir et al. 2013. The present study investigated the neurobiology of agrammatic comprehension with two sentence comprehension tasks in the MARC test battery: a sentence-picture matching task (the SOAP Test: a test of syntactic complexity; Love & Oster, 2002 and a sentence plausibility judgment task. Each task contained active, passive, subject-relative and object-relative sentences. Participants included 91 patients with chronic focal cerebral damage. First, we conducted voxel-based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM; Bates et al. 2003 for each sentence type in each task. Consistent with previous studies (Magnusdottir et al. 2013; Thothathiri et al. 2012, the VLSMs identified a significant association between sentence comprehension impairments and damage to a large left temporal-inferior parietal network for all sentences (peak t values were in posterior temporal and inferior parietal voxels; no areas of frontal lobe damage were significant for any sentence type/task. We then conducted VLSMs to identify areas of damage associated specifically with agrammatic

Let's inhibit our excitement: the relationships between Stroop, behavioral disinhibition, and the frontal lobes.

Science.gov (United States)

Heflin, Lara H; Laluz, Victor; Jang, Jung; Ketelle, Robin; Miller, Bruce L; Kramer, Joel H

2011-09-01

The Stroop (Stroop, 1935) is a frequently used neuropsychological test, with poor performance typically interpreted as indicative of disinhibition and frontal lobe damage. This study tested those interpretations by examining relationships between Stroop performance, behavioral disinhibition, and frontal lobe atrophy. Participants were 112 patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, recruited through UCSF's Memory and Aging Center. Participants received comprehensive dementia evaluations including structural MRI, neuropsychological testing, and informant interviews. Freesurfer, a semiautomated parcellation program, was used to analyze 1.5T MRI scans. Behavioral disinhibition was measured using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (Cummings, 1997; Cummings et al., 1994) Disinhibition Scale. The sample (n = 112) mean age was 65.40 (SD = 8.60) years, education was 16.64 (SD = 2.54) years, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; Folstein et al., 1975) was 26.63 (SD = 3.32). Hierarchical linear regressions were used for data analysis. Controlling for age, MMSE, and color naming, Stroop performance was not significantly associated with disinhibition (β = 0.01, ΔR² = 0.01, p = .29). Hierarchical regressions controlling for age, MMSE, color naming, intracranial volume, and temporal and parietal lobes, examined whether left or right hemisphere regions predict Stroop performance. Bilaterally, parietal lobe atrophy best predicted poorer Stroop (left: β = 0.0004, ΔR² = 0.02, p = .002; right: β = 0.0004, ΔR² = 0.02, p = .002). Of frontal regions, only dorsolateral prefrontal cortex atrophy predicted poorer Stroop (β = 0.001, ΔR² = 0.01, p = .03); left and right anterior cingulate cortex atrophy predicted better Stroop (left: β = -0.003, ΔR² = 0.01, p = .02; right: β = -0.004, ΔR² = 0.01, p = .02). These findings suggest Stroop performance is a poor measure of behavioral disinhibition and frontal lobe atrophy even among a relatively high-risk population

Changes in frontal lobe function before and after surgery in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Saya; Kumon, Yoshiaki; Igase, Keiji; Watanabe, Hideaki; Ohnishi, Takanori

2008-01-01

We evaluated neuropsychological function in 18 patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysm who showed good postoperative outcomes. We paid particular attention to frontal lobe function. We also investigated relationships between cerebral blood flow (CBF) and frontal lobe function. Patients were examined using digit span, word fluency (WF), Stroop and trail-making tests to clarify frontal lobe function before and 1-2 months after surgery. We also used the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Raven's colored progressive matrices (RCPM) and revised Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS-R) to examine cognitive function. CBF was measured using 133 Xe-single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) before and 1-2 months after surgery. Tests revealed that the patients' postoperative neuropsychological status was improved compared to the preoperative status for MMSE, RCPM and WAIS-R. Among the tests of frontal lobe function, WF results had deteriorated significantly after surgery. Resting CBF in the frontal lobe was significantly decreased. Regional CBF in the frontal lobe was decreased significantly in comparison with values in the parietal and temporal lobes in patients showing deterioration of WF. Deterioration of WF correlated with CBF changes in the frontal lobe. These results suggest that surgery for unruptured cerebral aneurysm exerts detrimental effects on frontal lobe function that may be related to CBF changes. (author)

Temporal structure in neuronal activity during working memory in Macaque parietal cortex

CERN Document Server

Pesaran, B; Sahami, M; Mitra, P; Andersen, R A

2000-01-01

A number of cortical structures are reported to have elevated single unit firing rates sustained throughout the memory period of a working memory task. How the nervous system forms and maintains these memories is unknown but reverberating neuronal network activity is thought to be important. We studied the temporal structure of single unit (SU) activity and simultaneously recorded local field potential (LFP) activity from area LIP in the inferior parietal lobe of two awake macaques during a memory-saccade task. Using multitaper techniques for spectral analysis, which play an important role in obtaining the present results, we find elevations in spectral power in a 50--90 Hz (gamma) frequency band during the memory period in both SU and LFP activity. The activity is tuned to the direction of the saccade providing evidence for temporal structure that codes for movement plans during working memory. We also find SU and LFP activity are coherent during the memory period in the 50--90 Hz gamma band and no consisten...

Synaesthetic colour in the brain: beyond colour areas. A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of synaesthetes and matched controls.

Science.gov (United States)

van Leeuwen, Tessa M; Petersson, Karl Magnus; Hagoort, Peter

2010-08-10

In synaesthesia, sensations in a particular modality cause additional experiences in a second, unstimulated modality (e.g., letters elicit colour). Understanding how synaesthesia is mediated in the brain can help to understand normal processes of perceptual awareness and multisensory integration. In several neuroimaging studies, enhanced brain activity for grapheme-colour synaesthesia has been found in ventral-occipital areas that are also involved in real colour processing. Our question was whether the neural correlates of synaesthetically induced colour and real colour experience are truly shared. First, in a free viewing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment, we located main effects of synaesthesia in left superior parietal lobule and in colour related areas. In the left superior parietal lobe, individual differences between synaesthetes (projector-associator distinction) also influenced brain activity, confirming the importance of the left superior parietal lobe for synaesthesia. Next, we applied a repetition suppression paradigm in fMRI, in which a decrease in the BOLD (blood-oxygenated-level-dependent) response is generally observed for repeated stimuli. We hypothesized that synaesthetically induced colours would lead to a reduction in BOLD response for subsequently presented real colours, if the neural correlates were overlapping. We did find BOLD suppression effects induced by synaesthesia, but not within the colour areas. Because synaesthetically induced colours were not able to suppress BOLD effects for real colour, we conclude that the neural correlates of synaesthetic colour experience and real colour experience are not fully shared. We propose that synaesthetic colour experiences are mediated by higher-order visual pathways that lie beyond the scope of classical, ventral-occipital visual areas. Feedback from these areas, in which the left parietal cortex is likely to play an important role, may induce V4 activation and the percept of

Synaesthetic colour in the brain: beyond colour areas. A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of synaesthetes and matched controls.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tessa M van Leeuwen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In synaesthesia, sensations in a particular modality cause additional experiences in a second, unstimulated modality (e.g., letters elicit colour. Understanding how synaesthesia is mediated in the brain can help to understand normal processes of perceptual awareness and multisensory integration. In several neuroimaging studies, enhanced brain activity for grapheme-colour synaesthesia has been found in ventral-occipital areas that are also involved in real colour processing. Our question was whether the neural correlates of synaesthetically induced colour and real colour experience are truly shared. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: First, in a free viewing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI experiment, we located main effects of synaesthesia in left superior parietal lobule and in colour related areas. In the left superior parietal lobe, individual differences between synaesthetes (projector-associator distinction also influenced brain activity, confirming the importance of the left superior parietal lobe for synaesthesia. Next, we applied a repetition suppression paradigm in fMRI, in which a decrease in the BOLD (blood-oxygenated-level-dependent response is generally observed for repeated stimuli. We hypothesized that synaesthetically induced colours would lead to a reduction in BOLD response for subsequently presented real colours, if the neural correlates were overlapping. We did find BOLD suppression effects induced by synaesthesia, but not within the colour areas. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Because synaesthetically induced colours were not able to suppress BOLD effects for real colour, we conclude that the neural correlates of synaesthetic colour experience and real colour experience are not fully shared. We propose that synaesthetic colour experiences are mediated by higher-order visual pathways that lie beyond the scope of classical, ventral-occipital visual areas. Feedback from these areas, in which the left parietal

Development of parietal bone surrogates for parietal graft lift training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hollensteiner Marianne

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Currently the surgical training of parietal bone graft techniques is performed on patients or specimens. Commercially available bone models do not deliver realistic haptic feedback. Thus customized parietal skull surrogates were developed for surgical training purposes. Two human parietal bones were used as reference. Based on the measurement of insertion forces of drilling, milling and saw procedures suitable material compositions for molding cortical and cancellous calvarial layers were found. Artificial skull caps were manufactured and tested. Additionally microtomograpy images of human and artificial parietal bones were performed to analyze outer table and diploe thicknesses. Significant differences between human and artificial skulls were not detected with the mechanical procedures tested. Highly significant differences were found for the diploe thickness values. In conclusion, an artificial bone has been created, mimicking the properties of human parietal bone thus being suitable for tabula externa graft lift training.

Transient attenuation of visual evoked potentials during focal status epilepticus in a patient with occipital lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Meng-Han; Hsu, Shih-Pin; Huang, Chi-Ren; Chang, Chen-Sheng; Chuang, Yao-Chung

2010-06-01

Seizures originating in the occipital areas are relatively uncommon. They are usually characterized by visual hallucinations and illusions or other symptoms related to the eyes and vision. In a 54-year-old woman with occipital lobe epilepsy, complex visual hallucinations, illusions, and migraine-like headache constitute the major clinical manifestations. During focal status epilepticus, ictal electroencephalography revealed rhythmic focal spikes in the right occipital region, rapidly propagating to the right parietal and contralateral occipital areas. Ictal brain single-photon emission computed topography revealed hyperperfusion of the right occipital region. Using a full-field pattern-shift visual evoked potential (VEP) study, we found that the P100 responses on both sides were markedly attenuated in amplitude during occipital focal status epilepticus, whereas the latencies of the VEPs were normal. The amplitude and morphology of P100 responses on both sides, however, returned to the normal range 7 days after cessation of the seizures. In addition to clinical seizure semiology, scalp EEG, SPECT and neuroimaging studies, VEP studies may be used as a supplementary examination tool to provide further information in the patients with occipital lobe seizures or epilepsies.

Emphysema lung lobe volume reduction: effects on the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Matthew S.; Kim, Hyun J.; Abtin, Fereidoun G.; Galperin-Aizenberg, Maya; Pais, Richard; Da Costa, Irene G.; Ordookhani, Arash; Chong, Daniel; Ni, Chiayi; McNitt-Gray, Michael F.; Goldin, Jonathan G. [David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, Department of Radiological Sciences, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Strange, Charlie [Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Columbia, SC (United States); Tashkin, Donald P. [David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2012-07-15

To investigate volumetric and density changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes following volume reduction of an emphysematous target lobe. The study included 289 subjects with heterogeneous emphysema, who underwent bronchoscopic volume reduction of the most diseased lobe with endobronchial valves and 132 untreated controls. Lobar volume and low-attenuation relative area (RA) changes post-procedure were measured from computed tomography images. Regression analysis (Spearman's rho) was performed to test the association between change in the target lobe volume and changes in volume and density variables in the other lobes. The target lobe volume at full inspiration in the treatment group had a mean reduction of -0.45 L (SE = 0.034, P < 0.0001), and was associated with volume increases in the ipsilateral lobe (rho = -0.68, P < 0.0001) and contralateral lung (rho = -0.16, P = 0.006), and overall reductions in expiratory RA (rho = 0.31, P < 0.0001) and residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC) (rho = 0.13, P = 0.03). When the volume of an emphysematous target lobe is reduced, the volume is redistributed primarily to the ipsilateral lobe, with an overall reduction. Image-based changes in lobar volumes and densities indicate that target lobe volume reduction is associated with statistically significant overall reductions in air trapping, consistent with expansion of the healthier lung. (orig.)

Emphysema lung lobe volume reduction: effects on the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Matthew S.; Kim, Hyun J.; Abtin, Fereidoun G.; Galperin-Aizenberg, Maya; Pais, Richard; Da Costa, Irene G.; Ordookhani, Arash; Chong, Daniel; Ni, Chiayi; McNitt-Gray, Michael F.; Goldin, Jonathan G.; Strange, Charlie; Tashkin, Donald P.

2012-01-01

To investigate volumetric and density changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral lobes following volume reduction of an emphysematous target lobe. The study included 289 subjects with heterogeneous emphysema, who underwent bronchoscopic volume reduction of the most diseased lobe with endobronchial valves and 132 untreated controls. Lobar volume and low-attenuation relative area (RA) changes post-procedure were measured from computed tomography images. Regression analysis (Spearman's rho) was performed to test the association between change in the target lobe volume and changes in volume and density variables in the other lobes. The target lobe volume at full inspiration in the treatment group had a mean reduction of -0.45 L (SE = 0.034, P < 0.0001), and was associated with volume increases in the ipsilateral lobe (rho = -0.68, P < 0.0001) and contralateral lung (rho = -0.16, P = 0.006), and overall reductions in expiratory RA (rho = 0.31, P < 0.0001) and residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC) (rho = 0.13, P = 0.03). When the volume of an emphysematous target lobe is reduced, the volume is redistributed primarily to the ipsilateral lobe, with an overall reduction. Image-based changes in lobar volumes and densities indicate that target lobe volume reduction is associated with statistically significant overall reductions in air trapping, consistent with expansion of the healthier lung. (orig.)

Automatic and Intentional Number Processing Both Rely on Intact Right Parietal Cortex: A Combined fMRI and Neuronavigated TMS Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen Kadosh, Roi; Bien, Nina; Sack, Alexander T.

2012-01-01

Practice and training usually lead to performance increase in a given task. In addition, a shift from intentional toward more automatic processing mechanisms is often observed. It is currently debated whether automatic and intentional processing is subserved by the same or by different mechanism(s), and whether the same or different regions in the brain are recruited. Previous correlational evidence provided by behavioral, neuroimaging, modeling, and neuropsychological studies addressing this question yielded conflicting results. Here we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to compare the causal influence of disrupting either left or right parietal cortex during automatic and intentional numerical processing, as reflected by the size congruity effect and the numerical distance effect, respectively. We found a functional hemispheric asymmetry within parietal cortex with only the TMS-induced right parietal disruption impairing both automatic and intentional numerical processing. In contrast, disrupting the left parietal lobe with TMS, or applying sham stimulation, did not affect performance during automatic or intentional numerical processing. The current results provide causal evidence for the functional relevance of right, but not left, parietal cortex for intentional, and automatic numerical processing, implying that at least within the parietal cortices, automatic, and intentional numerical processing rely on the same underlying hemispheric lateralization. PMID:22347175

Value of analyzing deep gray matter and occipital lobe perfusion to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Soichiro; Hanyu, Haruo; Hirao, Kentaro; Sato, Tomohiko; Iwamoto, Toshihiko; Koizumi, Kiyoshi

2008-12-01

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is generally characterized by a decrease in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the occipital lobe. However, not all patients with DLB have this feature. We explored characteristics of rCBF pattern changes to improve the identification of DLB, in addition to occipital hypoperfusion. The study population comprised 30 patients with probable DLB and 49 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) who underwent single-photon emission computed tomography. The data were analyzed using Neurological Statistical Image Analysis Software (NEUROSTAT). We established a template of the region of interest (ROI) presenting the parietal lobe, posterior cingulate, striatum, thalamus, and occipital lobe on the standard brain atlas. We then compared the mean Z scores in each ROI between DLB and AD. Moreover, we investigated the value of analyzing relative rCBF changes in both the deep gray matter and occipital lobe in differentiating DLB from AD. The DLB group showed a significant relative rCBF increase in the bilateral striatum and thalamus, and a significant relative rCBF decrease in the bilateral occipital lobe when compared with the AD group. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis revealed that determining the hyperperfusion in the thalamus together with the hypoperfusion in the occipital lobe enabled a more accurate differentiation between DLB and AD than studying individual areas. Studying the relative increase of rCBF in the deep gray matter, and the relative decrease of that in the occipital lobe achieved a high differentiation between DLB and AD. This suggests that determining both an increase and a decrease in rCBF pattern may be important in differentiating between the two diseases.

Value of analyzing deep gray matter and occipital lobe perfusion to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Soichiro; Hanyu, Haruo; Hirao, Kentaro; Sato, Tomohiko; Iwamoto, Toshihiko; Koizumi, Kiyoshi

2008-01-01

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is generally characterized by a decrease in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the occipital lobe. However, not all patients with DLB have this feature. We explored characteristics of rCBF pattern changes to improve the identification of DLB, in addition to occipital hypoperfusion. The study population comprised 30 patients with probable DLB and 49 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) who underwent single-photon emission computed tomography. The data were analyzed using Neurological Statistical Image Analysis Soft-ware (NEUROSTAT). We established a template of the region of interest (ROI) presenting the parietal lobe, posterior cingulate, striatum, thalamus, and occipital lobe on the standard brain atlas. We then compared the mean Z scores in each ROI between DLB and AD. Moreover, we investigated the value of analyzing relative rCBF changes in both the deep gray matter and occipital lobe in differentiating DLB from AD. The DLB group showed a significant relative rCBF increase in the bilateral striatum and thalamus, and a significant relative rCBF decrease in the bilateral occipital lobe when compared with the AD group. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis revealed that determining the hyperperfusion in the thalamus together with the hypoperfusion in the occipital lobe enabled a more accurate differentiation between DLB and AD than studying individual areas. Studying the relative increase of rCBF in the deep gray matter, and the relative decrease of that in the occipital lobe achieved a high differentiation between DLB and AD. This suggests that determining both an increase and a decrease in rCBF pattern may be important in differentiating between the two diseases. (author)

Correlation of neuropsychological and metabolic changes after epilepsy surgery in patients with left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Güvenç, Canan; Dupont, Patrick; Van den Stock, Jan; Seynaeve, Laura; Porke, Kathleen; Dries, Eva; Van Bouwel, Karen; van Loon, Johannes; Theys, Tom; Goffin, Karolien E; Van Paesschen, Wim

2018-04-12

Epilepsy surgery often causes changes in cognition and cerebral glucose metabolism. Our aim was to explore relationships between pre- and postoperative cerebral metabolism as measured with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and neuropsychological test scores in patients with left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS), who were rendered seizure-free after epilepsy surgery. Thirteen patients were included. All had neuropsychological testing and an interictal FDG-PET scan of the brain pre- and postoperative. Correlations between changes in neuropsychological test scores and metabolism were examined using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). There were no significant changes in the neuropsychological test scores pre- and postoperatively at the group level. Decreased metabolism was observed in the left mesial temporal regions and occipital lobe. Increased metabolism was observed in the bi-frontal and right parietal lobes, temporal lobes, occipital lobes, thalamus, cerebellum, and vermis. In these regions, we did not find a correlation between changes in metabolism and neuropsychological test scores. A significant negative correlation, however, was found between metabolic changes in the precuneus and Boston Naming Test (BNT) scores. There are significant metabolic decreases in the left mesial temporal regions and increases in the bi-frontal lobes; right parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes; right thalamus; cerebellum; and vermis in patients with left MTLE-HS who were rendered seizure-free after epilepsy surgery. We could not confirm that these changes translate into significant cognitive changes. A significant negative correlation was found between changes in confrontation naming and changes in metabolism in the precuneus. We speculate that the precuneus may play a compensatory role in patients with postoperative naming difficulties after left TLE surgery. Understanding of these neural mechanisms may aid in

Parietal lesion effects on cued recall following pair associate learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Zvi, Shir; Soroker, Nachum; Levy, Daniel A

2015-07-01

We investigated the involvement of the posterior parietal cortex in episodic memory in a lesion-effects study of cued recall following pair-associate learning. Groups of patients who had experienced first-incident stroke, generally in middle cerebral artery territory, and exhibited damage that included lateral posterior parietal regions, were tested within an early post-stroke time window. In three experiments, patients and matched healthy comparison groups executed repeated study and cued recall test blocks of pairs of words (Experiment 1), pairs of object pictures (Experiment 2), or pairs of object pictures and environmental sounds (Experiment 3). Patients' brain CT scans were subjected to quantitative analysis of lesion volumes. Behavioral and lesion data were used to compute correlations between area lesion extent and memory deficits, and to conduct voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping. These analyses implicated lateral ventral parietal cortex, especially the angular gyrus, in cued recall deficits, most pronouncedly in the cross-modal picture-sound pairs task, though significant parietal lesion effects were also found in the unimodal word pairs and picture pairs tasks. In contrast to an earlier study in which comparable parietal lesions did not cause deficits in item recognition, these results indicate that lateral posterior parietal areas make a substantive contribution to demanding forms of recollective retrieval as represented by cued recall, especially for complex associative representations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Anterolateral Limit of the Occipital Lobe: An Anatomical and Imaging Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Cassius Vinicius C; Yagmurlu, Kaan; Elhadi, Ali M; Dru, Alexander; Lei, Ting; Gusmão, Sebastião N S; Tazinaffo, Uédson; Zabramski, Joseph M; Spetzler, Robert F; Preul, Mark C

2016-12-01

Objectives  The boundaries of the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the anterior portion of the occipital lobe (OL) are poorly defined. Lesions in these areas can be difficult to localize. Therefore, we studied the anterolateral limit of the OL to identify reliable anatomical landmarks. Design  In 10 formalin-fixed cadaveric heads, the boundaries of the OL and relative anatomical landmarks were studied. Main Outcome Measures  Distances between the following structures were measured: (1) preoccipital tentorial plica (POTP) to the junction between lambdoid suture and superior border of the transverse sinus (POTP-SL), (2) POTP to the sinodural angle of Citelli (POTP-PP), (3) lambda to parietooccipital sulcus (L-POS), and (4) preoccipital notch to termination of the vein of Labbé (PON-VL). Landmarks in 559 computed tomography and magnetic resonance images were also studied. Results  The POTP was found on the tentorium of all anatomical specimens, located at the same coronal level as the PON and its attachment to the bony protuberance (BP) at the lateral cranial wall. The mean distances were POTP-SL, 6.5 ± 6.4 mm; POTP-PP, 18.1 ± 7.8 mm; L-POS, 10.8 ± 5.0 mm; and PON-VL, 8.8 ± 10.1 mm. Conclusion  Osseous (asterion, lambda, and BP), dural (POTP), and vascular (VL) landmarks can be used as reference structures to identify the anterolateral limit of the OL.

The role of frontal and parietal brain areas in bistable perception

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knapen, T.; Brascamp, J.; Pearson, J.; van Ee, R.; Blake, R.

2011-01-01

When sensory input allows for multiple, competing perceptual interpretations, observers' perception can fluctuate over time, which is called bistable perception. Imaging studies in humans have revealed transient responses in a right-lateralized network in the frontal-parietal cortex (rFPC) around

Cognitive deficits are associated with frontal and temporal lobe white matter lesions in middle-aged adults living in the community.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Bunce

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The association between brain white matter lesions and cognitive impairment in old age is well established. However, little is known about this association in midlife. As this information will inform policy for early preventative healthcare initiatives, we investigated non-periventricular frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobe white matter hyperintensities (WMH in relation to cognitive function in 428 (232 women community-dwelling adults aged 44 to 48 years. RESULTS: Frontal white matter lesions were significantly associated with greater intraindividual RT variability in women, while temporal WMH were associated with face recognition deficits in men. Parietal and occipital lobe lesions were unrelated to cognitive performance. These findings did not differ when education and a range of health variables, including vascular risk factors, were taken into account. CONCLUSION: Gender differences in WMH-cognition associations are discussed, and we conclude that small vessel disease is present in midlife and has functional consequences which are generally not recognized. Preventative strategies should, therefore, begin early in life.

Connectivity pattern differences bilaterally in the cerebellum posterior lobe in healthy subjects after normal sleep and sleep deprivation: a resting-state functional MRI study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu XM

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Xuming Liu,1 Zhihan Yan,2 Tingyu Wang,1 Xiaokai Yang,1 Feng Feng,3 Luping Fan,1 Jian Jiang4 1Department of Radiology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 2Department of Radiology, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 3Peking Union Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 4Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China Objective: The aim of this study was to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI technique to explore the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC differences of the bilaterial cerebellum posterior lobe (CPL after normal sleep (NS and after sleep deprivation (SD. Methods: A total of 16 healthy subjects (eight males, eight females underwent an fMRI scan twice at random: once following NS and the other following 24 hours’ SD, with an interval of 1 month between the two scans. The fMRI scanning included resting state and acupuncture stimulation. The special activated regions located during the acupuncture stimulation were selected as regions of interest for rsFC analysis. Results: Bilateral CPLs were positively activated by acupuncture stimulation. In the NS group, the left CPL showed rsFC with the bilateral CPL, bilateral frontal lobe (BFL, left precuneus and right inferior parietal lobule, while the right CPL showed rsFC with the bilateral temporal lobe, right cerebellum anterior lobe, right CPL, left frontal lobe, left anterior cingulate, right posterior cingulate, and bilateral inferior parietal lobule. In the SD group, the left CPL showed rsFC with the left posterior cingulate gyrus bilateral CPL, left precuneus, left precentral gyrus, BFL, and the left parietal lobe, while the right CPL showed rsFC with bilateral cerebellum anterior lobe, bilateral CPL, left frontal lobe and left temporal lobe. Compared with the NS group, the

Etomidate accurately localizes the epileptic area in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pastor, Jesús; Wix, Rybel; Meilán, María Luisa; Martínez-Chacón, José Luís; de Dios, Eva; Domínguez-Gadea, Luis; Herrera-Peco, Iván; Sola, Rafael G

2010-04-01

A variety of drugs have been used to activate and identify the epileptogenic area in patients during presurgical evaluation. We have evaluated the safety and usefulness of etomidate in identifying the epileptic zone by measuring bioelectrical brain activity and cerebral blood flow (CBF). We studied 13 men and 9 women under presurgical evaluation for temporal lobe epilepsy. We applied etomidate (0.1 mg/kg) while patients were monitored by video-electroencephalography (VEEG) with foramen ovale electrodes. In a subset of 15 patients, we also measured CBF with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). (1) Etomidate induced seizures in 2 of 22 patients. (2) The main side-effects observed were myoclonus (14 of 20) and moderate pain (3 of 20). (3) No changes in capillary oxygen saturation, respiration, or heart rate were observed. (4) Irritative activity specifically increased in the temporal mesial and lateral areas. No spikes were observed in other areas, aside from those observed under baseline conditions. (5) Irritative activity induced by etomidate correctly lateralized the ictal onset zone in 19 of 20 patients. In addition, the two etomidate-induced seizures appeared in the same regions as spontaneous ones. (6) The kinetics of pharmacologically induced activity was higher in the region of the ictal-onset zone. (7) Etomidate increased the CBF in the basal ganglia and especially in the posterior hippocampus of the temporal mesial region contralateral to the ictal-onset zone. Etomidate activation is a safe, specific, and quick test that can be used to identify the epileptic region in patients evaluated as candidates for temporal lobe epilepsy surgery.

Motor role of parietal cortex in a monkey model of hemispatial neglect.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubanek, Jan; Li, Jingfeng M; Snyder, Lawrence H

2015-04-21

Parietal cortex is central to spatial cognition. Lesions of parietal cortex often lead to hemispatial neglect, an impairment of choices of targets in space. It has been unclear whether parietal cortex implements target choice at the general cognitive level, or whether parietal cortex subserves the choice of targets of particular actions. To address this question, monkeys engaged in choice tasks in two distinct action contexts--eye movements and arm movements. We placed focused reversible lesions into specific parietal circuits using the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol and validated the lesion placement using MRI. We found that lesions on the lateral bank of the intraparietal sulcus [lateral intraparietal area (LIP)] specifically biased choices made using eye movements, whereas lesions on the medial bank of the intraparietal sulcus [parietal reach region (PRR)] specifically biased choices made using arm movements. This double dissociation suggests that target choice is implemented in dedicated parietal circuits in the context of specific actions. This finding emphasizes a motor role of parietal cortex in spatial choice making and contributes to our understanding of hemispatial neglect.

Multiscale neural connectivity during human sensory processing in the brain

Science.gov (United States)

Maksimenko, Vladimir A.; Runnova, Anastasia E.; Frolov, Nikita S.; Makarov, Vladimir V.; Nedaivozov, Vladimir; Koronovskii, Alexey A.; Pisarchik, Alexander; Hramov, Alexander E.

2018-05-01

Stimulus-related brain activity is considered using wavelet-based analysis of neural interactions between occipital and parietal brain areas in alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (15-30 Hz) frequency bands. We show that human sensory processing related to the visual stimuli perception induces brain response resulted in different ways of parieto-occipital interactions in these bands. In the alpha frequency band the parieto-occipital neuronal network is characterized by homogeneous increase of the interaction between all interconnected areas both within occipital and parietal lobes and between them. In the beta frequency band the occipital lobe starts to play a leading role in the dynamics of the occipital-parietal network: The perception of visual stimuli excites the visual center in the occipital area and then, due to the increase of parieto-occipital interactions, such excitation is transferred to the parietal area, where the attentional center takes place. In the case when stimuli are characterized by a high degree of ambiguity, we find greater increase of the interaction between interconnected areas in the parietal lobe due to the increase of human attention. Based on revealed mechanisms, we describe the complex response of the parieto-occipital brain neuronal network during the perception and primary processing of the visual stimuli. The results can serve as an essential complement to the existing theory of neural aspects of visual stimuli processing.

Default network connectivity in medial temporal lobe amnesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Scott M; Salat, David H; Verfaellie, Mieke

2012-10-17

There is substantial overlap between the brain regions supporting episodic memory and the default network. However, in humans, the impact of bilateral medial temporal lobe (MTL) damage on a large-scale neural network such as the default mode network is unknown. To examine this issue, resting fMRI was performed with amnesic patients and control participants. Seed-based functional connectivity analyses revealed robust default network connectivity in amnesia in cortical default network regions such as medial prefrontal cortex, posterior medial cortex, and lateral parietal cortex, as well as evidence of connectivity to residual MTL tissue. Relative to control participants, decreased posterior cingulate cortex connectivity to MTL and increased connectivity to cortical default network regions including lateral parietal and medial prefrontal cortex were observed in amnesic patients. In contrast, somatomotor network connectivity was intact in amnesic patients, indicating that bilateral MTL lesions may selectively impact the default network. Changes in default network connectivity in amnesia were largely restricted to the MTL subsystem, providing preliminary support from MTL amnesic patients that the default network can be fractionated into functionally and structurally distinct components. To our knowledge, this is the first examination of the default network in amnesia.

White Matter Tracts Connected to the Medial Temporal Lobe Support the Development of Mnemonic Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Wendelken, Carter; Lee, Joshua K; Pospisil, Jacqueline; Sastre, Marcos; Ross, Julia M; Bunge, Silvia A; Ghetti, Simona

2015-09-01

One of the most important factors driving the development of memory during childhood is mnemonic control, or the capacity to initiate and maintain the processes that guide encoding and retrieval operations. The ability to selectively attend to and encode relevant stimuli is a particularly useful form of mnemonic control, and is one that undergoes marked improvement over childhood. We hypothesized that structural integrity of white matter tracts, in particular those connecting medial temporal lobe memory regions to other cortical areas, and/or those connecting frontal and parietal control regions, should contribute to successful mnemonic control. To test this hypothesis, we examined the relationship between structural integrity of selected white matter tracts and an experimental measure of mnemonic control, involving enhancement of memory by attention at encoding, in 116 children aged 7-11 and 25 young adults. We observed a positive relationship between integrity of uncinate fasciculus and mnemonic enhancement across age groups. In adults, but not in children, we also observed an association between mnemonic enhancement and integrity of ventral cingulum bundle and ventral fornix/fimbria. Integrity of fronto-parietal tracts, including dorsal cingulum and superior longitudinal fasciculus, was unrelated to mnemonic enhancement. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Brain SPECT imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krausz, Y.; Yaffe, S.; Atlan, H.; Cohen, D.; Konstantini, S.; Meiner, Z.

1991-01-01

Temporal lobe epilepsy is diagnosed by clinical symptoms and signs and by localization of an epileptogenic focus. A brain SPECT study of two patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, using 99m Tc-HMPAO, was used to demonstrate a perfusion abnormality in the temporal lobe, while brain CT and MRI were non-contributory. The electroencephalogram, though abnormal, did not localize the diseased area. The potential role of the SPECT study in diagnosis and localization of temporal lobe epilepsy is discussed. (orig.)

The timing of associative memory formation: frontal lobe and anterior medial temporal lobe activity at associative binding predicts memory

Science.gov (United States)

Hales, J. B.

2011-01-01

The process of associating items encountered over time and across variable time delays is fundamental for creating memories in daily life, such as for stories and episodes. Forming associative memory for temporally discontiguous items involves medial temporal lobe structures and additional neocortical processing regions, including prefrontal cortex, parietal lobe, and lateral occipital regions. However, most prior memory studies, using concurrently presented stimuli, have failed to examine the temporal aspect of successful associative memory formation to identify when activity in these brain regions is predictive of associative memory formation. In the current study, functional MRI data were acquired while subjects were shown pairs of sequentially presented visual images with a fixed interitem delay within pairs. This design allowed the entire time course of the trial to be analyzed, starting from onset of the first item, across the 5.5-s delay period, and through offset of the second item. Subjects then completed a postscan recognition test for the items and associations they encoded during the scan and their confidence for each. After controlling for item-memory strength, we isolated brain regions selectively involved in associative encoding. Consistent with prior findings, increased regional activity predicting subsequent associative memory success was found in anterior medial temporal lobe regions of left perirhinal and entorhinal cortices and in left prefrontal cortex and lateral occipital regions. The temporal separation within each pair, however, allowed extension of these findings by isolating the timing of regional involvement, showing that increased response in these regions occurs during binding but not during maintenance. PMID:21248058

Thalamotemporal impairment in temporal lobe epilepsy: a combined MRI analysis of structure, integrity, and connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Simon S; O'Muircheartaigh, Jonathan; Traynor, Catherine; Towgood, Karren; Barker, Gareth J; Richardson, Mark P

2014-02-01

Thalamic abnormality in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is well known from imaging studies, but evidence is lacking regarding connectivity profiles of the thalamus and their involvement in the disease process. We used a novel multisequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol to elucidate the relationship between mesial temporal and thalamic pathology in TLE. For 23 patients with TLE and 23 healthy controls, we performed T1 -weighted (for analysis of tissue structure), diffusion tensor imaging (tissue connectivity), and T1 and T2 relaxation (tissue integrity) MRI across the whole brain. We used connectivity-based segmentation to determine connectivity patterns of thalamus to ipsilateral cortical regions (occipital, parietal, prefrontal, postcentral, precentral, and temporal). We subsequently determined volumes, mean tractography streamlines, and mean T1 and T2 relaxometry values for each thalamic segment preferentially connecting to a given cortical region, and of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. As expected, patients had significant volume reduction and increased T2 relaxation time in ipsilateral hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. There was bilateral volume loss, mean streamline reduction, and T2 increase of the thalamic segment preferentially connected to temporal lobe, corresponding to anterior, dorsomedial, and pulvinar thalamic regions, with no evidence of significant change in any other thalamic segments. Left and right thalamotemporal segment volume and T2 were significantly correlated with volume and T2 of ipsilateral (epileptogenic), but not contralateral (nonepileptogenic), mesial temporal structures. These convergent and robust data indicate that thalamic abnormality in TLE is restricted to the area of the thalamus that is preferentially connected to the epileptogenic temporal lobe. The degree of thalamic pathology is related to the extent of mesial temporal lobe damage in TLE. © 2014 The Authors. Epilepsia published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Multimodal imaging of language reorganization in patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Yu-Hsuan A; Kemmotsu, Nobuko; Leyden, Kelly M; Kucukboyaci, N Erkut; Iragui, Vicente J; Tecoma, Evelyn S; Kansal, Leena; Norman, Marc A; Compton, Rachelle; Ehrlich, Tobin J; Uttarwar, Vedang S; Reyes, Anny; Paul, Brianna M; McDonald, Carrie R

2017-07-01

This study explored the relationships among multimodal imaging, clinical features, and language impairment in patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy (LTLE). Fourteen patients with LTLE and 26 controls underwent structural MRI, functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and neuropsychological language tasks. Laterality indices were calculated for each imaging modality and a principal component (PC) was derived from language measures. Correlations were performed among imaging measures, as well as to the language PC. In controls, better language performance was associated with stronger left-lateralized temporo-parietal and temporo-occipital activations. In LTLE, better language performance was associated with stronger right-lateralized inferior frontal, temporo-parietal, and temporo-occipital activations. These right-lateralized activations in LTLE were associated with right-lateralized arcuate fasciculus fractional anisotropy. These data suggest that interhemispheric language reorganization in LTLE is associated with alterations to perisylvian white matter. These concurrent structural and functional shifts from left to right may help to mitigate language impairment in LTLE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting oculomotor behaviour from correlated populations of posterior parietal neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Arnulf B A; Andersen, Richard A

2015-01-23

Oculomotor function critically depends on how signals representing saccade direction and eye position are combined across neurons in the lateral intraparietal (LIP) area of the posterior parietal cortex. Here we show that populations of parietal neurons exhibit correlated variability, and that using these interneuronal correlations yields oculomotor predictions that are more accurate and also less uncertain. The structure of LIP population responses is therefore essential for reliable read-out of oculomotor behaviour.

MEG reveals a fast pathway from somatosensory cortex to occipital areas via posterior parietal cortex in a blind subject.

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannides, Andreas A; Liu, Lichan; Poghosyan, Vahe; Saridis, George A; Gjedde, Albert; Ptito, Maurice; Kupers, Ron

2013-01-01

Cross-modal activity in visual cortex of blind subjects has been reported during performance of variety of non-visual tasks. A key unanswered question is through which pathways non-visual inputs are funneled to the visual cortex. Here we used tomographic analysis of single trial magnetoencephalography (MEG) data recorded from one congenitally blind and two sighted subjects after stimulation of the left and right median nerves at three intensities: below sensory threshold, above sensory threshold and above motor threshold; the last sufficient to produce thumb twitching. We identified reproducible brain responses in the primary somatosensory (S1) and motor (M1) cortices at around 20 ms post-stimulus, which were very similar in sighted and blind subjects. Time-frequency analysis revealed strong 45-70 Hz activity at latencies of 20-50 ms in S1 and M1, and posterior parietal cortex Brodmann areas (BA) 7 and 40, which compared to lower frequencies, were substantially more pronounced in the blind than the sighted subjects. Critically, at frequencies from α-band up to 100 Hz we found clear, strong, and widespread responses in the visual cortex of the blind subject, which increased with the intensity of the somatosensory stimuli. Time-delayed mutual information (MI) revealed that in blind subject the stimulus information is funneled from the early somatosensory to visual cortex through posterior parietal BA 7 and 40, projecting first to visual areas V5 and V3, and eventually V1. The flow of information through this pathway occurred in stages characterized by convergence of activations into specific cortical regions. In sighted subjects, no linked activity was found that led from the somatosensory to the visual cortex through any of the studied brain regions. These results provide the first evidence from MEG that in blind subjects, tactile information is routed from primary somatosensory to occipital cortex via the posterior parietal cortex.

Automatic extraction analysis of the anatomical functional area for normal brain 18F-FDG PET imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Wanhua; Jiang Xufeng; Zhang Liying; Lu Zhongwei; Li Peiyong; Zhu Chengmo; Zhang Jiange; Pan Jiapu

2003-01-01

Using self-designed automatic extraction software of brain functional area, the grey scale distribution of 18 F-FDG imaging and the relationship between the 18 F-FDG accumulation of brain anatomic function area and the 18 F-FDG injected dose, the level of glucose, the age, etc., were studied. According to the Talairach coordinate system, after rotation, drift and plastic deformation, the 18 F-FDG PET imaging was registered into the Talairach coordinate atlas, and then the average gray value scale ratios between individual brain anatomic functional area and whole brain area was calculated. Further more the statistics of the relationship between the 18 F-FDG accumulation of every brain anatomic function area and the 18 F-FDG injected dose, the level of glucose and the age were tested by using multiple stepwise regression model. After images' registration, smoothing and extraction, main cerebral cortex of the 18 F-FDG PET brain imaging can be successfully localized and extracted, such as frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, cerebellum, brain ventricle, thalamus and hippocampus. The average ratios to the inner reference of every brain anatomic functional area were 1.01 ± 0.15. By multiple stepwise regression with the exception of thalamus and hippocampus, the grey scale of all the brain functional area was negatively correlated to the ages, but with no correlation to blood sugar and dose in all areas. To the 18 F-FDG PET imaging, the brain functional area extraction program could automatically delineate most of the cerebral cortical area, and also successfully reflect the brain blood and metabolic study, but extraction of the more detailed area needs further investigation

Mirror focus in a patient with intractable occipital lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jiyoung; Shin, Hae Kyung; Hwang, Kyoung Jin; Choi, Su Jung; Joo, Eun Yeon; Hong, Seung Bong; Hong, Seung Chul; Seo, Dae-Won

2014-06-01

Mirror focus is one of the evidence of progression in epilepsy, and also has practical points for curative resective epilepsy surgery. The mirror foci are related to the kindling phenomena that occur through interhemispheric callosal or commissural connections. A mirror focus means the secondary epileptogenic foci develop in the contralateral hemispheric homotopic area. Thus mirror foci are mostly reported in patients with temporal or frontal lobe epilepsy, but not in occipital lobe epilepsy. We have observed occipital lobe epilepsy with mirror focus. Before epilepsy surgery, the subject's seizure onset zone was observed in the left occipital area by ictal studies. Her seizures abated for 10 months after the resection of left occipital epileptogenic focus, but recurred then. The recurred seizures were originated from the right occipital area which was in the homotopic contralateral area. This case can be an evidence that occipital lobe epilepsy may have mirror foci, even though each occipital lobe has any direct interhemispheric callosal connections between them.

Parietal podocytes in normal human glomeruli.

Science.gov (United States)

Bariety, Jean; Mandet, Chantal; Hill, Gary S; Bruneval, Patrick

2006-10-01

Although parietal podocytes along the Bowman's capsule have been described by electron microscopy in the normal human kidney, their molecular composition remains unknown. Ten human normal kidneys that were removed for cancer were assessed for the presence and the extent of parietal podocytes along the Bowman's capsule. The expression of podocyte-specific proteins (podocalyxin, glomerular epithelial protein-1, podocin, nephrin, synaptopodin, and alpha-actinin-4), podocyte synthesized proteins (vascular endothelial growth factor and novH), transcription factors (WT1 and PAX2), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57, and intermediate filaments (cytokeratins and vimentin) was tested. In addition, six normal fetal kidneys were studied to track the ontogeny of parietal podocytes. The podocyte protein labeling detected parietal podocytes in all of the kidneys, was found in 76.6% on average of Bowman's capsule sections, and was prominent at the vascular pole. WT1 and p57 were expressed in some parietal cells, whereas PAX2 was present in all or most of them, so some parietal cells coexpressed WT1 and PAX2. Furthermore, parietal podocytes coexpressed WT1 and podocyte proteins. Cytokeratin-positive cells covered a variable part of the capsule and did not express podocyte proteins. Tuft-capsular podocyte bridges were present in 15.5 +/- 3.7% of the glomerular sections. Parietal podocytes often covered the juxtaglomerular arterioles and were present within the extraglomerular mesangium. Parietal podocytes were present in fetal kidneys. Parietal podocytes that express the same epitopes as visceral podocytes do exist along Bowman's capsule in the normal adult kidney. They are a constitutive cell type of the Bowman's capsule. Therefore, their role in physiology and pathology should be investigated.

Tc-99m-HMPAO neuroactivation SPECT in patients with Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klissarova, A.; Tranulov, G.; Deleva, D.; Kaprelyan, A.; Tjaneva, M.

2002-01-01

Aim: Tc-99m-HMPAO-SPECT detects the hypoperfusion areas in the temporal and parietal lobes as well as in the frontal lobes in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease. These hypoperfusion areas correlate with decreased glucose metabolism and oxygen utilization. The aim of the study was to establish the neuroactivation effect on the regional cerebral blood flow and on the hypoperfusion areas detected by means of Tc-99m-HMPAO-SPECT in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Materials and methods: Subject to the study were 22 patients with Alzheimer's disease divided into two groups according to the results from the neuropsychological tests as follows: Ist group - 10 patients with slight cognitive disturbances; IInd group - 12 patients with prominent cognitive impairment. All patients underwent Brain-SPECT after I.V. injection of 740 MBq Tc-99m-HMPAO at rest and during neuroactivation by labyrinth task on the next day. Regional blood flow was detected by means of the hypoperfusion indices calculated as follows: hypoperfusion areas in the temporal lobe and /or the parietal lobe to the referent areas of the cerebellum. The regional blood flow decrease in hypoperfusion areas was calculated in per cent. Results: Hypoperfusion areas were detected at rest in 5 patients from the Ist group and in all patients from the IInd group. A decrease of the regional cerebral blood flow by 5-10% was established after neuroactivation in all the seventeen patients with hypoperfusion areas at rest. After neuroactivation three of the patients with normal regional cerebral perfusion at rest revealed hypoperfusion areas in the posterior part of the parietal lobe and the temporo-parietal areas. The remaining two patients showed normal regional cerebral blood flow at rest and during neuroactivation. Conclusion: Neuroactivation reduces the regional cerebral blood flow in hypoperfusion areas at rest in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Neuroactivation Tc-99m-HMPAO SPECT is useful for the detection

Multimodal FMRI resting-state functional connectivity in granulin mutations: the case of fronto-parietal dementia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enrico Premi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Monogenic dementias represent a great opportunity to trace disease progression from preclinical to symptomatic stages. Frontotemporal Dementia related to Granulin (GRN mutations presents a specific framework of brain damage, involving fronto-temporal regions and long inter-hemispheric white matter bundles. Multimodal resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI is a promising tool to carefully describe disease signature from the earliest disease phase. OBJECTIVE: To define local connectivity alterations in GRN related pathology moving from the presymptomatic (asymptomatic GRN mutation carriers to the clinical phase of the disease (GRN- related Frontotemporal Dementia. METHODS: Thirty-one GRN Thr272fs mutation carriers (14 patients with Frontotemporal Dementia and 17 asymptomatic carriers and 38 healthy controls were recruited. Local connectivity measures (Regional Homogeneity (ReHo, Fractional Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation (fALFF and Degree Centrality (DC were computed, considering age and gender as nuisance variables as well as the influence of voxel-level gray matter atrophy. RESULTS: Asymptomatic GRN carriers had selective reduced ReHo in the left parietal region and increased ReHo in frontal regions compared to healthy controls. Considering Frontotemporal Dementia patients, all measures (ReHo, fALFF and DC were reduced in inferior parietal, frontal lobes and posterior cingulate cortex. Considering GRN mutation carriers, an inverse correlation with age in the posterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal lobule and orbitofrontal cortex was found. CONCLUSIONS: GRN pathology is characterized by functional brain network alterations even decades before the clinical onset; they involve the parietal region primarily and then spread to the anterior regions of the brain, supporting the concept of molecular nexopathies.

Cortico-cortical connections of areas 44 and 45B in the macaque monkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Stephen; Mackey, Scott; Petrides, Michael

2014-04-01

In the human brain, areas 44 and 45 constitute Broca's region, the ventrolateral frontal region critical for language production. The homologues of these areas in the macaque monkey brain have been established by direct cytoarchitectonic comparison with the human brain. The cortical areas that project monosynaptically to areas 44 and 45B in the macaque monkey brain require clarification. Fluorescent retrograde tracers were placed in cytoarchitectonic areas 44 and 45B of the macaque monkey, as well as in the anterior part of the inferior parietal lobule and the superior temporal gyrus. The results demonstrate that ipsilateral afferent connections of area 44 arise from local frontal areas, including rostral premotor cortical area 6, from secondary somatosensory cortex, the caudal insula, and the cingulate motor region. Area 44 is strongly linked with the anterior inferior parietal lobule (particularly area PFG and the adjacent anterior intraparietal sulcus). Input from the temporal lobe is limited to the fundus of the superior temporal sulcus extending caudal to the central sulcus. There is also input from the sulcal part of area Tpt in the upper bank of the superior temporal sulcus. Area 45B shares some of the connections of area 44, but can be distinguished from area 44 by input from the caudal inferior parietal lobule (area PG) and significant input from the part of the superior temporal sulcus that extends anterior to the central sulcus. Area 45B also receives input from visual association cortex that is not observed in area 44. The results have provided a clarification of the relative connections of areas 44 and 45B of the ventrolateral frontal region which, in the human brain, subserves certain aspects of language processing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human middle longitudinal fascicle: segregation and behavioral-clinical implications of two distinct fiber connections linking temporal pole and superior temporal gyrus with the angular gyrus or superior parietal lobule using multi-tensor tractography.

Science.gov (United States)

Makris, N; Preti, M G; Wassermann, D; Rathi, Y; Papadimitriou, G M; Yergatian, C; Dickerson, B C; Shenton, M E; Kubicki, M

2013-09-01

The middle longitudinal fascicle (MdLF) is a major fiber connection running principally between the superior temporal gyrus and the parietal lobe, neocortical regions of great biological and clinical interest. Although one of the most prominent cerebral association fiber tracts, it has only recently been discovered in humans. In this high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) MRI study, we delineated the two major fiber connections of the human MdLF, by examining morphology, topography, cortical connections, biophysical measures, volume and length in seventy-four brains. These two fiber connections course together through the dorsal temporal pole and the superior temporal gyrus maintaining a characteristic topographic relationship in the mediolateral and ventrodorsal dimensions. As these pathways course towards the parietal lobe, they split to form separate fiber pathways, one following a ventrolateral trajectory and connecting with the angular gyrus and the other following a dorsomedial route and connecting with the superior parietal lobule. Based on the functions of their cortical affiliations, we suggest that the superior temporal-angular connection of the MdLF, i.e., STG(MdLF)AG plays a role in language and attention, whereas the superior temporal-superior parietal connection of the MdLF, i.e., STG(MdLF)SPL is involved in visuospatial and integrative audiovisual functions. Furthermore, the MdLF may have clinical implications in neurodegenerative disorders such as primary progressive aphasia, frontotemporal dementia, posterior cortical atrophy, corticobulbar degeneration and Alzheimer's disease as well as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia.

A Model of Self-Organizing Head-Centered Visual Responses in Primate Parietal Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Mender, Bedeho M. W.; Stringer, Simon M.

2013-01-01

We present a hypothesis for how head-centered visual representations in primate parietal areas could self-organize through visually-guided learning, and test this hypothesis using a neural network model. The model consists of a competitive output layer of neurons that receives afferent synaptic connections from a population of input neurons with eye position gain modulated retinal receptive fields. The synaptic connections in the model are trained with an associative trace learning rule which has the effect of encouraging output neurons to learn to respond to subsets of input patterns that tend to occur close together in time. This network architecture and synaptic learning rule is hypothesized to promote the development of head-centered output neurons during periods of time when the head remains fixed while the eyes move. This hypothesis is demonstrated to be feasible, and each of the core model components described is tested and found to be individually necessary for successful self-organization. PMID:24349064

Activations in temporal areas using visual and auditory naming stimuli: A language fMRI study in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzálvez, Gloria G; Trimmel, Karin; Haag, Anja; van Graan, Louis A; Koepp, Matthias J; Thompson, Pamela J; Duncan, John S

2016-12-01

Verbal fluency functional MRI (fMRI) is used for predicting language deficits after anterior temporal lobe resection (ATLR) for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), but primarily engages frontal lobe areas. In this observational study we investigated fMRI paradigms using visual and auditory stimuli, which predominately involve language areas resected during ATLR. Twenty-three controls and 33 patients (20 left (LTLE), 13 right (RTLE)) were assessed using three fMRI paradigms: verbal fluency, auditory naming with a contrast of auditory reversed speech; picture naming with a contrast of scrambled pictures and blurred faces. Group analysis showed bilateral temporal activations for auditory naming and picture naming. Correcting for auditory and visual input (by subtracting activations resulting from auditory reversed speech and blurred pictures/scrambled faces respectively) resulted in left-lateralised activations for patients and controls, which was more pronounced for LTLE compared to RTLE patients. Individual subject activations at a threshold of T>2.5, extent >10 voxels, showed that verbal fluency activated predominantly the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in 90% of LTLE, 92% of RTLE, and 65% of controls, compared to right IFG activations in only 15% of LTLE and RTLE and 26% of controls. Middle temporal (MTG) or superior temporal gyrus (STG) activations were seen on the left in 30% of LTLE, 23% of RTLE, and 52% of controls, and on the right in 15% of LTLE, 15% of RTLE, and 35% of controls. Auditory naming activated temporal areas more frequently than did verbal fluency (LTLE: 93%/73%; RTLE: 92%/58%; controls: 82%/70% (left/right)). Controlling for auditory input resulted in predominantly left-sided temporal activations. Picture naming resulted in temporal lobe activations less frequently than did auditory naming (LTLE 65%/55%; RTLE 53%/46%; controls 52%/35% (left/right)). Controlling for visual input had left-lateralising effects. Auditory and picture naming activated

The frontal lobes and inhibitory function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konishi, Seiki

2011-01-01

Neuropsychological studies using traditional tasks of inhibitory functions, such as the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST) and the Go/No-Go Task have revealed that the frontal lobe is responsible for several types of inhibitory functions. However, the detailed psychological nature of the inhibitory functions and the precise location of their critical foci within the frontal lobe remain to be investigated. Functional magnetic resonance imaging provides spatial and temporal resolution that allowed us to illuminate at least 4 frontal regions involved in inhibitory functions: the dorsolateral, ventrolateral, and rostral parts of the frontal lobe and the presupplementary motor area (preSMA). The ventrolateral part of the frontal lobe in the right hemisphere was activated during response inhibition. The preSMA in the left hemisphere was activated during inhibition of proactive interference immediately after the dimension changes of the WCST. The rostral part of the frontal lobe in the left hemisphere was activated during inhibition long after the dimension changes. The dorsolateral part of the frontal lobe in the left hemisphere was activated at the dimension changes in the first time, but not in the second time. These findings provide clues to our understanding of functional differentiation of inhibitory functions and their localization in the frontal lobe. (author)

Structural and functional evaluation of cortical motor areas in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosottini, Mirco; Pesaresi, Ilaria; Piazza, Selina; Diciotti, Stefano; Cecchi, Paolo; Fabbri, Serena; Carlesi, Cecilia; Mascalchi, Mario; Siciliano, Gabriele

2012-03-01

The structural and functional data gathered with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques about the brain cortical motor damage in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are controversial. In fact some structural MRI studies showed foci of gray matter (GM) atrophy in the precentral gyrus, even in the early stage, while others did not. Most functional MRI (fMRI) studies in ALS reported hyperactivation of extra-primary motor cortices, while contradictory results were obtained on the activation of the primary motor cortex. We aimed to investigate the cortical motor circuitries in ALS patients by a combined structural and functional approach. Twenty patients with definite ALS and 16 healthy subjects underwent a structural examination with acquisition of a 3D T1-weighted sequence and fMRI examination during a maximal force handgrip task executed with the right-hand, the left-hand and with both hands simultaneously. The T1-weighted images were analyzed with Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) that showed several clusters of reduced cortical GM in ALS patients compared to controls including the pre and postcentral gyri, the superior, middle and inferior frontal gyri, the supplementary motor area, the superior and inferior parietal cortices and the temporal lobe, bilaterally but more extensive on the right side. In ALS patients a significant hypoactivation of the primary sensory motor cortex and frontal dorsal premotor areas as compared to controls was observed. The hypoactivated areas matched with foci of cortical atrophy demonstrated by VBM. The fMRI analysis also showed an enhanced activation in the ventral premotor frontal areas and in the parietal cortex pertaining to the fronto-parietal motor circuit which paralleled with disease progression rate and matched with cortical regions of atrophy. The hyperactivation of the fronto-parietal circuit was asymmetric and prevalent in the left hemisphere. VBM and fMRI identified structural and functional markers of an extended

[Intracranial remote epidural haematoma as a complication after resection of an occipital lobe metastatic tumour from a testicular embryonal carcinoma – a case report].

Science.gov (United States)

Andrusewicz, Wojciech; Limanówka, Bartosz; Sagan, Leszek; Kojder, Ireneusz

We present the case of a patient who suffered from intracranial epidural haematoma in the left fronto -temporo -parietal region as a complication after left parieto -occipital craniotomy and a resection of a metastatic lesion from a testicular embryonal carcinoma to the left occipital lobe. We also discuss possible causes of this complication.

Thalamo-Cortical Disruption Contributes to Short-Term Memory Deficits in Patients with Medial Temporal Lobe Damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Voets, Natalie L; Menke, Ricarda A L; Jbabdi, Saad; Husain, Masud; Stacey, Richard; Carpenter, Katherine; Adcock, Jane E

2015-11-01

Short-term (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) have largely been considered as separate brain systems reflecting fronto-parietal and medial temporal lobe (MTL) functions, respectively. This functional dichotomy has been called into question by evidence of deficits on aspects of working memory in patients with MTL damage, suggesting a potentially direct hippocampal contribution to STM. As the hippocampus has direct anatomical connections with the thalamus, we tested the hypothesis that damage to thalamic nuclei regulating cortico-cortical interactions may contribute to STM deficits in patients with hippocampal dysfunction. We used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging-based tractography to identify anatomical subdivisions in patients with MTL epilepsy. From these, we measured resting-state functional connectivity with detailed cortical divisions of the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. Whereas thalamo-temporal functional connectivity reflected LTM performance, thalamo-prefrontal functional connectivity specifically predicted STM performance. Notably, patients with hippocampal volume loss showed thalamic volume loss, most prominent in the pulvinar region, not detected in patients with normal hippocampal volumes. Aberrant thalamo-cortical connectivity in the epileptic hemisphere was mirrored in a loss of behavioral association with STM performance specifically in patients with hippocampal atrophy. These findings identify thalamo-cortical disruption as a potential mechanism contributing to STM deficits in the context of MTL damage. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Comparative proteomic analyses of the parietal lobe from rhesus monkeys fed a high-fat/sugar diet with and without resveratrol supplementation, relative to a healthy diet: Insights into the roles of unhealthy diets and resveratrol on function.

Science.gov (United States)

Swomley, Aaron M; Triplett, Judy C; Keeney, Jeriel T; Warrier, Govind; Pearson, Kevin J; Mattison, Julie A; de Cabo, Rafael; Cai, Jian; Klein, Jon B; Butterfield, D Allan

2017-01-01

A diet consisting of a high intake of saturated fat and refined sugars is characteristic of a Western-diet and has been shown to have a substantial negative effect on human health. Expression proteomics were used to investigate changes to the parietal lobe proteome of rhesus monkeys consuming either a high fat and sugar (HFS) diet, a HFS diet supplemented with resveratrol (HFS+RSV), or a healthy control diet for 2 years. Here we discuss the modifications in the levels of 12 specific proteins involved in various cellular systems including metabolism, neurotransmission, structural integrity, and general cellular signaling following a nutritional intervention. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which resveratrol functions through the up- or down-regulation of proteins in different cellular sub-systems to affect the overall health of the brain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visual and SPM Analysis of Brain Perfusion SPECT in Patients of Dementia with Lewy Bodies with Clinical Correlation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Do Young; Park, Kyung Won; Kim, Jae Woo [College of Medicine, Univ. of Donga, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2003-07-01

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is widely recognized as the second commonest form of degenerative dementia. Its core clinical features include persistent visual hallucinosis, fluctuating cognitive impairment and parkinsonism. We evaluated the brain perfusion of dementia with Lewy bodies by SPM analysis and correlated the findings with clinical symptom. Twelve DLB patients (mean age ; 68.88.3 yrs, K-MMSE ; 17.36) and 30 control subjects (mean age ; 60.17.7 yrs) were included. Control subjects were selected by 28 items of exclusion criteria and checked by brain CT or MRI except 3 subjects. Tc-99m HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT was performed and the image data were analyzed by visual interpretation and SPM99 as routine protocol. In visual analysis, 7 patients showed hypoperfusion in both frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobe, 2 patients in both frontal, temporal and parietal lobe, 2 patients in both temporal, parietal and occipital lobe, 1 patients in left temporal, parietal and occipital lobe. In SPM analysis (uncorrected p<0.01), significant hypoperfusion was shown in Lt inf. frontal gyrus (B no.47), both inf. parietal lobule (Rt B no.40), Rt parietal lobe (precuneus), both sup. temporal gyrus (Rt B no.42), Rt mid temporal gyrus, Lt transverse temporal gyrus (B no.41), both para hippocampal gyrus, Rt thalamus (pulvinar), both cingulate gyrus (Lt B no.24, Lt B no.25, Rt B no.23, Rt B no.24, Rt B no.33), Rt caudate body, both occipital lobe (cuneus, Lt B no.17, Rt B no.18). All patients had fluctuating cognition and parkinsonism, and 9 patients had visual hallucination. The result of SPM analysis was well correlated with visual interpretation and may be helpful to specify location to correlate with clinical symptom. Significant perfusion deficits in occipital region including visual cortex and visual association area are characteristic findings in DLB. Abnormalities in these areas may be important in understanding symptoms of visual hallucination and

Visual and SPM Analysis of Brain Perfusion SPECT in Patients of Dementia with Lewy Bodies with Clinical Correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Do Young; Park, Kyung Won; Kim, Jae Woo

2003-01-01

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is widely recognized as the second commonest form of degenerative dementia. Its core clinical features include persistent visual hallucinosis, fluctuating cognitive impairment and parkinsonism. We evaluated the brain perfusion of dementia with Lewy bodies by SPM analysis and correlated the findings with clinical symptom. Twelve DLB patients (mean age ; 68.88.3 yrs, K-MMSE ; 17.36) and 30 control subjects (mean age ; 60.17.7 yrs) were included. Control subjects were selected by 28 items of exclusion criteria and checked by brain CT or MRI except 3 subjects. Tc-99m HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT was performed and the image data were analyzed by visual interpretation and SPM99 as routine protocol. In visual analysis, 7 patients showed hypoperfusion in both frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobe, 2 patients in both frontal, temporal and parietal lobe, 2 patients in both temporal, parietal and occipital lobe, 1 patients in left temporal, parietal and occipital lobe. In SPM analysis (uncorrected p<0.01), significant hypoperfusion was shown in Lt inf. frontal gyrus (B no.47), both inf. parietal lobule (Rt B no.40), Rt parietal lobe (precuneus), both sup. temporal gyrus (Rt B no.42), Rt mid temporal gyrus, Lt transverse temporal gyrus (B no.41), both para hippocampal gyrus, Rt thalamus (pulvinar), both cingulate gyrus (Lt B no.24, Lt B no.25, Rt B no.23, Rt B no.24, Rt B no.33), Rt caudate body, both occipital lobe (cuneus, Lt B no.17, Rt B no.18). All patients had fluctuating cognition and parkinsonism, and 9 patients had visual hallucination. The result of SPM analysis was well correlated with visual interpretation and may be helpful to specify location to correlate with clinical symptom. Significant perfusion deficits in occipital region including visual cortex and visual association area are characteristic findings in DLB. Abnormalities in these areas may be important in understanding symptoms of visual hallucination and

Temporal lobe origin is common in patients who have undergone epilepsy surgery for hypermotor seizures.

Science.gov (United States)

Arain, Amir M; Azar, Nabil J; Lagrange, Andre H; McLean, Michael; Singh, Pradumna; Sonmezturk, Hasan; Konrad, Peter; Neimat, Joseph; Abou-Khalil, Bassel

2016-11-01

Hypermotor seizures are most often reported from the frontal lobe but may also have temporal, parietal, or insular origin. We noted a higher proportion of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in our surgical cohort who had hypermotor seizures. We evaluated the anatomic localization and surgical outcome in patient with refractory hypermotor seizures who had epilepsy surgery in our center. We identified twenty three patients with refractory hypermotor seizures from our epilepsy surgery database. We analyzed demographics, presurgical evaluation including semiology, MRI, PET scan, interictal/ictal scalp video-EEG, intracranial recording, and surgical outcomes. We evaluated preoperative variables as predictors of outcome. Most patients (65%) had normal brain MRI. Intracranial EEG was required in 20 patients (86.9%). Based on the presurgical evaluation, the resection was anterior temporal in fourteen patients, orbitofrontal in four patients, cingulate in four patients, and temporoparietal in one patient. The median duration of follow-up after surgery was 76.4months. Fourteen patients (60%) had been seizure free at the last follow up while 3 patients had rare disabling seizures. Hypermotor seizures often originated from the temporal lobe in this series of patients who had epilepsy surgery. This large proportion of temporal lobe epilepsy may be the result of a selection bias, due to easier localization and expected better outcome in temporal lobe epilepsy. With extensive presurgical evaluation, including intracranial EEG when needed, seizure freedom can be expected in the majority of patients. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

MEG reveals a fast pathway from somatosensory cortex to occipital areas via posterior parietal cortex in a blind subject

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas A Ioannides

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Cross-modal activity in visual cortex of blind subjects has been reported during performance of variety of non-visual tasks. A key unanswered question is through which pathways non-visual inputs are funneled to the visual cortex. Here we used tomographic analysis of single trial magnetoencephalography (MEG data recorded from one congenitally blind and two sighted subjects after stimulation of the left and right median nerves at three intensities: below sensory threshold, above sensory threshold and above motor threshold; the last sufficient to produce thumb twitching. We identified reproducible brain responses in the primary somatosensory (S1 and motor (M1 cortices at around 20 ms post-stimulus, which were very similar in sighted and blind subjects. Time-frequency analysis revealed strong 45 to 70 Hz activity at latencies of 20 to 50 ms in S1 and M1, and posterior parietal cortex Brodmann areas (BA 7 and 40, which compared to lower frequencies, were substantially more pronounced in the blind than the sighted subjects. Critically, at frequencies from α-band up to 100 Hz we found clear, strong and widespread responses in the visual cortex of the blind subject, which increased with the intensity of the somatosensory stimuli. Time-delayed mutual information (MI revealed that in blind subject the stimulus information is funneled from the early somatosensory to visual cortex through posterior parietal BA 7 and 40, projecting first to visual areas V5 and V3, and eventually V1. The flow of information through this pathway occured in stages characterized by convergence of activations into specific cortical regions. In sighted subjects, no linked activity was found that led from the somatosensory to the visual cortex through any of the studied brain regions. These results provide the first evidence from MEG that in blind subjects, tactile information is routed from primary somatosensory to occipital cortex via the posterior parietal cortex.

Transient simulation in interior flow field of lobe pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y B; Sang, X H; Shen, H; Jia, K; Meng, Q W

2013-01-01

The subject of this paper is mainly focused on the development and control of the double folium and trifolium lobe pump profiles by using the principle of involute engagement and use CAD to get an accurate involute profile. We use the standard k-ε turbulence model and PISO algorithm based on CFD software FLUENT. The dynamic mesh and UDF technology is introduced to simulate the interior flow field inside a lobe pump, and the variation of interior flow field under the condition of the lobe rotating is analyzed. We also analyse the influence produced by the difference in lobes, and then reveal which lobe is best. The results show that dynamic variation of the interior flow field is easily obtained by dynamic mesh technology and the distribution of its pressure and velocity. Because of the small gaps existing between the rotors and pump case, the higher pressure area will flow into the lower area though the small gaps which cause the working area keep with higher pressure all the time. Both of the double folium and trifolium are existing the vortex during the rotting time and its position, size and shape changes all the time. The vortexes even disappear in a circle period and there are more vortexes in double folium lobe pump. The velocity and pressure pulsation of trifolium pump are lower than that of the double folium

The neocortical network representing associative memory reorganizes with time in a process engaging the anterior temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieuwenhuis, Ingrid L C; Takashima, Atsuko; Oostenveld, Robert; McNaughton, Bruce L; Fernández, Guillén; Jensen, Ole

2012-11-01

During encoding, the distributed neocortical representations of memory components are presumed to be associatively linked by the hippocampus. With time, a reorganization of brain areas supporting memory takes place, which can ultimately result in memories becoming independent of the hippocampus. While it is theorized that with time, the neocortical representations become linked by higher order neocortical association areas, this remains to be experimentally supported. In this study, 24 human participants encoded sets of face-location associations, which they retrieved 1 or 25 h later ("recent" and "remote" conditions, respectively), while their brain activity was recorded using whole-head magnetoencephalography. We investigated changes in the functional interactions between the neocortical representational areas emerging over time. To assess functional interactions, trial-by-trial high gamma (60-140 Hz) power correlations were calculated between the neocortical representational areas relevant to the encoded information, namely the fusiform face area (FFA) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC). With time, both the FFA and the PPC increased their functional interactions with the anterior temporal lobe (ATL). Given that the ATL is involved in semantic representation of paired associates, our results suggest that, already within 25 h after acquiring new memory associations, neocortical functional links are established via higher order semantic association areas.

Investigation of Parietal Polysaccharides from Retama raetam Roots ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

These results indicate the presence of the homogalacturonans and rhamnogalacturonans in pectin. This study constitutes the preliminary data obtained in the biochemical analysis of the parietal compounds of the roots of a species which grows in an arid area in comparison with those of its aerial parts. Keywords: Retama ...

Herpes zoster chronification to postherpetic neuralgia induces brain activity and grey matter volume change

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Song; Qin, Bangyong; Zhang, Yi; Yuan, Jie; Fu, Bao; Xie, Peng; Song, Ganjun; Li, Ying; Yu, Tian

2018-01-01

Objective: Herpes zoster (HZ) can develop into postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is a chronic neuropathic pain (NP). Whether the chronification from HZ to PHN induced brain functional or structural change is unknown and no study compared the changes of the same brains of patients who transited from HZ to PHN. We minimized individual differences and observed whether the chronification of HZ to PHN induces functional and pain duration dependent grey matter volume (GMV) change in HZ-PHN patients. Methods: To minimize individual differences induced error, we enrolled 12 patients with a transition from HZ to PHN. The functional and structural changes of their brains between the two states were identified with resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) technique (i.e., the regional homogeneity (ReHo) and fractional aptitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) method) and the voxel based morphometry (VBM) technology respectively. The correlations between MRI parameters (i.e., ΔReHo, ΔfALFF and ΔVBM) and Δpain duration were analyzed too. Results: Compared with HZ brains, PHN brains exhibited abnormal ReHo, fALFF and VBM values in pain matrix (the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, thalamus, limbic lobe and cerebellum) as well as the occipital lobe and temporal lobe. Nevertheless, the activity of vast area of cerebellum and frontal lobe significantly increased while that of occipital lobe and limbic lobe showed apparent decrease when HZ developed to PHN. In addition, PHN brain showed decreased GMV in the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe and the occipital lobe but increased in the cerebellum and the temporal lobe. Correlation analyses showed that some of the ReHo, fALFF and VBM differential areas (such as the cerebellum posterior lobe, the thalamus extra-nuclear and the middle temporal gyrus) correlated well with Δpain duration. Conclusions: HZ chronification induced functional and structural change in cerebellum, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe and limbic lobe

Three cases of acute encephalopathy with low density areas in the occipital lobes on CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Masako; Nakano, Chizuko; Takakura, Hiroki; Otani, Kyoichi.

1985-01-01

Three female infants with acute encephalopathy (aged from 5 months to 1 year and 8 months) are presented in whom peculiar features were obtained on cranial CT. Disturbances of consciousness and spasm were seen in all patients. Although two patients had been in good health until the onset, the other patient had had nodular sclerosis. Laboratory data showed no evidence of inflammation in the spinal fluid, but increased levels of transaminase and LDH. CT around 7 days after the onset revealed diffuse low density areas. This was noted in the temporal and occipital lobes, mainly resulting from edema. Follow-up CT examinations revealed localized low density areas corresponding to the surface area, being probably attributable to disturbances of the arterial and venous circulations. In two patients with severe disturbances of consciousness, low density areas became more marked with time. (Namekawa, K.)

Encefalomenigocele atrésico parietal Parietal atresic encephalomeningocele

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana Rivera Oliva

2011-09-01

Full Text Available El encefalocele es una anomalía congénita rara, en la que una porción del encéfalo protruye a través de un orificio craneal (evaginación, generalmente situado en la línea media. Clínicamente se caracteriza por una masa epicraneal, de consistencia blanda, muchas veces acompañada de trastornos psicomotores, convulsiones y trastornos de la visión. Se presenta el caso de un recién nacido con diagnóstico de encefalomeningocele atrésico parietal, intervenido quirúrgicamente y con evolución satisfactoria.The encephalocele is a uncommon congenital anomaly where a portion of encephalon protrudes through a cranial orifice (evagination, generally located in the middle line. Clinically, it is characterized by a soft epicranial mass often accompanied or psychomotor disorders, convulsions and vision disorders. This is the case of a newborn diagnosed with parietal atresic encephalomeningocele operated on with a satisfactory evolution.

The structure of the parietal pleura and its relationship to pleural liquid dynamics in sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Albertine, K H; Wiener-Kronish, J P; Staub, N C

1984-03-01

We studied the parietal pleura of six sheep to obtain information on pleural structure, blood supply, and lymphatic drainage. In the strict sense, the parietal pleura is composed of a single layer of mesothelial cells and a uniform layer of loose, irregular connective tissue (about 23 micron in width) subjacent to the mesothelial cells. The parietal pleural blood vessels are 10-15 micron from the pleural space. Tracer substances put in the pleural space are removed at specific locations. Colloidal carbon and chick red blood cells are cleared by the parietal pleural lymphatics located over the intercostal spaces at the caudal end of the thoracic wall and over the lateral sides of the pericardial sac. In these areas the mesothelial cells have specialized openings, the stomata, that directly communicate with the underlying lymphatic lacunae. Cells and particulate matter in the pleural space are cleared only by the parietal pleural lymphatics. Compared to the visceral pleura, we believe the thinness of the parietal pleura, the closeness of its blood vessels to the pleural space, and its specialized lymphatic clearance pathways, together indicate that the parietal pleura plays a major role in pleural liquid and protein dynamics in sheep.

Comparison of visual receptive fields in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and ventral intraparietal area in macaques.

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanathan, Pooja; Nieder, Andreas

2017-12-01

The concept of receptive field (RF) describes the responsiveness of neurons to sensory space. Neurons in the primate association cortices have long been known to be spatially selective but a detailed characterisation and direct comparison of RFs between frontal and parietal association cortices are missing. We sampled the RFs of a large number of neurons from two interconnected areas of the frontal and parietal lobes, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and ventral intraparietal area (VIP), of rhesus monkeys by systematically presenting a moving bar during passive fixation. We found that more than half of neurons in both areas showed spatial selectivity. Single neurons in both areas could be assigned to five classes according to the spatial response patterns: few non-uniform RFs with multiple discrete response maxima could be dissociated from the vast majority of uniform RFs showing a single maximum; the latter were further classified into full-field and confined foveal, contralateral and ipsilateral RFs. Neurons in dlPFC showed a preference for the contralateral visual space and collectively encoded the contralateral visual hemi-field. In contrast, VIP neurons preferred central locations, predominantly covering the foveal visual space. Putative pyramidal cells with broad-spiking waveforms in PFC had smaller RFs than putative interneurons showing narrow-spiking waveforms, but distributed similarly across the visual field. In VIP, however, both putative pyramidal cells and interneurons had similar RFs at similar eccentricities. We provide a first, thorough characterisation of visual RFs in two reciprocally connected areas of a fronto-parietal cortical network. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Determination of hyperactive areas of Cortex Cerebri with using brain SPECT study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepien, A.; Pawlus, J.; Wasilewska-Radwanska, M.

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was the assessment of the ability to apply of SPECT technique to determination of hyperactive areas of cortex cerebri. Analysis included 50 patients (mean aged 44 - 58). Brain SPECT scanning was performed after 1 hour after the intravenous injection of 740 MBq of ethylcisteinate dimmer labeled 99m Technetium (99mTc-ECD) with the use one-head gamma camera with a low-energy, ultra-high resolution collimator. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed using specialised software. In 20 cases normal biodistribution of the radiotracer was observed (hyperactive areas in cerebellum and occiput). In patients with psychiatric and neurological disturbances hyperactive areas were visualized in 25 cases in temporal lobes, in 4 cases in parietal lobes and in 1 patient in frontal area and basal ganglia. It is concluded that a number of factors limit the wide-scale use of SPECT, including the sophistication of imaging equipment (single-head cameras are inferior to the newer multihead units) and the experience of the physicians interpreting the scans and utilizing the data. In many diseases physicians do not know which areas of the patient's brain according disorders. Brain SPECT study can be a very useful tool to evaluation of hyperactive areas of cortex cerebri. This technique visualization of cortex cerebri completes standard analysis of disorders of brain activity

Broca's area network in language function.Broca's area network in language function: A pooling-data connectivity study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byron eBernal

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective. Modern neuroimaging developments have demonstrated that cognitive functions correlate with brain networks rather than specific areas. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the connectivity of Broca's area based on language tasks. Methods. A connectivity modeling study was performed by pooling data of Broca's activation in language tasks. Fifty-seven papers that included 883 subjects in 84 experiments were analyzed. Analysis of Likelihood Estimates of pooled data was utilized to generate the map; thresholds at p < 0.01 were corrected for multiple comparisons and false discovery rate. Resulting images were co-registered into MNI standard space. Results. A network consisting of 16 clusters of activation was obtained. Main clusters were located in the frontal operculum, left posterior temporal region, supplementary motor area, and the parietal lobe. Less common clusters were seen in the sub-cortical structures including the left thalamus, left putamen, secondary visual areas and the right cerebellum. Conclusions. BA44-related networks involved in language processing were demonstrated utilizing a pooling-data connectivity study. Significance, interpretation and limitations of the results are discussed.

Spatial summation in macaque parietal area 7a follows a winner-take-all rule

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oleksiak, Anna; Klink, P. Christiaan; Postma, Albert; van der Ham, Ineke J.M.; Lankheet, Martin J.M.; van Wezel, Richard Jack Anton

2011-01-01

While neurons in posterior parietal cortex have been found to signal the presence of a salient stimulus among multiple items in a display, spatial summation within their receptive field in the absence of an attentional bias has never been investigated. This information, however, is indispensable

Frontal lobe function in temporal lobe epilepsy

Science.gov (United States)

Stretton, J.; Thompson, P.J.

2012-01-01

Summary Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is typically associated with long-term memory dysfunction. The frontal lobes support high-level cognition comprising executive skills and working memory that is vital for daily life functioning. Deficits in these functions have been increasingly reported in TLE. Evidence from both the neuropsychological and neuroimaging literature suggests both executive function and working memory are compromised in the presence of TLE. In relation to executive impairment, particular focus has been paid to set shifting as measured by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task. Other discrete executive functions such as decision-making and theory of mind also appear vulnerable but have received little attention. With regard to working memory, the medial temporal lobe structures appear have a more critical role, but with emerging evidence of hippocampal dependent and independent processes. The relative role of underlying pathology and seizure spread is likely to have considerable bearing upon the cognitive phenotype and trajectory in TLE. The identification of the nature of frontal lobe dysfunction in TLE thus has important clinical implications for prognosis and surgical management. Longitudinal neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies assessing frontal lobe function in TLE patients pre- and postoperatively will improve our understanding further. PMID:22100147

Preliminary evidence for performance enhancement following parietal lobe stimulation in Developmental Dyscalculia.

Science.gov (United States)

Iuculano, Teresa; Cohen Kadosh, Roi

2014-01-01

Nearly 7% of the population exhibit difficulties in dealing with numbers and performing arithmetic, a condition named Developmental Dyscalculia (DD), which significantly affects the educational and professional outcomes of these individuals, as it often persists into adulthood. Research has mainly focused on behavioral rehabilitation, while little is known about performance changes and neuroplasticity induced by the concurrent application of brain-behavioral approaches. It has been shown that numerical proficiency can be enhanced by applying a small-yet constant-current through the brain, a non-invasive technique named transcranial electrical stimulation (tES). Here we combined a numerical learning paradigm with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in two adults with DD to assess the potential benefits of this methodology to remediate their numerical difficulties. Subjects learned to associate artificial symbols to numerical quantities within the context of a trial and error paradigm, while tDCS was applied to the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). The first subject (DD1) received anodal stimulation to the right PPC and cathodal stimulation to the left PPC, which has been associated with numerical performance's improvements in healthy subjects. The second subject (DD2) received anodal stimulation to the left PPC and cathodal stimulation to the right PPC, which has been shown to impair numerical performance in healthy subjects. We examined two indices of numerical proficiency: (i) automaticity of number processing; and (ii) mapping of numbers onto space. Our results are opposite to previous findings with non-dyscalculic subjects. Only anodal stimulation to the left PPC improved both indices of numerical proficiency. These initial results represent an important step to inform the rehabilitation of developmental learning disabilities, and have relevant applications for basic and applied research in cognitive neuroscience, rehabilitation, and education.

Preliminary evidence for performance enhancement following parietal lobe stimulation in Developmental Dyscalculia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teresa eIuculano

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Nearly 7% of the population exhibit difficulties in dealing with numbers and performing arithmetic, a condition named Developmental Dyscalculia (DD, which significantly affects the educational and professional outcomes of these individuals, as it often persists into adulthood. Research has mainly focused on behavioral rehabilitation, while little is known about performance changes and neuroplasticity induced by the concurrent application of brain-behavioral approaches. It has been shown that numerical proficiency can be enhanced by applying a small – yet constant – current through the brain, a non-invasive technique named transcranial electrical stimulation (tES. Here we combined a numerical learning paradigm with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS in two adults with DD to assess the potential benefits of this methodology to remediate their numerical difficulties. Subjects learned to associate artificial symbols to numerical quantities within the context of a trial and error paradigm, while tDCS was applied to the posterior parietal cortex (PPC. The first subject (DD1 received anodal stimulation to the right PPC and cathodal stimulation to the left PPC, which has been associated with numerical performance’s improvements in healthy subjects. The second subject (DD2 received anodal stimulation to the left PPC and cathodal stimulation to the right PPC, which has been shown to impair numerical performance in healthy subjects. We examined two indices of numerical proficiency: (i automaticity of number processing; and (ii mapping of numbers onto space. Our results are opposite to previous findings with non-dyscalculic subjects. Only anodal stimulation to the left PPC improved both indices of numerical proficiency. These initial results represent an important step to inform the rehabilitation of developmental learning disabilities, and have relevant applications for basic and applied research in cognitive neuroscience, rehabilitation

Improving ideomotor limb apraxia by electrical stimulation of the left posterior parietal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolognini, Nadia; Convento, Silvia; Banco, Elisabetta; Mattioli, Flavia; Tesio, Luigi; Vallar, Giuseppe

2015-02-01

Limb apraxia, a deficit of planning voluntary gestures, is most frequently caused by damage to the left hemisphere, where, according to an influential neurofunctional model, gestures are planned, before being executed through the motor cortex of the hemisphere contralateral to the acting hand. We used anodal transcranial direct current stimulation delivered to the left posterior parietal cortex (PPC), the right motor cortex (M1), and a sham stimulation condition, to modulate the ability of six left-brain-damaged patients with ideomotor apraxia, and six healthy control subjects, to imitate hand gestures, and to perform skilled hand movements using the left hand. Transcranial direct current stimulation delivered to the left PPC reduced the time required to perform skilled movements, and planning, but not execution, times in imitating gestures, in both patients and controls. In patients, the amount of decrease of planning times brought about by left PPC transcranial direct current stimulation was influenced by the size of the parietal lobe damage, with a larger parietal damage being associated with a smaller improvement. Of interest from a clinical perspective, left PPC stimulation also ameliorated accuracy in imitating hand gestures in patients. Instead, transcranial direct current stimulation to the right M1 diminished execution, but not planning, times in both patients and healthy controls. In conclusion, by using a transcranial stimulation approach, we temporarily improved ideomotor apraxia in the left hand of left-brain-damaged patients, showing a role of the left PPC in planning gestures. This evidence opens up novel perspectives for the use of transcranial direct current stimulation in the rehabilitation of limb apraxia. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fronto-parietal coding of goal-directed actions performed by artificial agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kupferberg, Aleksandra; Iacoboni, Marco; Flanagin, Virginia; Huber, Markus; Kasparbauer, Anna; Baumgartner, Thomas; Hasler, Gregor; Schmidt, Florian; Borst, Christoph; Glasauer, Stefan

2018-03-01

With advances in technology, artificial agents such as humanoid robots will soon become a part of our daily lives. For safe and intuitive collaboration, it is important to understand the goals behind their motor actions. In humans, this process is mediated by changes in activity in fronto-parietal brain areas. The extent to which these areas are activated when observing artificial agents indicates the naturalness and easiness of interaction. Previous studies indicated that fronto-parietal activity does not depend on whether the agent is human or artificial. However, it is unknown whether this activity is modulated by observing grasping (self-related action) and pointing actions (other-related action) performed by an artificial agent depending on the action goal. Therefore, we designed an experiment in which subjects observed human and artificial agents perform pointing and grasping actions aimed at two different object categories suggesting different goals. We found a signal increase in the bilateral inferior parietal lobule and the premotor cortex when tool versus food items were pointed to or grasped by both agents, probably reflecting the association of hand actions with the functional use of tools. Our results show that goal attribution engages the fronto-parietal network not only for observing a human but also a robotic agent for both self-related and social actions. The debriefing after the experiment has shown that actions of human-like artificial agents can be perceived as being goal-directed. Therefore, humans will be able to interact with service robots intuitively in various domains such as education, healthcare, public service, and entertainment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Flash visual evoked potentials are not specific enough to identify parieto-occipital lobe involvement in term neonates after significant hypoglycaemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Liyuan; Gu, Qiufang; Zhu, Zhen; Yang, Chenhao; Chen, Chao; Cao, Yun; Zhou, Wenhao

2014-08-01

Hypoglycaemia is a significant problem in high-risk neonates and predominant parieto-occipital lobe involvement has been observed after severe hypoglycaemic insult. We explored the use of flash visual evoked potentials (FVEP) in detecting parieto-occipital lobe involvement after significant hypoglycaemia. Full-term neonates (n = 15) who underwent FVEP from January 2008 to May 2013 were compared with infants (n = 11) without hypoglycaemia or parietal-occipital lobe injury. Significant hypoglycaemia was defined as being symptomatic or needing steroids, glucagon or a glucose infusion rate of ≥12 mg/kg/min. The hypoglycaemia group exhibited delayed latency of the first positive waveform on FVEP. The initial detected time for hypoglycaemia was later in the eight subjects with seizures (median 51-h-old) than those without (median 22-h-old) (P = 0.003). Magnetic resonance imaging showed that 80% of the hypoglycaemia group exhibited occipital-lobe injuries, and they were more likely to exhibit abnormal FVEP morphology (P = 0.007) than the controls. FVEP exhibited 100% sensitivity, but only 25% specificity, for detecting injuries to the parieto-occipital lobes. Flash visual evoked potential (FVEP) was sensitive, but not sufficiently specific, in identifying parieto-occipital lobe injuries among term neonates exposed to significant hypoglycaemia. Larger studies exploring the potential role of FVEP in neonatal hypoglycaemia are required. ©2014 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Brain activity dynamics in human parietal regions during spontaneous switches in bistable perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Megumi, Fukuda; Bahrami, Bahador; Kanai, Ryota; Rees, Geraint

2015-02-15

The neural mechanisms underlying conscious visual perception have been extensively investigated using bistable perception paradigms. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies suggest that the right anterior superior parietal (r-aSPL) and the right posterior superior parietal lobule (r-pSPL) have opposite roles in triggering perceptual reversals. It has been proposed that these two areas are part of a hierarchical network whose dynamics determine perceptual switches. However, how these two parietal regions interact with each other and with the rest of the brain during bistable perception is not known. Here, we investigated such a model by recording brain activity using fMRI while participants viewed a bistable structure-from-motion stimulus. Using dynamic causal modeling (DCM), we found that resolving such perceptual ambiguity was specifically associated with reciprocal interactions between these parietal regions and V5/MT. Strikingly, the strength of bottom-up coupling between V5/MT to r-pSPL and from r-pSPL to r-aSPL predicted individual mean dominance duration. Our findings are consistent with a hierarchical predictive coding model of parietal involvement in bistable perception and suggest that visual information processing underlying spontaneous perceptual switches can be described as changes in connectivity strength between parietal and visual cortical regions. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical image of the week: right middle lobe syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristan EA

2016-05-01

Full Text Available No abstract available. Article truncated at 150 words. A 73 year-old woman, a lifetime non-smoker, presented to the pulmonary clinic with chronic dyspnea on exertion and cough. Physical exam was unremarkable and pulmonary function testing showed normal spirometry. A chest radiograph revealed calcified mediastinal adenopathy and increased density in the right middle lobe region (Figure 1. A computed tomography scan of the chest revealed significant narrowing of the right middle lobe bronchus with partial atelectasis and prominent calcified mediastinal lymphadenopathy (Figure 2. Bronchoscopy showed no endobronchial lesions but there was evidence of extrinsic compression surrounding the right middle lobe orifice. An endobronchial biopsy revealed noncaseating granulomas. Bronchoscopy cultures and cytology were negative and this was presumed to be from a previous infection with histoplasmosis given the patient’s long-term residence in an endemic area. Given chronic narrowing of right middle lobe bronchus with persistent atelectasis of the right middle lobe, the patient was diagnosed with right middle lobe syndrome. ...

Inferior parietal and right frontal contributions to trial-by-trial adaptations of attention to memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Kizilirmak, Jasmin M; Rösler, Frank; Bien, Siegfried; Khader, Patrick H

2015-07-21

The attention to memory theory (AtoM) proposes that the same brain regions might be involved in selective processing of perceived stimuli (selective attention) and memory representations (selective retrieval). Although this idea is compelling, given consistently found neural overlap between perceiving and remembering stimuli, recent comparisons brought evidence for overlap as well as considerable differences. Here, we present a paradigm that enables the investigation of the AtoM hypothesis from a novel perspective to gain further insight into the neural resources involved in AtoM. Selective attention in perception is often investigated as a control process that shows lingering effects on immediately following trials. Here, we employed a paradigm capable of modulating selective retrieval in a similarly dynamic manner as in such selective-attention paradigms by inducing trial-to-trial shifts between relevant and irrelevant memory representations as well as changes of the width of the internal focus on memory. We found evidence for an involvement of bilateral inferior parietal lobe and right inferior frontal gyrus in reorienting the attentional focus on previously accessed memory representations. Moreover, we could dissociate the right inferior from the parietal activation in separate contrasts, suggesting that the right inferior frontal gyrus plays a role in facilitating attentional reorienting to memory representations when competing representations have been activated in the preceding trial, potentially by resolving this competition. Our results support the AtoM theory, i.e. that ventral frontal and parietal regions are involved in automatic attentional reorienting in memory, and highlight the importance of further investigations of the overlap and differences between regions involved in internal (memory) and external (perceptual) attentional selection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Observing complex action sequences: The role of the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system.

Science.gov (United States)

Molnar-Szakacs, Istvan; Kaplan, Jonas; Greenfield, Patricia M; Iacoboni, Marco

2006-11-15

A fronto-parietal mirror neuron network in the human brain supports the ability to represent and understand observed actions allowing us to successfully interact with others and our environment. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we wanted to investigate the response of this network in adults during observation of hierarchically organized action sequences of varying complexity that emerge at different developmental stages. We hypothesized that fronto-parietal systems may play a role in coding the hierarchical structure of object-directed actions. The observation of all action sequences recruited a common bilateral network including the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system and occipito-temporal visual motion areas. Activity in mirror neuron areas varied according to the motoric complexity of the observed actions, but not according to the developmental sequence of action structures, possibly due to the fact that our subjects were all adults. These results suggest that the mirror neuron system provides a fairly accurate simulation process of observed actions, mimicking internally the level of motoric complexity. We also discuss the results in terms of the links between mirror neurons, language development and evolution.

Characterization of visual percepts evoked by noninvasive stimulation of the human posterior parietal cortex.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter J Fried

Full Text Available Phosphenes are commonly evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS to study the functional organization, connectivity, and excitability of the human visual brain. For years, phosphenes have been documented only from stimulating early visual areas (V1-V3 and a handful of specialized visual regions (V4, V5/MT+ in occipital cortex. Recently, phosphenes were reported after applying TMS to a region of posterior parietal cortex involved in the top-down modulation of visuo-spatial processing. In the present study, we systematically characterized parietal phosphenes to determine if they are generated directly by local mechanisms or emerge through indirect activation of other visual areas. Using technology developed in-house to record the subjective features of phosphenes, we found no systematic differences in the size, shape, location, or frame-of-reference of parietal phosphenes when compared to their occipital counterparts. In a second experiment, discrete deactivation by 1 Hz repetitive TMS yielded a double dissociation: phosphene thresholds increased at the deactivated site without producing a corresponding change at the non-deactivated location. Overall, the commonalities of parietal and occipital phosphenes, and our ability to independently modulate their excitability thresholds, lead us to conclude that they share a common neural basis that is separate from either of the stimulated regions.

Frontal and parietal theta burst TMS impairs working memory for visual-spatial conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Helen M; Jackson, Margaret C; van Koningsbruggen, Martijn G; Shapiro, Kimron L; Linden, David E J

2013-03-01

In tasks that selectively probe visual or spatial working memory (WM) frontal and posterior cortical areas show a segregation, with dorsal areas preferentially involved in spatial (e.g. location) WM and ventral areas in visual (e.g. object identity) WM. In a previous fMRI study [1], we showed that right parietal cortex (PC) was more active during WM for orientation, whereas left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was more active during colour WM. During WM for colour-orientation conjunctions, activity in these areas was intermediate to the level of activity for the single task preferred and non-preferred information. To examine whether these specialised areas play a critical role in coordinating visual and spatial WM to perform a conjunction task, we used theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to induce a functional deficit. Compared to sham stimulation, TMS to right PC or left IFG selectively impaired WM for conjunctions but not single features. This is consistent with findings from visual search paradigms, in which frontal and parietal TMS selectively affects search for conjunctions compared to single features, and with combined TMS and functional imaging work suggesting that parietal and frontal regions are functionally coupled in tasks requiring integration of visual and spatial information. Our results thus elucidate mechanisms by which the brain coordinates spatially segregated processing streams and have implications beyond the field of working memory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinct Oscillatory Frequencies Underlie Excitability of Human Occipital and Parietal Cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Samaha, Jason; Gosseries, Olivia; Postle, Bradley R

2017-03-15

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of human occipital and posterior parietal cortex can give rise to visual sensations called phosphenes. We used near-threshold TMS with concurrent EEG recordings to measure how oscillatory brain dynamics covary, on single trials, with the perception of phosphenes after occipital and parietal TMS. Prestimulus power and phase, predominantly in the alpha band (8-13 Hz), predicted occipital TMS phosphenes, whereas higher-frequency beta-band (13-20 Hz) power (but not phase) predicted parietal TMS phosphenes. TMS-evoked responses related to phosphene perception were similar across stimulation sites and were characterized by an early (200 ms) posterior negativity and a later (>300 ms) parietal positivity in the time domain and an increase in low-frequency (∼5-7 Hz) power followed by a broadband decrease in alpha/beta power in the time-frequency domain. These correlates of phosphene perception closely resemble known electrophysiological correlates of conscious perception of near-threshold visual stimuli. The regionally differential pattern of prestimulus predictors of phosphene perception suggests that distinct frequencies may reflect cortical excitability in occipital versus posterior parietal cortex, calling into question the broader assumption that the alpha rhythm may serve as a general index of cortical excitability. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Alpha-band oscillations are thought to reflect cortical excitability and are therefore ascribed an important role in gating information transmission across cortex. We probed cortical excitability directly in human occipital and parietal cortex and observed that, whereas alpha-band dynamics indeed reflect excitability of occipital areas, beta-band activity was most predictive of parietal cortex excitability. Differences in the state of cortical excitability predicted perceptual outcomes (phosphenes), which were manifest in both early and late patterns of evoked activity, revealing the time

Origin of frontal lobe spikes in the early onset benign occipital lobe epilepsy (Panayiotopoulos syndrome).

Science.gov (United States)

Leal, Alberto J R; Ferreira, José C; Dias, Ana I; Calado, Eulália

2008-09-01

Early onset benign occipital lobe epilepsy (Panayiotopoulos syndrome [PS]) is a common and easily recognizable epilepsy. Interictal EEG spike activity is often multifocal but most frequently localized in the occipital lobes. The origin and clinical significance of the extra-occipital spikes remain poorly understood. Three patients with the PS and interictal EEG spikes with frontal lobe topography were studied using high-resolution EEG. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to decompose the spikes in components with distinct temporal dynamics. The components were mapped in the scalp with a spline-laplacian algorithm. The change in scalp potential topography from spike onset to peak, suggests the contribution of several intracranial generators, with different kinetics of activation and significant overlap. ICA was able to separate the major contributors to frontal spikes and consistently revealed an early activating group of components over the occipital areas in all the patients. The local origin of these early potentials was established by the spline-laplacian montage. Frontal spikes in PS are consistently associated with early and unilateral occipital lobe activation, suggesting a postero-anterior spike propagation. Frontal spikes in the PS represent a secondary activation triggered by occipital interictal discharges and do not represent an independent focus.

Exogenous vs. endogenous attention: Shifting the balance of fronto-parietal activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Kristin N; Du, Feng; Parks, Emily; Hopfinger, Joseph B

2018-03-01

Despite behavioral and electrophysiological evidence for dissociations between endogenous (voluntary) and exogenous (reflexive) attention, fMRI results have yet to consistently and clearly differentiate neural activation patterns between these two types of attention. This study specifically aimed to determine whether activity in the dorsal fronto-parietal network differed between endogenous and exogenous conditions. Participants performed a visual discrimination task in endogenous and exogenous attention conditions while undergoing fMRI scanning. Analyses revealed robust and bilateral activation throughout the dorsal fronto-parietal network for each condition, in line with many previous results. In order to investigate possible differences in the balance of neural activity within this network with greater sensitivity, a priori regions of interest (ROIs) were selected for analysis, centered on the frontal eye fields (FEF) and intraparietal sulcus (IPS) regions identified in previous studies. The results revealed a significant interaction between region, condition, and hemisphere. Specifically, in the left hemisphere, frontal areas were more active than parietal areas, but only during endogenous attention. Activity in the right hemisphere, in contrast, remained relatively consistent for these regions across conditions. Analysis of this activity over time indicates that this left-hemispheric regional imbalance is present within the FEF early, at 3-6.5 s post-stimulus presentation, whereas a regional imbalance in the exogenous condition is not evident until 6.5-8 s post-stimulus presentation. Overall, our results provide new evidence that although the dorsal fronto-parietal network is indeed associated with both types of attentional orienting, regions of the network are differentially engaged over time and across hemispheres depending on the type of attention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Women with a history of childhood maltreatment exhibit more activation in association areas following non-traumatic olfactory stimuli: a fMRI study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilona Croy

2010-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was investigating how women with a history of childhood maltreatment (CM process non-threatening and non-trauma related olfactory stimuli. The focus on olfactory perception is based on the overlap of brain areas often proposed to be affected in CM patients and the projection areas of the olfactory system, including the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, insula and hippocampus.Twelve women with CM and 10 controls participated in the study. All participants were, or have been, patients in a psychosomatic clinic. Participants underwent a fMRI investigation during olfactory stimulation with a neutral (coffee and a pleasant (peach odor. Furthermore, odor threshold and odor identification (Sniffin' Sticks were tested.Both groups showed normal activation in the olfactory projection areas. However, in the CM-group we found additionally enhanced activation in multiple, mainly neocortical, areas that are part of those involved in associative networks. These include the precentral frontal lobe, inferior and middle frontal structures, posterior parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and the posterior cingulate cortex.The results indicate that in this group of patients, CM was associated with an altered processing of olfactory stimuli, but not development of a functional olfactory deficit. This complements other studies on CM insofar as we found the observed pattern of enhanced activation in associative and emotional regions even following non-traumatic olfactory cues.

Differentiated parietal connectivity of frontal regions for "what" and "where" memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Rottschy, C; Caspers, S; Roski, C; Reetz, K; Dogan, I; Schulz, J B; Zilles, K; Laird, A R; Fox, P T; Eickhoff, S B

2013-11-01

In a previous meta-analysis across almost 200 neuroimaging experiments, working memory for object location showed significantly stronger convergence on the posterior superior frontal gyrus, whereas working memory for identity showed stronger convergence on the posterior inferior frontal gyrus (dorsal to, but overlapping with Brodmann's area BA 44). As similar locations have been discussed as part of a dorsal frontal-superior parietal reach system and an inferior frontal grasp system, the aim of the present study was to test whether the regions of working-memory related "what" and "where" processing show a similar distinction in parietal connectivity. The regions that were found in the previous meta-analysis were used as seeds for functional connectivity analyses using task-based meta-analytic connectivity modelling and task-independent resting state correlations. While the ventral seed showed significantly stronger connectivity with the bilateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS), the dorsal seed showed stronger connectivity with the bilateral posterior inferior parietal and the medial superior parietal lobule. The observed connections of regions involved in memory for object location and identity thus clearly demonstrate a distinction into separate pathways that resemble the parietal connectivity patterns of the dorsal and ventral premotor cortex in non-human primates and humans. It may hence be speculated that memory for a particular location and reaching towards it as well as object memory and finger positioning for manipulation may rely on shared neural systems. Moreover, the ensuing regions, in turn, featured differential connectivity with the bilateral ventral and dorsal extrastriate cortex, suggesting largely segregated bilateral connectivity pathways from the dorsal visual cortex via the superior and inferior parietal lobules to the dorsal posterior frontal cortex and from the ventral visual cortex via the IPS to the ventral posterior frontal cortex that may

Frontal and parietal cortical interactions with distributed visual representations during selective attention and action selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelissen, Natalie; Stokes, Mark; Nobre, Anna C; Rushworth, Matthew F S

2013-10-16

Using multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA), we studied how distributed visual representations in human occipitotemporal cortex are modulated by attention and link their modulation to concurrent activity in frontal and parietal cortex. We detected similar occipitotemporal patterns during a simple visuoperceptual task and an attention-to-working-memory task in which one or two stimuli were cued before being presented among other pictures. Pattern strength varied from highest to lowest when the stimulus was the exclusive focus of attention, a conjoint focus, and when it was potentially distracting. Although qualitatively similar effects were seen inside regions relatively specialized for the stimulus category and outside, the former were quantitatively stronger. By regressing occipitotemporal pattern strength against activity elsewhere in the brain, we identified frontal and parietal areas exerting top-down control over, or reading information out from, distributed patterns in occipitotemporal cortex. Their interactions with patterns inside regions relatively specialized for that stimulus category were higher than those with patterns outside those regions and varied in strength as a function of the attentional condition. One area, the frontal operculum, was distinguished by selectively interacting with occipitotemporal patterns only when they were the focus of attention. There was no evidence that any frontal or parietal area actively inhibited occipitotemporal representations even when they should be ignored and were suppressed. Using MVPA to decode information within these frontal and parietal areas showed that they contained information about attentional context and/or readout information from occipitotemporal cortex to guide behavior but that frontal regions lacked information about category identity.

Frontal and Parietal Cortical Interactions with Distributed Visual Representations during Selective Attention and Action Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes, Mark; Nobre, Anna C.; Rushworth, Matthew F. S.

2013-01-01

Using multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA), we studied how distributed visual representations in human occipitotemporal cortex are modulated by attention and link their modulation to concurrent activity in frontal and parietal cortex. We detected similar occipitotemporal patterns during a simple visuoperceptual task and an attention-to-working-memory task in which one or two stimuli were cued before being presented among other pictures. Pattern strength varied from highest to lowest when the stimulus was the exclusive focus of attention, a conjoint focus, and when it was potentially distracting. Although qualitatively similar effects were seen inside regions relatively specialized for the stimulus category and outside, the former were quantitatively stronger. By regressing occipitotemporal pattern strength against activity elsewhere in the brain, we identified frontal and parietal areas exerting top-down control over, or reading information out from, distributed patterns in occipitotemporal cortex. Their interactions with patterns inside regions relatively specialized for that stimulus category were higher than those with patterns outside those regions and varied in strength as a function of the attentional condition. One area, the frontal operculum, was distinguished by selectively interacting with occipitotemporal patterns only when they were the focus of attention. There was no evidence that any frontal or parietal area actively inhibited occipitotemporal representations even when they should be ignored and were suppressed. Using MVPA to decode information within these frontal and parietal areas showed that they contained information about attentional context and/or readout information from occipitotemporal cortex to guide behavior but that frontal regions lacked information about category identity. PMID:24133250

Auras and clinical features in temporal lobe epilepsy: a new approach on the basis of voxel-based morphometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Santana, Maria Teresa Castilho Garcia; Jackowski, Andrea Parolin; da Silva, Henrique Hattori; Caboclo, Luis Otávio Sales Ferreira; Centeno, Ricardo Silva; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Carrete, Henrique; Yacubian, Elza Márcia Targas

2010-05-01

MRI investigations in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) have demonstrated structural abnormalities extending beyond ipsilateral hippocampus which may be studied through voxel-based morphometry (VBM). We investigated brain morphology related to clinical features in patients with refractory TLE with MTS using VBM. One hundred patients with unilateral TLE with MTS (59 left) and 30 controls were enrolled. VBM5 was employed to analyze (1) hemispheric damage, (2) influence of initial precipitating injury (IPI): 23 patients with febrile seizures and 19 with status epilepticus, and (3) types of auras classified as: mesial, including psychic auras (19 patients); anterior mesio-lateral, as autonomic symptoms, specially epigastric auras (27 patients) and neocortical, which included auditory, vertiginous, somatosensory and visual auras (16 patients). (1) Left TLE patients presented more widespread gray matter volume (GMV) reductions affecting ipsilateral hippocampus, temporal neocortex, insula and also left uncus, precentral gyrus, thalamus, parietal lobule, cuneus and bilateral cingulum. (2) Febrile seizures group presented ipsilateral GMV reductions in hippocampus, neocortical temporal, frontal and occipital cortices, insula and cingulum. Status epilepticus group presented more widespread GMV reductions involving temporal and extratemporal lobes. (3) Patients with mesial auras showed significant ipsilateral GMV reductions in hippocampus and amygdala, particularly right TLE group, who presented greater extension of GMV reduction in the entorhinal cortex. Significant reductions in hippocampus, amygdala and insula were seen in patients with anterior mesio-lateral auras. This study evaluated a large number of TLE-MTS patients showing structural damage extending beyond hippocampus, and different types of IPI associated with the extension of brain damage. Subtypes of auras are related to different clusters of areas of GMV reductions in

Sex-dependent age modulation of frontostriatal and temporo-parietal activation during cognitive control.

Science.gov (United States)

Christakou, Anastasia; Halari, Rozmin; Smith, Anna B; Ifkovits, Eve; Brammer, Mick; Rubia, Katya

2009-10-15

Developmental functional imaging studies of cognitive control show progressive age-related increase in task-relevant fronto-striatal activation in male development from childhood to adulthood. Little is known, however, about how gender affects this functional development. In this study, we used event related functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine effects of sex, age, and their interaction on brain activation during attentional switching and interference inhibition, in 63 male and female adolescents and adults, aged 13 to 38. Linear age correlations were observed across all subjects in task-specific frontal, striatal and temporo-parietal activation. Gender analysis revealed increased activation in females relative to males in fronto-striatal areas during the Switch task, and laterality effects in the Simon task, with females showing increased left inferior prefrontal and temporal activation, and males showing increased right inferior prefrontal and parietal activation. Increased prefrontal activation clusters in females and increased parietal activation clusters in males furthermore overlapped with clusters that were age-correlated across the whole group, potentially reflecting more mature prefrontal brain activation patterns for females, and more mature parietal activation patterns for males. Gender by age interactions further supported this dissociation, revealing exclusive female-specific age correlations in inferior and medial prefrontal brain regions during both tasks, and exclusive male-specific age correlations in superior parietal (Switch task) and temporal regions (Simon task). These findings show increased recruitment of age-correlated prefrontal activation in females, and of age-correlated parietal activation in males, during tasks of cognitive control. Gender differences in frontal and parietal recruitment may thus be related to gender differences in the neurofunctional maturation of these brain regions.

Investigating the effects of nitrous oxide sedation on frontal-parietal interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Ji-Ho; Kim, Pil-Jong; Kim, Hong-Gee; Koo, Yong-Seo; Shin, Teo Jeon

2017-06-09

Although functional connectivity has received considerable attention in the study of consciousness, few studies have investigated functional connectivity limited to the sedated state where consciousness is maintained but impaired. The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in functional connectivity of the parietal-frontal network resulting from nitrous oxide-induced sedation, and to determine the neural correlates of cognitive impairment during consciousness transition states. Electroencephalography was acquired from healthy adult patients who underwent nitrous oxide inhalation to induce cognitive impairment, and was analyzed using Granger causality (GC). Periods of awake, sedation and recovery for GC between frontal and parietal areas in the delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma and total frequency bands were obtained. The Friedman test with post-hoc analysis was conducted for GC values of each period for comparison. As a sedated state was induced by nitrous oxide inhalation, power in the low frequency band showed increased activity in frontal regions that was reversed with discontinuation of nitrous oxide. Feedback and feedforward connections analyzed in spectral GC were changed differently in accordance with EEG frequency bands in the sedated state by nitrous oxide administration. Calculated spectral GC of the theta, alpha, and beta frequency regions in the parietal-to-frontal direction was significantly decreased in the sedated state while spectral GC in the reverse direction did not show significant change. Frontal-parietal functional connectivity is significantly affected by nitrous oxide inhalation. Significantly decreased parietal-to-frontal interaction may induce a sedated state. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MRI and MRV in differentiation of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and venous occlusion in patients with eclampsia or pre-eclampsia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Shuang; Liu Qingxian; Qi Ji

2009-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the role of MRV and MRI in the diagnosis of posterior encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and venous sinus occlusion in patients with eclampsia or pre-eclampsia. Methods: We respectively studied the clinical and imaging data of 27 pre-eclampsia or eclampsia patients who occurred epilepsy, headache, and vision deficient during pregnancy or post partum. All patients underwent MRI and MRV examinations. The imaging protocol included coronal, sagittal, and axial T 1 WI, T 2 WI, FLAIR, DWI, and MRV. Results: 14 patients showed evidence of venous occlusion. Among them, 3 occurred in cortical vein, 4 in superior sagittal sinus, 2 in transverse sinus, l in sigmoid sinus, 2 in deep vein system, 3 in jugular vein, and 2 with complete sinus occlusion. Brain edema distributed in the corresponding area of occlusive sinus and 2 cases combined with secondary hemorrhage. 13 patients suffered from hypertensive encephalopathy. All of the lesions involved arcuate fibre in the bilateral parietal lobe (10 cases), right parietal lobe (2 cases), bilateral occipital lobe (7 cases), bilateral frontal lobe (6 cases), right frontal lobe (3 cases), bilateral temporal lobe (4 cases), left temporo-occipital lobe (1 case), splenium of corpus callosum (1 case), bilateral basal ganglia (2 cases), right basal ganglia (1 case), left centrum semiovale (1 case), and bilateral cerebellar hemisphere (1 case). Both of the lesions of PRES and venous occlusion showed hyperintensity on FLAIR and T 2 WI images, isointensity on DWI and hyperintensity on ADC, indicating vasogenic edema. Decreased lesion extent or completely disappeared was identified in 12 patients on follow-up scans. Conclusion: Lesions of PRES are usually located in the parietal and occipital lobes, especially in white matter. The lesion of venous occlusion usually occurs in the area of corresponding occlusive sinus. The MRV has an important value in diagnosis of PRES and venous sinus occlusion. (authors)

Immunohistochemical study of Metallothionein in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Juárez-Rebollar, Daniel; Alonso-Vanegas, Mario; Nava-Ruíz, Concepción; Buentello-García, Masao; Yescas-Gómez, Petra; Díaz-Ruíz, Araceli; Rios, Camilo; Méndez-Armenta, Marisela

2017-05-01

Epilepsy is characterized by spontaneous recurrent seizures and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common serious neurological example of acquired and frequent epilepsy. Oxidative stress is recognized as playing a contributing role in several neurological disorders, and most recently have been implicated in acquired epilepsies. The MTs occur in several brain regions and may serve as neuroprotective proteins against reactive oxygen species causing oxidative damage and stress. The main aim of this work was to describe the immunohistochemical localization of MT in the specimens derived from the patients affected by TLE. Histopathological examination showed NeuN, GFAP and MT immunopositive cells that were analyzed for determinate in hippocampal and parietal cortex samples. An increase in the reactive gliosis associated with increased MT expression was observed in patients with TLE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Altered Parietal Activation during Non-symbolic Number Comparison in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keri J. Woods

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Number processing is a cognitive domain particularly sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure, which relies on intact parietal functioning. Alcohol-related alterations in brain activation have been found in the parietal lobe during symbolic number processing. However, the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the neural correlates of non-symbolic number comparison and the numerical distance effect have not been investigated. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, we examined differences in brain activation associated with prenatal alcohol exposure in five parietal regions involved in number processing during a non-symbolic number comparison task with varying degrees of difficulty. fMRI results are presented for 27 Cape Colored children (6 fetal alcohol syndome (FAS/partial FAS, 5 heavily exposed (HE non-sydromal, 16 controls; mean age ± SD = 11.7 ± 1.1 years. Fetal alcohol exposure was assessed by interviewing mothers using a timeline follow-back approach. Separate subject analyses were performed in each of five regions of interest, bilateral horizontal intraparietal sulci (IPS, bilateral posterior superior parietal lobules (PSPL, and left angular gyrus (left AG, using the general linear model with predictors for number comparison and difficulty level. Mean percent signal change for each predictor was extracted for each subject for each region to examine group differences and associations with continuous measures of alcohol exposure. Although groups did not differ in performance, controls activated the right PSPL more during non-symbolic number comparison than exposed children, but this was not significant after controlling for maternal smoking, and the right IPS more than children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS or partial FAS. More heavily exposed children recruited the left AG to a greater extent as task difficulty increased, possibly to compensate, in part, for impairments in function in the PSPL and IPS. Notably, in non

A Curious Lobe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andréa Chabot-Naud

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A case of azygos lobe is presented. An azygos lobe is an accessory lobe of the lung that may occasionally be confused with a pathological process such as a bulla, lung abscess or neoplasm. Its pathogenesis is discussed, as are the characteristic x-ray features that enable an accurate diagnosis.

Ipsiversive ictal eye deviation in inferioposterior temporal lobe epilepsy-Two SEEG cases report.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Liu, Xingzhou; Zuo, Lijun; Guo, Qiang; Chen, Qi; Wang, Yongjun

2017-02-21

Versive seizure characterized by conjugate eye movement during epileptic seizure has been considered commonly as one of the most valuable semiological signs for epilepsy localization, especially for frontal lobe epilepsy. However, the lateralizing and localizing significance of ictaleye deviation has been questioned by clinical observation of a series of focal epilepsy studies, including frontal, central, temporal, parietal and occipital epilepsy. Two epileptic cases characterized by ipsiversive eye deviation as initial clinical sign during the habitual epileptic seizures are presented in this paper. The localization of the epileptogenic zone of both of the cases has been confirmed as inferioposterior temporal region by the findings of ictalstereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) and a good result after epileptic surgery. Detailed analysis of the exact position of the key contacts of the SEEG electrodes identified the overlap between the location of the epileptogenic zone and human MT/MST complex, which play a crucial role in the control of smooth pursuit eye movement. Ipsiversive eye deviation could be the initial clinical sign of inferioposterior temporal lobe epilepsy and attribute to the involvement of human MT/MST complex, especially human MST whichwas located on the anterior/dorsal bank of the anterior occipital sulcus (AOS).

Imaging and neuropsychologic study of Alzheimer's disease and multiple infarct dementia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, Tsutomu; Fukatsu, Ryo; Takabatake, Naohiko; Takahashi, Sadaichiro; Morita, Kazuo; Akino, Minoru.

1987-01-01

Iodine-123 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were undertaken in 8 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 7 patients with multiple infarct dementia (MID). Imaging features and their relationship to neuropsychologic findings were examined. The group of AD patients had markedly decreased activity in the bilateral parietal-occipital areas on SPECT and relatively marked atrophy in the corresponding area and thinning in the posterior part of callosal stem on MRI. The group of MID patients had a widespread and inhomogeneously decreased activity in the frontal lobe and mottled decrease of activity in the other cortical areas on SPECT. Neuropsychologic symptoms steming from the parietal-occipital area, which is considered as an causative area for AD, were frequently observed in the AD group, as opposed to the lack of these symptoms in the MID group. In both AD and MID groups, there was a good correlation between the areas with decreased activity on SPECT and atrophy on MRI. These imaging appearances were correlated with the occurrence of neuropsychologic symptoms as well. The importance of the parietal-occipital lobe that is likely responsible for the pathogenesis of dementia for AD is emphasized. (Namekawa, K.)

Activation on occipital lobe in children with abacus mental calculation training: an fMRI study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Xiaojun; Long Jinfeng; Zhao Kunyuan; Li Lixin; Sun Jining; Wang Bin

2011-01-01

Objective: By exploring the activation on occipital lobe in children with and without abacus mental calculation training when they engaged in different calculation tasks with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to identify the possible mechanism of occipital lobe in abacus mental calculation. Methods: fMRI was performed in children trained with and without (sixteen in each group) abacus mental calculation when they engaged in addition, subtraction. multiplication, division, and number-object control judging tasks. The data processing and statistical analysis were performed on SPM 2.0 (statistical parametric mapping 2.0) and the related-brain functional areas were identified. The activation on occipital lobe was observed carefully. The difference in activated areas of occipital lobe was statistically significant between two groups engaged in different tasks of calculations (P<0.01). Result: Bilateral occipital lobe, especially in the cuneus and lingual gyrus, were activated in children trained with abacus mental calculation. The main activated area was lingual gyrus in children without abacus mental calculation. Conclusion: The occipital lobe participates visuospatial processing in the abacus mental calculations. The neuromechanism maybe account for the specific activation in occipital lobe. (authors)

Significance of the Tentorial Alignment in Protecting the Occipital Lobe with the Poppen Approach for Tentorial or Pineal Area Meningiomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Deling; Zhang, Haoyu; Jia, Wang; Zhang, Liwei; Zhang, Junting; Liu, Weiming; Ni, Ming; Jia, Guijun

2017-12-01

We aimed to identify the factors that can predict the risk of occipital lobe damage preoperatively when resecting tumors located at the tentorial or pineal regions with the occipital-transtentorial approach (Poppen approach). In 27 consecutive patients who underwent tumor resection with the Poppen approach for tentorial or pineal region meningiomas, the following morphologic parameters were assessed on a preoperative magnetic resonance imaging: (1) tentorial angle, (2) tentorial length, and (3) the shortest distance from the confluence of the sinus to the tumor. These parameters, together with tumor size, texture, and resection extent, were correlated with occipital lobe damage by using the one-way analysis of variance, χ 2 , or Fisher's exact tests. The mean value was 55.3° ± 5.6° (range, 45°-66°) for the tentorial angle, which was significantly associated with the occipital lobe damage grades (P = 0.008), but this was not the case for the tentorial length (P = 0.802) and the shortest distance from the confluence of the sinus to the tumor (P = 0.695). Interestingly, age was also strongly associated with occipital lobe damage risk (P = 0.020). The patients in the subgroup with no occipital damage (grade 4) were the youngest (aged 47.3 years), compared with other grades, with age of 58.0 years for grade 1, 54.3 years for grade 2, and 58.6 years for grade 3. These 2 parameters were also significant after multivariate analysis. No correlation was observed between either tumor nature or the extent of resection and damage grades. The risk of occipital lobe damage increases in the presence of a steep tentorial angle during the Poppen approach for tentorial or pineal area tumors. Awareness of such anatomic features preoperatively is important for minimizing operative complications. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Visual and auditory reaction time for air traffic controllers using quantitative electroencephalograph (QEEG) data.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbass, Hussein A; Tang, Jiangjun; Ellejmi, Mohamed; Kirby, Stephen

2014-12-01

The use of quantitative electroencephalograph in the analysis of air traffic controllers' performance can reveal with a high temporal resolution those mental responses associated with different task demands. To understand the relationship between visual and auditory correct responses, reaction time, and the corresponding brain areas and functions, air traffic controllers were given an integrated visual and auditory continuous reaction task. Strong correlations were found between correct responses to the visual target and the theta band in the frontal lobe, the total power in the medial of the parietal lobe and the theta-to-beta ratio in the left side of the occipital lobe. Incorrect visual responses triggered activations in additional bands including the alpha band in the medial of the frontal and parietal lobes, and the Sensorimotor Rhythm in the medial of the parietal lobe. Controllers' responses to visual cues were found to be more accurate but slower than their corresponding performance on auditory cues. These results suggest that controllers are more susceptible to overload when more visual cues are used in the air traffic control system, and more errors are pruned as more auditory cues are used. Therefore, workload studies should be carried out to assess the usefulness of additional cues and their interactions with the air traffic control environment.

Meta-analysis: how does posterior parietal cortex contribute to reasoning?

Science.gov (United States)

Wendelken, Carter

2015-01-01

Reasoning depends on the contribution of posterior parietal cortex (PPC). But PPC is involved in many basic operations—including spatial attention, mathematical cognition, working memory, long-term memory, and language—and the nature of its contribution to reasoning is unclear. Psychological theories of the processes underlying reasoning make divergent claims about the neural systems that are likely to be involved, and better understanding the specific contribution of PPC can help to inform these theories. We set out to address several competing hypotheses, concerning the role of PPC in reasoning: (1) reasoning involves application of formal logic and is dependent on language, with PPC activation for reasoning mainly reflective of linguistic processing; (2) reasoning involves probabilistic computation and is thus dependent on numerical processing mechanisms in PPC; and (3) reasoning is built upon the representation and processing of spatial relations, and PPC activation associated with reasoning reflects spatial processing. We conducted two separate meta-analyses. First, we pooled data from our own studies of reasoning in adults, and examined activation in PPC regions of interest (ROI). Second, we conducted an automated meta-analysis using Neurosynth, in which we examined overlap between activation maps associated with reasoning and maps associated with other key functions of PPC. In both analyses, we observed reasoning-related activation concentrated in the left Inferior Parietal Lobe (IPL). Reasoning maps demonstrated the greatest overlap with mathematical cognition. Maintenance, visuospatial, and phonological processing also demonstrated some overlap with reasoning, but a large portion of the reasoning map did not overlap with the map for any other function. This evidence suggests that the PPC’s contribution to reasoning may be most closely related to its role in mathematical cognition, but that a core component of this contribution may be specific to

Meta-analysis: How does posterior parietal cortex contribute to reasoning?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carter eWendelken

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Reasoning depends on the contribution of posterior parietal cortex (PPC. But PPC is involved in many basic operations -- including spatial attention, mathematical cognition, working memory, long-term memory, and language -- and the nature of its contribution to reasoning is unclear. Psychological theories of the processes underlying reasoning make divergent claims about the neural systems that are likely to be involved, and better understanding the specific contribution of PPC can help to inform these theories. We set out to address several competing hypotheses, concerning the role of PPC in reasoning: 1 reasoning involves application of formal logic and is dependent on language, with PPC activation for reasoning mainly reflective of linguistic processing, 2 reasoning involves probabilistic computation and is thus dependent on numerical processing mechanisms in PPC, and 3 reasoning is built upon the representation and processing of spatial relations, and PPC activation associated with reasoning reflects spatial processing. We conducted two separate meta-analyses. First, we pooled data from our own studies of reasoning in adults, and examined activation in PPC regions of interest. Second, we conducted an automated meta-analysis using Neurosynth, in which we examined overlap between activation maps associated with reasoning and maps associated with other key functions of PPC. In both analyses, we observed reasoning-related activation concentrated in the left Inferior Parietal Lobe (IPL. Reasoning maps demonstrated the greatest overlap with mathematical cognition. Maintenance, visuospatial, and phonological processing also demonstrated some overlap with reasoning, but a large portion of the reasoning map did not overlap with the map for any other function. This evidence suggests that the PPC’s contribution to reasoning may be most closely related to its role in mathematical cognition, but that a core component of this contribution may be specific

Controversies over the mechanisms underlying the crucial role of the left fronto-parietal areas in the representation of tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido eGainotti

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Anatomo-clinical and neuroimaging data show that the left fronto-parietal areas play an important role in representing tools. As manipulation is an important source of knowledge about tools, it has been assumed that motor activity explains the link between tool knowledge and the left fronto-parietal areas. However, controversies exist over the exact mechanisms underlying this relationship. According to a strong version of the ‘embodied cognition theory’, activation of a tool concept necessarily involves re-enactment of the corresponding kind of action. Impairment of the ability to use tools should, therefore, lead to impairment of tool knowledge. Both the ‘domains of knowledge hypothesis’ and the ‘sensory-motor model of conceptual knowledge’ refute the strong version of the ‘embodied cognition hypothesis’ but acknowledge that manipulation and other action schemata play an important role in our knowledge of tools. The basic difference between these two models is that the former is based on an innatist model and the latter holds that the brain’s organization of categories is experience dependent. Data supporting and arguing against each of these models are briefly reviewed. In particular, the following lines of research, which argue against the innate nature of the brain’s categorical organization, are discussed: (1 the observation that in patients with category-specific disorders the semantic impairment does not respect the boundaries between biological entities and artefact items; (2 data showing that experience-driven neuroplasticity in musicians is not confined to alterations of perceptual and motor maps but also leads to the establishment of higher-level semantic representations for musical instruments; (3 results of experiments using previously unfamiliar materials showing that the history of our sensory-motor experience with an object significantly affects its neural representation.

Region-specific maturation of cerebral cortex in human fetal brain: diffusion tensor imaging and histology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trivedi, Richa; Gupta, Rakesh K.; Saksena, Sona; Husain, Nuzhat; Srivastava, Savita; Rathore, Ram K.S.; Sarma, Manoj K.; Malik, Gyanendra K.; Das, Vinita; Pradhan, Mandakini; Pandey, Chandra M.; Narayana, Ponnada A.

2009-01-01

In this study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemical analysis in different cortical regions in fetal brains at different gestational age (GA) were performed. DTI was performed on 50 freshly aborted fetal brains with GA ranging from 12 to 42 weeks to compare age-related fractional anisotropy (FA) changes in different cerebral cortical regions that include frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes at the level of thalami. GFAP immunostaining was performed and the percentage of GFAP-positive areas was quantified. The cortical FA values in the frontal lobe peaked at around 26 weeks of GA, occipital and temporal lobes at around 20 weeks, and parietal lobe at around 23 weeks. A significant, but modest, positive correlation (r=0.31, p=0.02) was observed between cortical FA values and percentage area of GFAP expression in cortical region around the time period during which the migrational events are at its peak, i.e., GA ≤ 28 weeks for frontal cortical region and GA≤22 weeks for rest of the lobes. The DTI-derived FA quantification with its GFAP immunohistologic correlation in cortical regions of the various lobes of the cerebral hemispheres supports region-specific migrational and maturational events in human fetal brain. (orig.)

Region-specific maturation of cerebral cortex in human fetal brain: diffusion tensor imaging and histology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trivedi, Richa; Gupta, Rakesh K.; Saksena, Sona [Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Radiodiagnosis, Lucknow, UP (India); Husain, Nuzhat; Srivastava, Savita [CSM Medical University, Department of Pathology, Lucknow (India); Rathore, Ram K.S.; Sarma, Manoj K. [Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Kanpur (India); Malik, Gyanendra K. [CSM Medical University, Department of Pediatrics, Lucknow (India); Das, Vinita [CSM Medical University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lucknow (India); Pradhan, Mandakini [Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Genetics, Lucknow (India); Pandey, Chandra M. [Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Biostatistics, Lucknow (India); Narayana, Ponnada A. [University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, Houston, TX (United States)

2009-09-15

In this study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemical analysis in different cortical regions in fetal brains at different gestational age (GA) were performed. DTI was performed on 50 freshly aborted fetal brains with GA ranging from 12 to 42 weeks to compare age-related fractional anisotropy (FA) changes in different cerebral cortical regions that include frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes at the level of thalami. GFAP immunostaining was performed and the percentage of GFAP-positive areas was quantified. The cortical FA values in the frontal lobe peaked at around 26 weeks of GA, occipital and temporal lobes at around 20 weeks, and parietal lobe at around 23 weeks. A significant, but modest, positive correlation (r=0.31, p=0.02) was observed between cortical FA values and percentage area of GFAP expression in cortical region around the time period during which the migrational events are at its peak, i.e., GA {<=} 28 weeks for frontal cortical region and GA{<=}22 weeks for rest of the lobes. The DTI-derived FA quantification with its GFAP immunohistologic correlation in cortical regions of the various lobes of the cerebral hemispheres supports region-specific migrational and maturational events in human fetal brain. (orig.)

Determinants of brain metabolism changes in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chassoux, Francine; Artiges, Eric; Semah, Franck; Desarnaud, Serge; Laurent, Agathe; Landre, Elisabeth; Gervais, Philippe; Devaux, Bertrand; Helal, Ourkia Badia

2016-06-01

To determine the main factors influencing metabolic changes in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) due to hippocampal sclerosis (HS). We prospectively studied 114 patients with MTLE (62 female; 60 left HS; 15- to 56-year-olds) with (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and correlated the results with the side of HS, structural atrophy, electroclinical features, gender, age at onset, epilepsy duration, and seizure frequency. Imaging processing was performed using statistical parametric mapping. Ipsilateral hypometabolism involved temporal (mesial structures, pole, and lateral cortex) and extratemporal areas including the insula, frontal lobe, perisylvian regions, and thalamus, more extensively in right HS (RHS). A relative increase of metabolism (hypermetabolism) was found in the nonepileptic temporal lobe and in posterior areas bilaterally. Voxel-based morphometry detected unilateral hippocampus atrophy and gray matter concentration decrease in both frontal lobes, more extensively in left HS (LHS). Regardless of the structural alterations, the topography of hypometabolism correlated strongly with the extent of epileptic networks (mesial, anterior-mesiolateral, widespread mesiolateral, and bitemporal according to the ictal spread), which were larger in RHS. Notably, widespread perisylvian and bitemporal hypometabolism was found only in RHS. Mirror hypermetabolism was grossly proportional to the hypometabolic areas, coinciding partly with the default mode network. Gender-related effect was significant mainly in the contralateral frontal lobe, in which metabolism was higher in female patients. Epilepsy duration correlated with the contralateral temporal metabolism, positively in LHS and negatively in RHS. Opposite results were found with age at onset. High seizure frequency correlated negatively with the contralateral metabolism in LHS. Epileptic networks, as assessed by electroclinical correlations, appear to be the main determinant of

Fractionation of parietal function in bistable perception probed with concurrent TMS-EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Schauer, Georg; Chang, Acer; Schwartzman, David; Rae, Charlotte L; Iriye, Heather; Seth, Anil K; Kanai, Ryota

2016-08-16

When visual input has conflicting interpretations, conscious perception can alternate spontaneously between these possible interpretations. This is called bistable perception. Previous neuroimaging studies have indicated the involvement of two right parietal areas in resolving perceptual ambiguity (ant-SPLr and post-SPLr). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies that selectively interfered with the normal function of these regions suggest that they play opposing roles in this type of perceptual switch. In the present study, we investigated this fractionation of parietal function by use of combined TMS with electroencephalography (EEG). Specifically, while participants viewed either a bistable stimulus, a replay stimulus, or resting-state fixation, we applied single pulse TMS to either location independently while simultaneously recording EEG. Combined with participant's individual structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, this dataset allows for complex analyses of the effect of TMS on neural time series data, which may further elucidate the causal role of the parietal cortex in ambiguous perception.

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Nickels, Katherine C.; Wong-Kisiel, Lily C.; Moseley, Brian D.; Wirrell, Elaine C.

2012-01-01

The temporal lobe is a common focus for epilepsy. Temporal lobe epilepsy in infants and children differs from the relatively homogeneous syndrome seen in adults in several important clinical and pathological ways. Seizure semiology varies by age, and the ictal EEG pattern may be less clear cut than what is seen in adults. Additionally, the occurrence of intractable seizures in the developing brain may impact neurocognitive function remote from the temporal area. While many children will respond favorably to medical therapy, those with focal imaging abnormalities including cortical dysplasia, hippocampal sclerosis, or low-grade tumors are likely to be intractable. Expedient workup and surgical intervention in these medically intractable cases are needed to maximize long-term developmental outcome. PMID:22957247

Cerebral hemorrhage without manifest motor paralysis. Reports of 5 cases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taketani, T.; Dohi, I.; Miyazaki, T.; Handa, A. (Central Hospital of JNR, Tokyo (Japan))

1982-01-01

Before the introduction of computerized tomography (CT) there were some cases of intracerebral bleeding who were wrongly diagnosed as hypertensive encephalopathy or senile psychosis. We here report 5 cases who did not show any sign of motor paralysis. The clinical aspects of these cases were nausea and vomiting with dizziness (case 1), nausea and vomiting with slight headache (case 2), agnosia of left side with several kinds of disorientation (case 3), nausea and vomiting (case 4), and visual disturbance of right, lower quadrant (case 5). All of these cases showed no motor paralysis or abnormal reflex activities. By examination with CT each of them exhibited a high density area in the subcortical area of the right parietal lobe, the subcortical area of the right occipital lobe, the right temporal and parietal lobe, rather small portion of the left putamen and external capsule, and the subcortical area of left occipital lobe, respectively. Patients of cerebral hemorrhage without motor or sensory disturbances might often be taken for some psychic abnormality. We here have emphasized the importance of CT in such a group of patients. But for this technique, most of them would not be given adequate treatment and might be exposed to lifethreatening situations.

Cerebral hemorrhage without manifest motor paralysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taketani, Torao; Dohi, Ichiro; Miyazaki, Tadahiko; Handa, Akihisa

1982-01-01

Before the introduction of computerized tomography (CT) there were some cases of intracerebral bleeding who were wrongly diagnosed as hypertensive encephalopathy or senile psychosis. We here report 5 cases who did not show any sign of motor paralysis. The clinical aspects of these cases were nausea and vomiting with dizziness (case 1), nausea and vomiting with slight headache (case 2), agnosia of left side with several kinds of disorientation (case 3), nausea and vomiting (case 4), and visual disturbance of right, lower quadrant (case 5). All of these cases showed no motor paralysis or abnormal reflex activities. By examination with CT each of them exhibited a high density area in the subcortical area of the right parietal lobe, the subcortical area of the right occipital lobe, the right temporal and parietal lobe, rather small portion of the left putamen and external capsule, and the subcortical area of left occipital lobe, respectively. Patients of cerebral hemorrhage without motor or sensory disturbances might often be taken for some psychic abnormality. We here have emphasized the importance of CT in such a group of patients. But for this technique, most of them would not be given adequate treatment and might be exposed to lifethreatening situations. (author)

The role of parietal cortex in the formation of colour and motion based concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel William Cheadle

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Imaging evidence shows that separate subdivisions of parietal cortex, in and around the intraparietal sulcus (IPS, are engaged when stimuli are grouped according to colour and to motion (Zeki and Stutters 2013. Since grouping is an essential step in the formation of concepts, we wanted to learn whether parietal cortex is also engaged in the formation of concepts according to these two attributes. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, and choosing the recognition of concept-based colour or motion stimuli as our paradigm, we found that there was strong concept-related activity in and around the intraparietal sulcus (IPS, a region whose homologue in the macaque monkey is known to receive direct but segregated anatomical inputs from V4 and V5. Parietal activity related to colour concepts was juxtaposed but did not overlap with activity related to motion concepts, thus emphasizing the continuation of the segregation of colour and motion into the conceptual system. Concurrent retinotopic mapping experiments showed that within the parietal cortex, concept-related activity increases within later stage IPS areas.

CT anatomy of para-caval portion of the caudate lobe of the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsui, Osamu; Takashima, Tsutomu; Kadoya, Masumi; Hirose, Jinichiro; Kameyama, Tomiaki; Choto, Shuichi; Konishi, Hideo

1988-01-01

Computed tomographic (CT) anatomy of the right border of the caudate lobe had been unclear. Recently, Kumon studied in full detail the anatomy of the caudate branches of the portal vein by corrosion liver cast study and revealed the para-caval portion (PCP) of the caudate lobe extending just right to the Spiegel lobe from the caudate process to the area between the roots of the right and middle hepatic veins. According to Kumon's study, we analyzed the perfusion defects seen on CT during arterial portography performed in patients with intrahepatic portal vein obstruction and studied CT anatomy of PCP. As a result, we consider that the area between the roots of the right and middle hepatic veins belongs to PCP in more than 70 % of patients. Therefore, we think that the area between the roots of the right and middle hepatic veins which had been classified as being in the anterior suprior area (S 8 ) should be reclassified as being in the caudate lobe (S 1 ). (author)

CT anatomy of para-caval portion of the caudate lobe of the liver

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsui, Osamu; Takashima, Tsutomu; Kadoya, Masumi; Hirose, Jinichiro; Kameyama, Tomiaki; Choto, Shuichi; Konishi, Hideo

1988-07-01

Computed tomographic (CT) anatomy of the right border of the caudate lobe had been unclear. Recently, Kumon studied in full detail the anatomy of the caudate branches of the portal vein by corrosion liver cast study and revealed the para-caval portion (PCP) of the caudate lobe extending just right to the Spiegel lobe from the caudate process to the area between the roots of the right and middle hepatic veins. According to Kumon's study, we analyzed the perfusion defects seen on CT during arterial portography performed in patients with intrahepatic portal vein obstruction and studied CT anatomy of PCP. As a result, we consider that the area between the roots of the right and middle hepatic veins belongs to PCP in more than 70 % of patients. Therefore, we think that the area between the roots of the right and middle hepatic veins which had been classified as being in the anterior suprior area (S/sub 8/) should be reclassified as being in the caudate lobe (S/sub 1/).

Regional glucose metabolism within cortical Brodmann areas in healthy individuals and autistic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazlett, Erin A; Buchsbaum, Monte S; Hsieh, Pauline; Haznedar, M Mehmet; Platholi, Jimcy; LiCalzi, Elizabeth M; Cartwright, Charles; Hollander, Eric

2004-01-01

A new Brodmann area (BA) delineation approach was applied to FDG-PET scans of autistic patients and healthy volunteers (n = 17 in each group) to examine relative glucose metabolism (rGMR) during performance of a verbal memory task. In the frontal lobe, patients had lower rGMR in medial/cingulate regions (BA 32, 24, 25) but not in lateral regions (BA 8-10) compared with healthy controls. Patients had higher rGMR in occipital (BA 19) and parietal regions (BA 39) compared with controls, but there were no group differences in temporal lobe regions. Among controls, better recall and use of the semantic-clustering strategy was associated with greater lateral and medial frontal rGMR, while decreased rGMR in medial-frontal regions was associated with greater perseverative/intrusion errors. Patients failed to show these patterns. Autism patients have dysfunction in some but not all of the key brain regions subserving verbal memory performance, and other regions may be recruited for task performance. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Nuclear Glycogen Inclusions in Canine Parietal Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Silvestri, S; Lepri, E; Dall'Aglio, C; Marchesi, M C; Vitellozzi, G

2017-05-01

Nuclear glycogen inclusions occur infrequently in pathologic conditions but also in normal human and animal tissues. Their function or significance is unclear. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no reports of nuclear glycogen inclusions in canine parietal cells exist. After initial observations of nuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions during routine histopathology, the authors retrospectively examined samples of gastric mucosa from dogs presenting with gastrointestinal signs for the presence of intranuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions and determined their composition using histologic and electron-microscopic methods. In 24 of 108 cases (22%), the authors observed various numbers of intranuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions within scattered parietal cells. Nuclei were characterized by marked karyomegaly and chromatin margination around a central optically empty or slightly eosinophilic area. The intranuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions stained positive with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and were diastase sensitive, consistent with glycogen. Several PAS-positive/diastase-sensitive sections were further examined by transmission electron microscopy, also using periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCH-SP) staining to identify polysaccharides. Ultrastructurally, the nuclear inclusions were composed of electron-dense particles that were not membrane bound, without evidence of nuclear membrane invaginations or cytoplasmic organelles in the nuclei, and positive staining with PA-TCH-SP, confirming a glycogen composition. No cytoplasmic glycogen deposits were observed, suggesting that the intranuclear glycogen inclusions were probably synthesized in loco. Nuclear glycogen inclusions were not associated with gastritis or colonization by Helicobacter-like organisms ( P > .05). Our findings suggest that nuclear glycogen inclusions in canine parietal cells could be an incidental finding. Nevertheless, since nuclear glycogen is present in several pathologic

Agnosia for mirror stimuli: a new case report with a small parietal lesion.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinaud, Olivier; Mirlink, Nicolas; Bioux, Sandrine; Bliaux, Evangéline; Lebas, Axel; Gerardin, Emmanuel; Hannequin, Didier

2014-11-01

Only seven cases of agnosia for mirror stimuli have been reported, always with an extensive lesion. We report a new case of an agnosia for mirror stimuli due to a circumscribed lesion. An extensive battery of neuropsychological tests and a new experimental procedure to assess visual object mirror and orientation discrimination were assessed 10 days after the onset of clinical symptoms, and 5 years later. The performances of our patient were compared with those of four healthy control subjects matched for age. This test revealed an agnosia for mirror stimuli. Brain imaging showed a small right occipitoparietal hematoma, encompassing the extrastriate cortex adjoining the inferior parietal lobe. This new case suggests that: (i) agnosia for mirror stimuli can persist for 5 years after onset and (ii) the posterior part of the right intraparietal sulcus could be critical in the cognitive process of mirror stimuli discrimination. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sylvian Fissure and Parietal Anatomy in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tracey A. Knaus

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Autism spectrum disorder (ASD is characterized by deficits in social functioning and language and communication, with restricted interests or stereotyped behaviors. Anatomical differences have been found in the parietal cortex in children with ASD, but parietal subregions and associations between Sylvian fissure (SF and parietal anatomy have not been explored. In this study, SF length and anterior and posterior parietal volumes were measured on MRI in 30 right-handed boys with ASD and 30 right-handed typically developing boys (7–14 years, matched on age and non-verbal IQ. There was leftward SF and anterior parietal asymmetry, and rightward posterior parietal asymmetry, across groups. There were associations between SF and parietal asymmetries, with slight group differences. Typical SF asymmetry was associated with typical anterior and posterior parietal asymmetry, in both groups. In the atypical SF asymmetry group, controls had atypical parietal asymmetry, whereas in ASD there were more equal numbers of individuals with typical as atypical anterior parietal asymmetry. We did not find significant anatomical-behavioral associations. Our findings of more individuals in the ASD group having a dissociation between cortical asymmetries warrants further investigation of these subgroups and emphasizes the importance of investigating anatomical relationships in addition to group differences in individual regions.

An fMRI study during finger movement tasks and recalling finger movement tasks in normal subjects and schizophrenia patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueno, Takefumi

2003-01-01

Using fMRI, we investigated the region of the brain, which was activated by the finger movement tasks (F1) and the recalling finger movement tasks (F2). Six right-handed age-matched healthy controls and six Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) Schizophrenia patients were included in the study. In healthy controls, contralateral motor area, supplementary motor area and somatosensory area were all activated during F1 and F2. However the contralateral parietal lobe (supramarginal gyrus etc) and ipsilateral cerebellum were also activated during F2. In schizophrenia patients, the contralateral motor area was activated during F1, but the activated region was smaller than that observed in healthy subjects. During F2, the bilateral parietal lobes (sensorimotor cortices, association cortex) were activated, while the activated regions were smaller than those seen in healthy controls and no laterality was observed. In addition, no laterality of the activated regions was clearly observed. These results suggest that the function of recalling motor tasks can be mapped onto the contralateral motor area, somatosensory area, supplementary motor area, parietal association cortices, and ipsilateral cerebellum. In schizophrenia patients, the activated regions are smaller than those observed in healthy controls, and parietal regions are also activated bilaterally during recalling motor tasks. Schizophrenia patients may therefore process to recall motor task differently from healthy subjects while also demonstrate less laterality of the brain. (author)

A new approach for improving diagnostic accuracy in Alzheimer's disease and frontal lobe dementia utilising the intrinsic properties of the SPET dataset

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pagani, Marco; Kovalev, Vassili A.; Lundqvist, Roger; Thurfjell, Lennart; Jacobsson, Hans; Larsson, Stig A.

2003-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontal lobe dementia (FLD) show characteristic patterns of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). However, these patterns may overlap with those observed in the aging brain in elderly normal individuals. The aim of this study was to develop a new method for better classification and recognition of AD and FLD cases as compared with normal controls. Forty-six patients with AD, 7 patients with FLD and 34 normal controls (CTR) were included in the study. rCBF was assessed by technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime and a three-headed single-photon emission tomography (SPET) camera. A brain atlas was used to define volumes of interest (VOIs) corresponding to the brain lobes. In addition to conventional image processing methods, based on count density/voxel, the new approach also analysed other intrinsic properties of the data by means of gradient computation steps. Hereby, five factors were assessed and tested separately: the mean count density/voxel and its histogram, the mean gradient and its histogram, and the gradient angle co-occurrence matrix. A feature vector concatenating single features was also created and tested. Preliminary feature discrimination was performed using a two-sided t-test and a K-means clustering was then used to classify the image sets into categories. Finally, five-dimensional co-occurrence matrices combining the different intrinsic properties were computed for each VOI, and their ability to recognise the group to which each individual scan belonged was investigated. For correct classification of the AD-CTR groups, the gradient histogram in the parieto-temporal lobes was the most useful single feature (accuracy 91%). FLD and CTR were better classified by the count density/voxel histogram (frontal and occipital lobes) and by the mean gradient (frontal, temporal and parietal lobes, accuracy 98%). For AD and FLD the count density/voxel histogram in the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes classified the groups

Parietal cortex and representation of the mental Self

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lou, Hans C; Luber, Bruce; Crupain, Michael

2004-01-01

For a coherent and meaningful life, conscious self-representation is mandatory. Such explicit "autonoetic consciousness" is thought to emerge by retrieval of memory of personally experienced events ("episodic memory"). During episodic retrieval, functional imaging studies consistently show....... The medial parietal region may, then, be conceived of as a nodal structure in self-representation, functionally connected to both the right parietal and the medial prefrontal cortices. To determine whether medial parietal cortex in this network is essential for episodic memory retrieval with self...

MRI findings of temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakahara, Ichiro; Yin, Dali; Fukami, Masahiro; Kondo, Seiji; Takeuchi, Juji; Kanemoto, Kousuke; Sengoku, Akira; Kawai, Itsuo

1992-01-01

MRI findings were analyzed retrospectively in 46 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in which the side of epileptogenic focus had been confirmed by EEG studies. T 1 - and T 2 -weighted images were obtained by the use of a 1.0 or 1.5 T superconducting-type MRI machine with a coronal scan perpendicular to the axis of the temporal horn of the lateral ventricle. Additional axial and sagittal scans were performed in some cases. The area of the hippocampal body was measured quantitatively using a computerized image-analysis system in 26 cases in which the hippocampus had been visualized with enough contrast on T 1 -weighted coronal images. Abnormal findings were observed in 31/46 (67%) cases. Hippocampal (HC) and temporal lobe (TL) atrophy were observed in 18/46 (39%) and 23/46 (50%) cases respectively, and the side of the atrophy corresponded with the side of the epileptogenic focus, as confirmed by EEG studies, with specificities of 89% and 74% respectively. A quantitative measurement of the area of the hippocampal body showed unilateral hippocampal atrophy more than 10% in 18/25 (69%) cases (10-25%: 10 cases, 25-50%: 7 cases, 50% 2 abnormality was observed in only 4 cases. Structural lesions were observed in 4 cases including an arachnoid cyst, an astrocytoma in amygdala, the Dandy-Walker syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis, using the more efficient imaging qualities than the CT scan. From these observations, it is apparant that superconducting MRI is extremely useful in the diagnosis of the epileptogenic topography of temporal lobe epilepsy. Particularly, hippocampal atrophy was found to correspond with the side of the epileptogenic focus on EEG with a high specificity; its quantitative evaluation could be one of the most important standards in detecting the operative indications for temporal lobe epilepsy. (author)

Functional interaction between right parietal and bilateral frontal cortices during visual search tasks revealed using functional magnetic imaging and transcranial direct current stimulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Ellison

Full Text Available The existence of a network of brain regions which are activated when one undertakes a difficult visual search task is well established. Two primary nodes on this network are right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC and right frontal eye fields. Both have been shown to be involved in the orientation of attention, but the contingency that the activity of one of these areas has on the other is less clear. We sought to investigate this question by using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS to selectively decrease activity in rPPC and then asking participants to perform a visual search task whilst undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Comparison with a condition in which sham tDCS was applied revealed that cathodal tDCS over rPPC causes a selective bilateral decrease in frontal activity when performing a visual search task. This result demonstrates for the first time that premotor regions within the frontal lobe and rPPC are not only necessary to carry out a visual search task, but that they work together to bring about normal function.

Motor imagery training: Kinesthetic imagery strategy and inferior parietal fMRI activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lebon, Florent; Horn, Ulrike; Domin, Martin; Lotze, Martin

2018-04-01

Motor imagery (MI) is the mental simulation of action frequently used by professionals in different fields. However, with respect to performance, well-controlled functional imaging studies on MI training are sparse. We investigated changes in fMRI representation going along with performance changes of a finger sequence (error and velocity) after MI training in 48 healthy young volunteers. Before training, we tested the vividness of kinesthetic and visual imagery. During tests, participants were instructed to move or to imagine moving the fingers of the right hand in a specific order. During MI training, participants repeatedly imagined the sequence for 15 min. Imaging analysis was performed using a full-factorial design to assess brain changes due to imagery training. We also used regression analyses to identify those who profited from training (performance outcome and gain) with initial imagery scores (vividness) and fMRI activation magnitude during MI at pre-test (MI pre ). After training, error rate decreased and velocity increased. We combined both parameters into a common performance index. FMRI activation in the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) was associated with MI and increased over time. In addition, fMRI activation in the right IPL during MI pre was associated with high initial kinesthetic vividness. High kinesthetic imagery vividness predicted a high performance after training. In contrast, occipital activation, associated with visual imagery strategies, showed a negative predictive value for performance. Our data echo the importance of high kinesthetic vividness for MI training outcome and consider IPL as a key area during MI and through MI training. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cognitive Functioning in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: A BOLD-fMRI Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Lili; Bai, Genji; Zhang, Hui; Lu, Daoyan; Zheng, Jiyong; Xu, Gang

2017-12-01

We aimed to analyze the association between resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (re-fMRI) and cognitive function (including language, executive, and memory functions) in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients, which will help to explore the mechanism of brain function in patients. 15 TLE patients and 15 non-TLE patients were recruited. All subjects underwent neuropsychological testing and memory functional evaluation. Changes in verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ), performance intelligence quotient (PIQ), full intelligence quotient (FIQ), and memory quotient (MQ) were compared between two groups. Re-fMRI data were also collected from two groups to evaluate these changes. Each individual score of neuropsychological testing and memory functional evaluation were higher in control group, which was statistically different (all P temporal gyrus back, right superior temporal gyrus, left cerebellum, left angular gyrus, left wedge anterior lobe, and left central back; while the negatively activated brain regions were left prefrontal, right cerebellum, right corner back, and right anterior cingulate gyrus. During the language task, the activated brain regions of the TLE patients were right prefrontal lobe, the lateral temporal gyri, the left cerebellum, left cornu laterale gyrus, left precuneus, and the left postcentral gyrus, whereas the negatively activated brain areas were the left prefrontal cortex, the right cerebellum, right cornu laterale gyrus, and the right anterior cingulate gyrus. During the executive task, epilepsy patients showed activation difference in right prefrontal and right frontal lobe and right brain, left superior temporal gyrus, and right cerebellum anterior lobe compared with the control group; no negatively activated differences in brain areas. During the memory task, the difference lay in bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus and bilateral wedge anterior lobe while the negatively activated brain areas were the left inferior frontal

IMAGING OF BRAIN FUNCTION BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY - IMAGING ANALYSIS OF BRAIN FUNCTION BY FMRI AFTER ACUPUNCTURE AT LR3 IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yu; Wang, Yuying; Lan, Yujun; Qu, Xiaodong; Lin, Kelin; Zhang, Jiping; Qu, Shanshan; Wang, Yanjie; Tang, Chunzhi; Huang, Yong

2016-01-01

This Study observed the relevant brain areas activated by acupuncture at the Taichong acupoint (LR3) and analyzed the functional connectivity among brain areas using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the acupoint specificity of the Taichong acupoint. A total of 45 healthy subjects were randomly divided into the Taichong (LR3) group, sham acupuncture group and sham acupoint group. Subjects received resting state fMRI before acupuncture, after true (sham) acupuncture in each group. Analysis of changes in connectivity among the brain areas was performed using the brain functional connectivity method. The right cerebrum temporal lobe was selected as the seed point to analyze the functional connectivity. It had a functional connectivity with right cerebrum superior frontal gyrus, limbic lobe cingulate gyrus and left cerebrum inferior temporal gyrus (BA 37), inferior parietal lobule compared by before vs. after acupuncture at LR3, and right cerebrum sub-lobar insula and left cerebrum middle frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus compared by true vs. sham acupuncture at LR3, and right cerebrum occipital lobe cuneus, occipital lobe sub-gyral, parietal lobe precuneus and left cerebellum anterior lobe culmen by acupuncture at LR3 vs. sham acupoint. Acupuncture at LR3 mainly specifically activated the brain functional network that participates in visual function, associative function, and emotion cognition, which are similar to the features on LR3 in tradition Chinese medicine. These brain areas constituted a neural network structure with specific functions that had specific reference values for the interpretation of the acupoint specificity of the Taichong acupoint.

Frontal lobe epilepsy may present as myoclonic seizures.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Yong Won; Yi, Sang Doe; Motamedi, Gholam K

2010-04-01

We describe a patient with seizures arising from right anterior-inferior frontal lobe presenting as myoclonic epilepsy. A 19-year-old man had experienced frequent paroxysmal bilateral myoclonic jerks involving his upper arms, shoulders, neck, and upper trunk since the age of 10. His baseline EEG showed intermittent right frontal spikes, and his ictal EEG showed rhythmic sharp theta discharges in the same area. MRI revealed cortical dysplasia in the right inferior frontal gyrus, and ictal-interictal SPECT analysis by SPM showed increased signal abnormality in this region. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) showed defects in fasciculi in the same area. These findings suggest that frontal lobe epilepsy should be considered in some patients with myoclonic seizures. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inverted Lobes Have Satisfactory Functions Compared With Noninverted Lobes in Lung Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kayawake, Hidenao; Chen-Yoshikawa, Toyofumi F; Motoyama, Hideki; Hamaji, Masatsugu; Hijiya, Kyoko; Aoyama, Akihiro; Goda, Yasufumi; Oda, Hiromi; Ueda, Satoshi; Date, Hiroshi

2018-04-01

To overcome the problem of small-for-size grafts in standard living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT), we developed inverted LDLLT, in which a right lower lobe from 1 donor is implanted as a right graft and another right lower lobe from another donor is implanted as a left graft. We retrospectively analyzed the functions of inverted grafts vs noninverted grafts. Between 2008 and 2015, 64 LDLLTs were performed. Included were 35 LDLLTs whose recipients were adults and monitored for more than 6 months without developing chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Among them, 65 implanted lobes were eligible for this analysis. There were 31 right lower lobes implanted as right grafts (right-to-right group), 7 right lower lobes as inverted left grafts (right-to-left group), and 27 left lower lobes as left grafts (left-to-left group). We evaluated the graft forced vital capacity (G-FVC) and graft volume of the 65 lobes before and 6 months after LDLLT and compared them among the three groups. Preoperatively, G-FVC in the right-to-left group (1,050 mL) was comparable to that in the right-to-right group (1,177 mL) and better than that in the left-to-left group (791 mL, p satisfactory compared with those of noninverted grafts. Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A case of luftsichel sign for left upper lobe collapse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erden Erol Ünlüer

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The differential diagnosis of dyspnea in Emergency Department (ED patients is broad and atelectasis is one of the differentials among these. We present a 29-year-old women presented to our ED for evaluation of shortness of breath. On her chest examination, air entry and breath sounds were diminished on the left side but normal on the right. A posteroanterior chest radiograph showed radioluscent area in the upper zone of the left lung, around the aortic arch and also hyperdens area neighbouring this, like covered by a veil. Luftsichel sign together with this hiperdensity were consistent with the diagnose of left lung upper lobe collapse. The Luftsichel sign represents the hyperexpanded superior segment of the left lower lobe interposed between the atelectatic left upper lobe and aortic arch. Patient was discharged to home with chest physiotherapy and breathing exercises together with analgesic prescreption.

Frontal Lobe Seizures

Science.gov (United States)

... cause of frontal lobe epilepsy remains unknown. Complications Status epilepticus. Frontal lobe seizures tend to occur in clusters and may provoke a dangerous condition called status epilepticus — in which seizure activity lasts much longer than ...

Clinical-physiologic correlates of Alzheimer's disease and frontal lobe dementia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jagust, W.J.; Reed, B.R.; Seab, J.P.; Kramer, J.H.; Budinger, T.F.

1989-01-01

Thirty patients with degenerative dementia underwent clinical evaluation, neuropsychological testing, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with the blood flow tracer [ 123 I]-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine. Five of these patients were clinically and psychologically different from the others, demonstrating predominant behavioral disturbances with relative preservation of memory function. These five patients, who were felt to have a frontal lobe dementia (FLD), showed SPECT perfusion patterns which differed from the remaining 25 patients, who were diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease (AD), and from 16 healthy control subjects. The FLD patients showed diminished perfusion in orbitofrontal, dorsolateral frontal, and temporal cortex relative to controls, while the AD patients showed lower perfusion in temporal and parietal cortex than controls. The FLD patients also showed hypoperfusion in both frontal cortical regions relative to AD patients. The pattern of performance on neuropsychological testing paralleled these differences in regional perfusion. These results suggest that clinical evaluation and physiological imaging may enable the differentiation of groups of degenerative dementia patients during life

Fronto-parietal contributions to phonological processes in successful artificial grammar learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariya Goranskaya

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Sensitivity to regularities plays a crucial role in the acquisition of various linguistic features from spoken language input. Artificial grammar (AG learning paradigms explore pattern recognition abilities in a set of structured sequences (i.e. of syllables or letters. In the present study, we investigated the functional underpinnings of learning phonological regularities in auditorily presented syllable sequences. While previous neuroimaging studies either focused on functional differences between the processing of correct vs. incorrect sequences or between different levels of sequence complexity, here the focus is on the neural foundation of the actual learning success. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, participants were exposed to a set of syllable sequences with an underlying phonological rule system, known to ensure performance differences between participants. We expected that successful learning and rule application would require phonological segmentation and phoneme comparison. As an outcome of four alternating learning and test fMRI sessions, participants split into successful learners and non-learners. Relative to non-learners, successful learners showed increased task-related activity in a fronto-parietal network of brain areas encompassing the left lateral premotor cortex as well as bilateral superior and inferior parietal cortices during both learning and rule application. These areas were previously associated with phonological segmentation, phoneme comparison and verbal working memory. Based on these activity patterns and the phonological strategies for rule acquisition and application, we argue that successful learning and processing of complex phonological rules in our paradigm is mediated via a fronto-parietal network for phonological processes.

Usefulness of PET in non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertuluchi, M.; Arganaraz, R.; Buznick, J.; Pomata, H.

2011-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the usefulness of PET in patients with refractory non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy. Material and methods. We present three patients with features of temporal lobe epilepsy refractory to medication, where high definition MRI was normal. Results. These patients had PET hypometabolism in the temporal areas related to clinical and neurophysiological findings. Two of these patients were implanted with subdural grids to confirm the diagnosis and the third was operated directly based on the findings of PET. Encourage the presentation of the importance in recent years is acquiring the PET. Conclusion. In those patients in clinical neurophysiology and epilepsy with suspected temporal lobe, but in the MRI images show no structural lesions, PET can play an important role defining the diagnosis. (authors)

Mapping a lateralisation gradient within the ventral stream for auditory speech perception

OpenAIRE

Karsten eSpecht

2013-01-01

Recent models on speech perception propose a dual stream processing network, with a dorsal stream, extending from the posterior temporal lobe of the left hemisphere through inferior parietal areas into the left inferior frontal gyrus, and a ventral stream that is assumed to originate in the primary auditory cortex in the upper posterior part of the temporal lobe and to extend towards the anterior part of the temporal lobe, where it may connect to the ventral part of the inferior frontal gyrus...

Mapping a lateralization gradient within the ventral stream for auditory speech perception

OpenAIRE

Specht, Karsten

2013-01-01

Recent models on speech perception propose a dual-stream processing network, with a dorsal stream, extending from the posterior temporal lobe of the left hemisphere through inferior parietal areas into the left inferior frontal gyrus, and a ventral stream that is assumed to originate in the primary auditory cortex in the upper posterior part of the temporal lobe and to extend toward the anterior part of the temporal lobe, where it may connect to the ventral part of the inferior frontal gyrus....

Interleukin-17A Promotes Parietal Cell Atrophy by Inducing ApoptosisSummary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin A. Bockerstett

Full Text Available Background & Aims: Atrophic gastritis caused by chronic inflammation in the gastric mucosa leads to the loss of gastric glandular cells, including acid-secreting parietal cells. Parietal cell atrophy in a setting of chronic inflammation induces spasmolytic polypeptide expressing metaplasia, a critical step in gastric carcinogenesis. However, the mechanisms by which inflammation causes parietal cell atrophy and spasmolytic polypeptide expressing metaplasia are not well defined. We investigated the role of interleukin-17A (IL-17A in causing parietal cell atrophy. Methods: A mouse model of autoimmune atrophic gastritis was used to examine IL-17A production during early and late stages of disease. Organoids derived from corpus glands were used to determine the direct effects of IL-17A on gastric epithelial cells. Immunofluorescent staining was used to examine IL-17A receptors and the direct effect of signaling on parietal cells. Mice were infected with an IL-17A-producing adenovirus to determine the effects of IL-17A on parietal cells in vivo. Finally, IL-17A neutralizing antibodies were administered to mice with active atrophic gastritis to evaluate the effects on parietal cell atrophy and metaplasia. Results: Increased IL-17A correlated with disease severity in mice with chronic atrophic gastritis. IL-17A caused caspase-dependent gastric organoid degeneration, which could not be rescued with a necroptosis inhibitor. Parietal cells expressed IL-17A receptors and IL-17A treatment induced apoptosis in parietal cells. Overexpressing IL-17A in vivo induced caspase-3 activation and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling staining in parietal cells. Finally, IL-17A neutralizing antibody decreased parietal cell atrophy and metaplasia in mice with chronic atrophic gastritis. Conclusions: These data identify IL-17A as a cytokine that promotes parietal cell apoptosis during atrophic gastritis, a

Brain mapping of epileptic activity in a case of idiopathic occipital lobe epilepsy (Panayiotopoulos syndrome).

Science.gov (United States)

Leal, Alberto J R; Nunes, Sofia; Martins, António; Secca, Mário Forjaz; Jordão, Constança

2007-06-01

The Panayiotopoulos type of occipital lobe epilepsy has generated great interest, but the particular brain areas involved in the peculiar seizure manifestations have not been established. We studied a patient with the syndrome, using high-resolution EEG and simultaneous EEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Resolution of the scalp EEG was improved using a realistic spline Laplacian algorithm, and produced a complex distribution of current sinks and sources over the occipital lobe. The spike-related blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) effect was multifocal, with clusters in lateral and inferior occipital lobe and lateral and anterior temporal lobe. We also performed regional dipole seeding in BOLD clusters to determine their relative contribution to generation of scalp spikes. The integrated model of the neurophysiologic and vascular data strongly suggests that the epileptic activity originates in the lateral occipital area, spreading to the occipital pole and lateral temporal lobe.

Unique and shared roles of the posterior parietal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in cognitive functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fumi eKatsuki

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The dorsolateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortex are two parts of a broader brain network involved in the control of cognitive functions such as working memory, spatial attention, and decision making. The two areas share many functional properties and exhibit similar patterns of activation during the execution of mental operations. However, neurophysiological experiments in non-human primates have also documented subtle differences, revealing functional specialization within the fronto-parietal network. These differences include the ability of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to influence memory performance, attention allocation and motor responses to a greater extent, and to resist interference by distracting stimuli. In recent years, distinct cellular and anatomical differences have been identified, offering insights into how functional specialization is achieved. This article reviews the common functions and functional differences between the dorsolateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortex, and their underlying mechanisms.

A new approach for improving diagnostic accuracy in Alzheimer's disease and frontal lobe dementia utilising the intrinsic properties of the SPET dataset

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pagani, Marco [Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technology, CNR, Viale Marx 15, 00137, Rome (Italy); Section of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska Hospital/Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Kovalev, Vassili A. [Institute of Engineering Cybernetics, Belarus National Academy of Sciences, Minsk (Belarus); Max-Planck Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Leipzig (Germany); Lundqvist, Roger; Thurfjell, Lennart [Applied Medical Imaging, Uppsala (Sweden); Jacobsson, Hans [Section of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska Hospital/Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Radiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm (Sweden); Larsson, Stig A. [Section of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska Hospital/Institute, Stockholm (Sweden)

2003-11-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontal lobe dementia (FLD) show characteristic patterns of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). However, these patterns may overlap with those observed in the aging brain in elderly normal individuals. The aim of this study was to develop a new method for better classification and recognition of AD and FLD cases as compared with normal controls. Forty-six patients with AD, 7 patients with FLD and 34 normal controls (CTR) were included in the study. rCBF was assessed by technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime and a three-headed single-photon emission tomography (SPET) camera. A brain atlas was used to define volumes of interest (VOIs) corresponding to the brain lobes. In addition to conventional image processing methods, based on count density/voxel, the new approach also analysed other intrinsic properties of the data by means of gradient computation steps. Hereby, five factors were assessed and tested separately: the mean count density/voxel and its histogram, the mean gradient and its histogram, and the gradient angle co-occurrence matrix. A feature vector concatenating single features was also created and tested. Preliminary feature discrimination was performed using a two-sided t-test and a K-means clustering was then used to classify the image sets into categories. Finally, five-dimensional co-occurrence matrices combining the different intrinsic properties were computed for each VOI, and their ability to recognise the group to which each individual scan belonged was investigated. For correct classification of the AD-CTR groups, the gradient histogram in the parieto-temporal lobes was the most useful single feature (accuracy 91%). FLD and CTR were better classified by the count density/voxel histogram (frontal and occipital lobes) and by the mean gradient (frontal, temporal and parietal lobes, accuracy 98%). For AD and FLD the count density/voxel histogram in the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes classified the

Reduced parietal activation in cervical dystonia after parietal TMS interleaved with fMRI

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, Paulien M.; de Jong, Bauke M.; Bohning, Daryl E.; Hinson, Vanessa K.; George, Mark S.; Leenders, Klaus L.

Objective: Clinically normal hand movement with altered cerebral activation patterns in cervical dystonia (CD) may imply cerebral adaptation. Since impaired sensorimotor integration appears to play a role in dystonia, left superior parietal cortex modulation with repetitive transcranial magnetic

Are personality traits of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy related to frontal lobe dysfunctions? A proton MRS study.

Science.gov (United States)

de Araújo Filho, Gerardo Maria; Lin, Katia; Lin, Jaime; Peruchi, Mirella M; Caboclo, Luís Otávio S F; Guaranha, Mirian S B; Guilhoto, Laura M F F; Carrete, Henrique; Yacubian, Elza Márcia T

2009-05-01

Personality traits characterized by emotional instability and immaturity, unsteadiness, lack of discipline, hedonism, frequent and rapid mood changes, and indifference toward one's disease have been associated with patients who have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Literature data demonstrate worse seizure control and more psychosocial dysfunctions among patients with JME who have those traits. In this controlled study we performed a correlation analysis of psychiatric scores with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) values across JME patients, aiming to verify the existence of a possible relation between frontal lobe dysfunction and the prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) in JME. Sixteen JME patients with cluster B PDs, 41 JME patients without any psychiatric disorder, and 30 healthy controls were submitted to a psychiatric evaluation and to a quantitative multivoxel MRS of thalamus; insula; cingulate gyrus; striatum; and frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes. Groups were homogeneous according to age, gender, and manual dominance. Psychiatric evaluation was performed through the Scheduled Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Axis I and II (SCID I and II, respectively). A significant reduction of N-acetyl-aspartate over creatinine (NAA/Cr) ratio was observed mainly in the left frontal lobe in the JME and PD group. In addition, a significant increase in the glutamate-glutamine over creatinine GLX/Cr ratio was also observed in this referred region in the same group. These data support the hypothesis that PDs in JME could represent neuronal dysfunction and possibly a more severe form of this epileptic syndrome.

Parallel Alterations of Functional Connectivity during Execution and Imagination after Motor Imagery Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Rushao; Hui, Mingqi; Long, Zhiying; Zhao, Xiaojie; Yao, Li

2012-01-01

Background Neural substrates underlying motor learning have been widely investigated with neuroimaging technologies. Investigations have illustrated the critical regions of motor learning and further revealed parallel alterations of functional activation during imagination and execution after learning. However, little is known about the functional connectivity associated with motor learning, especially motor imagery learning, although benefits from functional connectivity analysis attract more attention to the related explorations. We explored whether motor imagery (MI) and motor execution (ME) shared parallel alterations of functional connectivity after MI learning. Methodology/Principal Findings Graph theory analysis, which is widely used in functional connectivity exploration, was performed on the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of MI and ME tasks before and after 14 days of consecutive MI learning. The control group had no learning. Two measures, connectivity degree and interregional connectivity, were calculated and further assessed at a statistical level. Two interesting results were obtained: (1) The connectivity degree of the right posterior parietal lobe decreased in both MI and ME tasks after MI learning in the experimental group; (2) The parallel alterations of interregional connectivity related to the right posterior parietal lobe occurred in the supplementary motor area for both tasks. Conclusions/Significance These computational results may provide the following insights: (1) The establishment of motor schema through MI learning may induce the significant decrease of connectivity degree in the posterior parietal lobe; (2) The decreased interregional connectivity between the supplementary motor area and the right posterior parietal lobe in post-test implicates the dissociation between motor learning and task performing. These findings and explanations further revealed the neural substrates underpinning MI learning and supported that

Mirror Focus in a Patient with Intractable Occipital Lobe Epilepsy

OpenAIRE

Kim, Jiyoung; Shin, Hae kyung; Hwang, Kyoung Jin; Choi, Su Jung; Joo, Eun Yeon; Hong, Seung Bong; Hong, Seung Chul; Seo, Dae-Won

2014-01-01

Mirror focus is one of the evidence of progression in epilepsy, and also has practical points for curative resective epilepsy surgery. The mirror foci are related to the kindling phenomena that occur through interhemispheric callosal or commissural connections. A mirror focus means the secondary epileptogenic foci develop in the contralateral hemispheric homotopic area. Thus mirror foci are mostly reported in patients with temporal or frontal lobe epilepsy, but not in occipital lobe epilepsy....

Research on spontaneous activity in adult anisometropic amblyopia with regional homogeneity

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yufeng; Zhou, Yifeng

2017-06-01

Amblyopia usually occurs in early childhood and results in monocular visual impairment. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have reflected functional anomaly in amblyopia. In resting-state fMRI study, spontaneous activity changes abnormally in anisometropic amblyopia could be revealed by the regional homogeneity (ReHo). Twenty two adult anisometropic amblyopes and Twenty one normal controls participated in this fMRI study. Two sample T test was carried out to analysis ReHo within the whole brain for the inter groups. Compare with normal group, our study found that the amblyopia’s ReHo mainly increased in the left frontal lobe, while decreased in the left cerebellum, the temporal lobe (left and right), and the left parietal lobe. And the ReHo values in middle and inferior temporal lobe, the prefrontal lobe, frontal lobe (positive) and parietal lobe and medial frontal gyrus (negative) could be correlated with the acuity deficit of amblyopia. The results increased in ReHo may indicate compensatory plasticity in higher vision information process, while the decreased in ReHo may reflect decreased ability in eye movement, spatial sense and visuo-motor coordination. The correlation revealed that the vision deficit may correspond to the spontaneous in certain brain area.

Are the dimensions of submarine lobe systems independent of allogenic factors?

Science.gov (United States)

Prélat, A.; Covault, J. A.; Hodgson, D. M.; Fildani, A.; Flint, S. S.

2010-05-01

Submarine lobe dimensions from six different systems are compared: 1) the exhumed Permian Fan 3 lobe complex of the Tanqua Karoo, South Africa; 2) the modern Amazon fan channel-mouth lobe complex, offshore Brazil; 3) a portion of the modern distal Zaïre fan, offshore Angola / Congo; 4) a Pleistocene fan of the Kutai Basin, subsurface offshore Indonesia; 5) the modern Golo system, offshore east Corsica, France; and 6) a lobe complex deposited in the shallow subsurface, offshore Nigeria. These six systems have significantly different source-to-sink configurations (shelf dimension and slope topography), sediment supply characteristics (calibre and rate), tectonic settings, (palaeo) latitude, and delivery systems. Despite these differences, the lobe deposits share similar geometric and dimensional characteristics. Lobes are grouped into two distinct populations of geometries that can be related to basin-floor topography. The first population corresponds to areally extensive but thin lobes (average width 14 km × length 35 km × thickness 12 m) that were deposited onto low relief basin floor areas, like the Tanqua Karoo, the Amazon and the Zaïre systems. The second population corresponds to areally smaller but thicker lobes (average width 5 km × length 8 km × thickness 30 m) that were deposited into settings with higher amplitude of relief, like in the Corsican trough, the Kutai basin, and offshore Nigeria. Basin floor topography confining the lobes can be very subtle, and only occur on one side of the system. The two populations of lobe types, however, share similar volumes, in the order of 1 or 2 km3. The largest lobes are observed in the Zaïre fan, where the average lobe volume reaches 3.3 km3 and the smallest lobes are observed in the Corsican trough where the average lobe volume is 0.4 km3. This variation in lobe volume is minor when compared to the variation observed in present-day up-dip drainage systems, which provide sediment to the deep-water depositional

Functional segregation and integration within fronto-parietal networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Parlatini, Valeria; Radua, Joaquim; Dell'Acqua, Flavio; Leslie, Anoushka; Simmons, Andy; Murphy, Declan G; Catani, Marco; Thiebaut de Schotten, Michel

2017-02-01

Experimental data on monkeys and functional studies in humans support the existence of a complex fronto-parietal system activating for cognitive and motor tasks, which may be anatomically supported by the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Advanced tractography methods have recently allowed the separation of the three branches of the SLF but are not suitable for their functional investigation. In order to gather comprehensive information about the functional organisation of these fronto-parietal connections, we used an innovative method, which combined tractography of the SLF in the largest dataset so far (129 participants) with 14 meta-analyses of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. We found that frontal and parietal functions can be clustered into a dorsal spatial/motor network associated with the SLF I, and a ventral non-spatial/motor network associated with the SLF III. Further, all the investigated functions activated a middle network mostly associated with the SLF II. Our findings suggest that dorsal and ventral fronto-parietal networks are segregated but also share regions of activation, which may support flexible response properties or conscious processing. In sum, our novel combined approach provided novel findings on the functional organisation of fronto-parietal networks, and may be successfully applied to other brain connections. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differences in the neural correlates of frontal lobe tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuoka, Teruyuki; Kato, Yuka; Imai, Ayu; Fujimoto, Hiroshi; Shibata, Keisuke; Nakamura, Kaeko; Yamada, Kei; Narumoto, Jin

2018-01-01

The Executive Interview (EXIT25), the executive clock-drawing task (CLOX1), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) are used to assess executive function at the bedside. These tests assess distinct psychometric properties. The aim of this study was to examine differences in the neural correlates of the EXIT25, CLOX1, and FAB based on magnetic resonance imaging. Fifty-eight subjects (30 with Alzheimer's disease, 10 with mild cognitive impairment, and 18 healthy controls) participated in this study. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the brain regions correlated with the EXIT25, CLOX1, and FAB scores. Age, gender, and years of education were included as covariates. Statistical thresholds were set to uncorrected P-values of 0.001 at the voxel level and 0.05 at the cluster level. The EXIT25 score correlated inversely with the regional grey matter volume in the left lateral frontal lobe (Brodmann areas 6, 9, 44, and 45). The CLOX1 score correlated positively with the regional grey matter volume in the right orbitofrontal cortex (Brodmann area 11) and the left supramarginal gyrus (Brodmann area 40). The FAB score correlated positively with the regional grey matter volume in the right precentral gyrus (Brodmann area 6). The left lateral frontal lobe (Brodmann area 9) and the right lateral frontal lobe (Brodmann area 46) were identified as common brain regions that showed association with EXIT25, CLOX1, and FAB based only a voxel-level threshold. The results of this study suggest that the EXIT25, CLOX1, and FAB may be associated with the distinct neural correlates of the frontal cortex. © 2018 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Temporal lobe sclerosis associated with hippocampal sclerosis in temporal lobe epilepsy: neuropathological features.

Science.gov (United States)

Thom, Maria; Eriksson, Sofia; Martinian, Lillian; Caboclo, Luis O; McEvoy, Andrew W; Duncan, John S; Sisodiya, Sanjay M

2009-08-01

Widespread changes involving neocortical and mesial temporal lobe structures can be present in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis. The incidence, pathology, and clinical significance of neocortical temporal lobe sclerosis (TLS) are not well characterized. We identified TLS in 30 of 272 surgically treated cases of hippocampal sclerosis. Temporal lobe sclerosis was defined by variable reduction of neurons from cortical layers II/III and laminar gliosis; it was typically accompanied by additional architectural abnormalities of layer II, that is, abnormal neuronal orientation and aggregation. Quantitative analysis including tessellation methods for the distribution of layer II neurons supported these observations. In 40% of cases, there was a gradient of TLS with more severe involvement toward the temporal pole, possibly signifying involvement of hippocampal projection pathways. There was a history of a febrile seizure as an initial precipitating injury in 73% of patients with TLS compared with 36% without TLS; no other clinical differences between TLS and non-TLS cases were identified. Temporal lobe sclerosis was not evident preoperatively by neuroimaging. No obvious effect of TLS on seizure outcome was noted after temporal lobe resection; 73% became seizure-free at 2-year follow-up. In conclusion, approximately 11% of surgically treated hippocampal sclerosis is accompanied by TLS. Temporal lobe sclerosis is likely an acquired process with accompanying reorganizational dysplasia and an extension of mesial temporal sclerosis rather than a separate pathological entity.

Decreased functional connectivity and structural deficit in alertness network with right-sided temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yujun; Zheng, Jinou; Li, Yaping; Guo, Danni; Wang, Mingli; Cui, Xiangxiang; Ye, Wei

2018-04-01

Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) often suffer from alertness alterations. However, specific regions connected with alertness remain controversial, and whether these regions have structural impairment is also elusive. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and neural mechanisms underlying the functions and structures of alertness network in patients with right-sided temporal lobe epilepsy (rTLE) by performing the attentional network test (ANT), resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-SfMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).A total of 47 patients with rTLE and 34 healthy controls underwent ANT, R-SfMRI, and DTI scan. The seed-based functional connectivity (FC) method and deterministic tractography were used to analyze the data.Patients with rTLE had longer reaction times in the no-cue and double-cue conditions. However, no differences were noted in the alertness effect between the 2 groups. The patient group had lower FC compared with the control group in the right inferior parietal lobe (IPL), amygdala, and insula. Structural deficits were found in the right parahippocampal gyrus, superior temporal pole, insula, and amygdala in the patient group compared with the control group. Also significantly negative correlations were observed between abnormal fractional anisotropy (between the right insula and the superior temporal pole) and illness duration in the patients with rTLE.The findings of this study suggested abnormal intrinsic and phasic alertness, decreased FC, and structural deficits within the alerting network in the rTLE. This study provided new insights into the mechanisms of alertness alterations in rTLE.

Correlation between white matter damage and gray matter lesions in multiple sclerosis patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue-mei Han

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We observed the characteristics of white matter fibers and gray matter in multiple sclerosis patients, to identify changes in diffusion tensor imaging fractional anisotropy values following white matter fiber injury. We analyzed the correlation between fractional anisotropy values and changes in whole-brain gray matter volume. The participants included 20 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and 20 healthy volunteers as controls. All subjects underwent head magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Our results revealed that fractional anisotropy values decreased and gray matter volumes were reduced in the genu and splenium of corpus callosum, left anterior thalamic radiation, hippocampus, uncinate fasciculus, right corticospinal tract, bilateral cingulate gyri, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus in multiple sclerosis patients. Gray matter volumes were significantly different between the two groups in the right frontal lobe (superior frontal, middle frontal, precentral, and orbital gyri, right parietal lobe (postcentral and inferior parietal gyri, right temporal lobe (caudate nucleus, right occipital lobe (middle occipital gyrus, right insula, right parahippocampal gyrus, and left cingulate gyrus. The voxel sizes of atrophic gray matter positively correlated with fractional anisotropy values in white matter association fibers in the patient group. These findings suggest that white matter fiber bundles are extensively injured in multiple sclerosis patients. The main areas of gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis are the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, caudate nucleus, parahippocampal gyrus, and cingulate gyrus. Gray matter atrophy is strongly associated with white matter injury in multiple sclerosis patients, particularly with injury to association fibers.

Temporal lobe epilepsy: Comparison of CT and MR in 100 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoerner, W.; Meencke, H.J.; Sander, B.; Henkes, H.; Felix, R.; Klinikum Rudolf Virchow, Berlin

1989-01-01

The value of CT and MR was studied in 100 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Axial CT scans were obtained before and after contrast injection. Coronary MR scans were carried out with T 1 -(SE 400/30, GE 315/14) and T 2 -weighted sequences (SE 1600/30 + 70). A circumscribed lesion was demonstrated in fifteen patients by CT and in 25 patients by MR. With the exception of a small area of calcification, all lesions seen on CT could also be recognized on MR. Better sensitivity and improved demonstration of the temporal lobes makes MR the method of choice in the diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy. (orig./GDG) [de

Segmentation of the cingulum bundle in the human brain: a new perspective based on DSI tractography and fiber dissection study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yupeng Wu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The cingulum bundle (CB is a critical white matter fiber tract in the brain, which forms connections between the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and temporal lobe. In non-human primates, the CB is actually divided into distinct subcomponents on the basis of corticocortical connections. However, at present, no study has verified similar distinct subdivisions in the human brain. In this study, we reconstructed these distinct subdivisions in the human brain, and determined their exact cortical connections using high definition fiber tracking (HDFT technique on 10 healthy adults and a 488-subject template from the Human Connectome Project (HCP-488. Fiber dissections were performed to verify tractography results. Five CB segments were identified. CB-I ran from the subrostral areas to the precuneus and splenium, encircling the corpus callosum. CB-II arched around the splenium and extended anteriorly above the corpus callosum to the medial aspect of the superior frontal gyrus. CB-III connected the superior parietal lobule and precuneus with the medial aspect of the superior frontal gyrus. CB-IV was a relatively minor subcomponent from the superior parietal lobule and precuneus to the frontal region. CB-V, the para-hippocampal cingulum, stemmed from the medial temporal lobe and fanned out to the occipital lobes. Our findings not only provide a more accurate and detailed description on the associated architecture of the subcomponents within the CB, but also offer new insights into the functional role of the CB in the human brain.

Statistical parametric mapping for analyzing interictal magnetoencephalography in patients with left frontal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Haitao; Zhu, Jinlong; Bao, Forrest Sheng; Liu, Hongyi; Zhu, Xuchuang; Wu, Ting; Yang, Lu; Zou, Yuanjie; Zhang, Rui; Zheng, Gang

2016-01-01

Frontal lobe epilepsy is a common epileptic disorder and is characterized by recurring seizures that arise in the frontal lobes. The purpose of this study is to identify the epileptogenic regions and other abnormal regions in patients with left frontal lobe epilepsy (LFLE) based on the magnetoencephalogram (MEG), and to understand the effects of clinical variables on brain activities in patients with LFLE. Fifteen patients with LFLE (23.20 ± 8.68 years, 6 female and 9 male) and 16 healthy controls (23.13 ± 7.66 years, 6 female and 10 male) were included in resting-stage MEG examinations. Epileptogenic regions of LFLE patients were confirmed by surgery. Regional brain activations were quantified using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). The correlation between the activations of the abnormal brain regions and the clinical seizure parameters were computed for LFLE patients. Brain activations of LFLE patients were significantly elevated in left superior/middle/inferior frontal gyri, postcentral gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, insula, parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala, including the epileptogenic regions. Remarkable decreased activations were found mainly in the left parietal gyrus and precuneus. There is a positive correlation between the duration of the epilepsy (in month) and activations of the abnormal regions, while no relation was found between age of seizure onset (year), seizure frequency and the regions of the abnormal activity of the epileptic patients. Our findings suggest that the aberrant brain activities of LFLE patients were not restricted to the epileptogenic zones. Long duration of epilepsy might induce further functional damage in patients with LFLE. Copyright © 2015 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Particle doses in the pulmonary lobes of electronic and conventional cigarette users

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manigrasso, Maurizio; Buonanno, Giorgio; Stabile, Luca; Morawska, Lidia; Avino, Pasquale

2015-01-01

The main aim of the present study was to estimate size segregated doses from e-cigarette aerosols as a function of the airway generation number in lung lobes. After a 2-second puff, 7.7 × 10 10 particles (D Tot ) with a surface area of 3.6 × 10 3  mm 2 (S Tot ), and 3.3 × 10 10 particles with a surface area of 4.2 × 10 3  mm 2 were deposited in the respiratory system for the electronic and conventional cigarettes, respectively. Alveolar and tracheobronchial deposited doses were compared to the ones received by non-smoking individuals in Western countries, showing a similar order of magnitude. Total regional doses (D R ), in head and lobar tracheobronchial and alveolar regions, ranged from 2.7 × 10 9 to 1.3 × 10 10 particles and 1.1 × 10 9 to 5.3 × 10 10 particles, for the electronic and conventional cigarettes, respectively. D R in the right-upper lung lobe was about twice that found in left-upper lobe and 20% greater in right-lower lobe than the left-lower lobe. - Highlights: • Lobar doses were compared for mainstreams of electronic and conventional cigarettes. • Aerosol doses from e-cigarettes were more than double that from conventional ones. • Doses from a 2-s puff exceed the daily doses of a no smoking Australian subject. • Highest deposition densities occurred at the lobar bronchi. • Aerosol deposition was greater in the right than in the left lung lobes. - Lobar bronchi and right lung lobes represent sites where effects of the aerosol from e-cigarette smoke may be more likely to occur

99mTc-HMPAO SPECT in dementia of the Alzheimer type. Hypoperfusion in the medial temporal region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Yu; Kawakatsu, Shinobu; Shinohara, Masao; Nadaoka, Toshihide; Totsuka, Shiro; Komatani, Akio

1995-01-01

This study examined regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using technetium 99m-hexamethyl-propyleneamineoxime and correlated the results with neuropsychological findings in 30 patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (AT dementia). Ten healthy persons served as controls. The group of mild AT dementia exhibited a significant decrease in rCBF in the lower part of the right lateral frontal lobe and in the right parietal lobe. In the group of moderate AT dementia, the significant decrease in rCBF was noted in the lower part of the bilateral frontal lobes, the parietal part of the temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the medial temporal lobe. Factor analysis for neuropsychological test revealed three factors involved in rCBF. There was a significantly positive correlation between the factor responsible for memory and recall and rCBF in the left frontal lobe, the anterior part of the lateral temporal lobe, and the medial temporal lobe. These findings suggested that disturbance of the memory circuit may exist in the medial temporal lobe and others as pathophysiology of AT dementia. (N.K.)

Parietal theta burst TMS: Functional fractionation observed during bistable perception not evident in attention tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Schauer, Georg; Kanai, Ryota; Brascamp, Jan W

2016-02-01

When visual input is ambiguous, perception spontaneously alternates between interpretations: bistable perception. Studies have identified two distinct sites near the right intraparietal sulcus where inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) affects the frequency of occurrence of these alternations, but strikingly with opposite directions of effect for the two sites. Lesion and TMS studies on spatial and sustained attention have also indicated a parcellation of right parietal cortex, into areas serving distinct attentional functions. We used the exact TMS procedure previously employed to affect bistable perception, yet measured its effect on spatial and sustained attention tasks. Although there was a trend for TMS to affect performance, trends were consistently similar for both parietal sites, with no indication of opposite effects. We interpret this as signifying that the previously observed parietal fractionation of function regarding the perception of ambiguous stimuli is not due to TMS-induced modification of spatial or sustained attention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Semantic brain areas are involved in gesture comprehension: An electrical neuroimaging study.

Science.gov (United States)

Proverbio, Alice Mado; Gabaro, Veronica; Orlandi, Andrea; Zani, Alberto

2015-08-01

While the mechanism of sign language comprehension in deaf people has been widely investigated, little is known about the neural underpinnings of spontaneous gesture comprehension in healthy speakers. Bioelectrical responses to 800 pictures of actors showing common Italian gestures (e.g., emblems, deictic or iconic gestures) were recorded in 14 persons. Stimuli were selected from a wider corpus of 1122 gestures. Half of the pictures were preceded by an incongruent description. ERPs were recorded from 128 sites while participants decided whether the stimulus was congruent. Congruent pictures elicited a posterior P300 followed by late positivity, while incongruent gestures elicited an anterior N400 response. N400 generators were investigated with swLORETA reconstruction. Processing of congruent gestures activated face- and body-related visual areas (e.g., BA19, BA37, BA22), the left angular gyrus, mirror fronto/parietal areas. The incongruent-congruent contrast particularly stimulated linguistic and semantic brain areas, such as the left medial and the superior temporal lobe. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamic perfusion patterns in temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupont, Patrick; Paesschen, Wim van; Zaknun, John J.; Maes, Alex; Tepmongkol, Supatporn; Locharernkul, Chaichon; Vasquez, Silvia; Carpintiero, Silvina; Bal, C.S.; Dondi, Maurizio

2009-01-01

To investigate dynamic ictal perfusion changes during temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We investigated 37 patients with TLE by ictal and interictal SPECT. All ictal injections were performed within 60 s of seizure onset. Statistical parametric mapping was used to analyse brain perfusion changes and temporal relationships with injection time and seizure duration as covariates. The analysis revealed significant ictal hyperperfusion in the ipsilateral temporal lobe extending to subcortical regions. Hypoperfusion was observed in large extratemporal areas. There were also significant dynamic changes in several extratemporal regions: ipsilateral orbitofrontal and bilateral superior frontal gyri and the contralateral cerebellum and ipsilateral striatum. The study demonstrated early dynamic perfusion changes in extratemporal regions probably involved in both propagation of epileptic activity and initiation of inhibitory mechanisms. (orig.)

Dynamic perfusion patterns in temporal lobe epilepsy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dupont, Patrick; Paesschen, Wim van [KU Leuven/UZ Gasthuisberg, Nuclear Medicine, Medical Imaging Center and Neurology, Leuven (Belgium); Zaknun, John J. [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nuclear Medicine Section, Division of Human Health, Wagramer Strasse 5, PO BOX 200, Vienna (Austria); University Hospital of Innsbruck, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Innsbruck (Austria); Maes, Alex [KU Leuven/UZ Gasthuisberg, Nuclear Medicine, Medical Imaging Center and Neurology, Leuven (Belgium); AZ Groeninge, Nuclear Medicine, Kortrijk (Belgium); Tepmongkol, Supatporn; Locharernkul, Chaichon [Chulalongkorn University, Nuclear Medicine and Neurology, Bangkok (Thailand); Vasquez, Silvia; Carpintiero, Silvina [Fleni Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas, Nuclear Medicine, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Bal, C.S. [All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nuclear Medicine, New Delhi (India); Dondi, Maurizio [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nuclear Medicine Section, Division of Human Health, Wagramer Strasse 5, PO BOX 200, Vienna (Austria); Ospedale Maggiore, Nuclear Medicine, Bologna (Italy)

2009-05-15

To investigate dynamic ictal perfusion changes during temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We investigated 37 patients with TLE by ictal and interictal SPECT. All ictal injections were performed within 60 s of seizure onset. Statistical parametric mapping was used to analyse brain perfusion changes and temporal relationships with injection time and seizure duration as covariates. The analysis revealed significant ictal hyperperfusion in the ipsilateral temporal lobe extending to subcortical regions. Hypoperfusion was observed in large extratemporal areas. There were also significant dynamic changes in several extratemporal regions: ipsilateral orbitofrontal and bilateral superior frontal gyri and the contralateral cerebellum and ipsilateral striatum. The study demonstrated early dynamic perfusion changes in extratemporal regions probably involved in both propagation of epileptic activity and initiation of inhibitory mechanisms. (orig.)

Temporal and occipital lobe features in children with hypochondroplasia/FGFR3 gene mutation.

Science.gov (United States)

Philpott, Cristina M; Widjaja, Elysa; Raybaud, Charles; Branson, Helen M; Kannu, Peter; Blaser, Susan

2013-09-01

Thanatophoric dysplasia (TD) and hypochondroplasia are both caused by FGFR3 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 3) gene mutations. Temporal lobe dysplasia has been well described in thanatophoric dysplasia; however, only a couple of anecdotal cases of temporal lobe dysplasia in hypochondroplasia have been described. To define temporal lobe abnormalities in patients with hypochondroplasia, given that they share the same genetic mutation. We identified brain imaging studies of nine children with hypochondroplasia. The temporal lobes were assessed on CT and MRI for size and configuration of the temporal horn and aberrant sulcation of the inferior surface of the temporal lobe. All children had a triangular-shape temporal horn and deep transverse fissures of the inferior temporal lobe surface. Neuroimaging in our cohort revealed enlarged temporal lobes and oversulcation of the mesial temporal and occipital lobes, with abnormal inferomedial orientation of these redundant gyri. Hippocampal dysplasia was also universal. We confirmed frequent inferomesial temporal and occipital lobe abnormalities in our cohort of children with hypochondroplasia. Murine models with mutant fgfr3 display increased neuroprogenitor proliferation, cortical thickness and surface area in the temporo-occipital cortex. This is thought to result in excessive convolution and likely explains the imaging findings in this patient cohort. (Note that fgfr3 is the same genetic mutation in mice as FGFR3 is in humans.).

Deficits in visual search for conjunctions of motion and form after parietal damage but with spared hMT+/V5.

Science.gov (United States)

Dent, Kevin; Lestou, Vaia; Humphreys, Glyn W

2010-02-01

It has been argued that area hMT+/V5 in humans acts as a motion filter, enabling targets defined by a conjunction of motion and form to be efficiently selected. We present data indicating that (a) damage to parietal cortex leads to a selective problem in processing motion-form conjunctions, and (b) that the presence of a structurally and functional intact hMT+/V5 is not sufficient for efficient search for motion-form conjunctions. We suggest that, in addition to motion-processing areas (e.g., hMT+/V5), the posterior parietal cortex is necessary for efficient search with motion-form conjunctions, so that damage to either brain region may bring about deficits in search. We discuss the results in terms of the involvement of the posterior parietal cortex in the top-down guidance of search or in the binding of motion and form information.

Seeing is not feeling: posterior parietal but not somatosensory cortex engagement during touch observation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Annie W-Y; Baker, Chris I

2015-01-28

Observing touch has been reported to elicit activation in human primary and secondary somatosensory cortices and is suggested to underlie our ability to interpret other's behavior and potentially empathy. However, despite these reports, there are a large number of inconsistencies in terms of the precise topography of activation, the extent of hemispheric lateralization, and what aspects of the stimulus are necessary to drive responses. To address these issues, we investigated the localization and functional properties of regions responsive to observed touch in a large group of participants (n = 40). Surprisingly, even with a lenient contrast of hand brushing versus brushing alone, we did not find any selective activation for observed touch in the hand regions of somatosensory cortex but rather in superior and inferior portions of neighboring posterior parietal cortex, predominantly in the left hemisphere. These regions in the posterior parietal cortex required the presence of both brush and hand to elicit strong responses and showed some selectivity for the form of the object or agent of touch. Furthermore, the inferior parietal region showed nonspecific tactile and motor responses, suggesting some similarity to area PFG in the monkey. Collectively, our findings challenge the automatic engagement of somatosensory cortex when observing touch, suggest mislocalization in previous studies, and instead highlight the role of posterior parietal cortex. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/351468-13$15.00/0.

Visual processing of multiple elements in the dyslexic brain: evidence for a superior parietal dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muriel Anne Lobier

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The visual attention (VA span deficit hypothesis of developmental dyslexia posits that impaired multiple element processing can be responsible for poor reading outcomes. In VA span impaired dyslexic children, poor performance on letter report tasks is associated with reduced parietal activations for multiple letter processing. While this hints towards a non-specific, attention-based dysfunction, it is still unclear whether reduced parietal activity generalizes to other types of stimuli. Furthermore, putative links between reduced parietal activity and reduced ventral occipito-temporal (vOT in dyslexia have yet to be explored. Using fMRI, we measured brain activity in 12 VA span impaired dyslexic adults and 12 adult skilled readers while they carried out a categorization task on single or multiple alphanumeric or non-alphanumeric characters. While healthy readers activated parietal areas more strongly for multiple than single element processing (right-sided for alphanumeric and bilateral for non-alphanumeric, similar stronger multiple element right parietal activations were absent for dyslexic participants. Contrasts between skilled and dyslexic readers revealed significantly reduced right superior parietal lobule (SPL activity for dyslexic readers regardless of stimuli type. Using a priori anatomically defined ROI, we showed that neural activity was reduced for dyslexic participants in both SPL and vOT bilaterally. Finally, we used multiple regressions to test whether SPL activity could predict vOT activity in each group. In the left hemisphere, SPL activity modulated vOT activity for both normal and dyslexic readers. In contrast, in the right hemisphere, SPL activity modulated vOT activity only for dyslexic readers. These results bring critical support to the visual attention interpretation of the VA Span deficit. In addition, they offer a new insight on how deficits in automatic vOT based word recognition could arise in developmental dyslexia.

Early seizure propagation from the occipital lobe to medial temporal structures and its surgical implication.

Science.gov (United States)

Usui, Naotaka; Mihara, Tadahiro; Baba, Koichi; Matsuda, Kazumi; Tottori, Takayasu; Umeoka, Shuichi; Nakamura, Fumihiro; Terada, Kiyohito; Usui, Keiko; Inoue, Yushi

2008-12-01

Intracranial EEG documentation of seizure propagation from the occipital lobe to medial temporal structures is relatively rare. We retrospectively analyzed intracranial EEG recorded with electrodes implanted in the medial temporal lobe in patients who underwent occipital lobe surgery. Four patients with occipital lesions, who underwent intracranial EEG monitoring with intracerebral electrodes implanted in the medial temporal lobe prior to occipital lobe surgery, were studied. Subdural electrodes were placed over the occipital lobe and adjacent areas. Intracerebral electrodes were implanted into bilateral hippocampi and the amygdala in three patients, and in the hippocampus and amygdala ipsilateral to the lesion in one. In light of the intracranial EEG findings, the occipital lobe was resected but the medial temporal lobe was spared in all patients. The follow-up period ranged from six to 16 years, and seizure outcome was Engel Class I in all patients. Sixty six seizures were analyzed. The majority of the seizures originated from the occipital lobe. In complex partial seizures, ictal discharges propagated to the medial temporal lobe. No seizures originating from the temporal lobe were documented. In some seizures, the ictal-onset zone could not be identified. In these seizures, very early propagation to the medial temporal lobe was observed. Interictal spikes were recorded in the medial temporal lobe in all cases. Intracranial EEG revealed very early involvement of the medial temporal lobe in some seizures. Seizure control was achieved without resection of the medial temporal structures.

Altered organization of face processing networks in temporal lobe epilepsy

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Jeffrey D.; Fling, Brett W.; Cramer, Steven C.; Lin, Jack J.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Objective Deficits in social cognition are common and significant in people with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), but the functional and structural underpinnings remain unclear. The present study investigated how the side of seizure focus impacts face processing networks in temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of a face processing paradigm to identify face responsive regions in 24 individuals with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (Left = 15; Right = 9) and 19 healthy controls. fMRI signals of face responsive regions ispilateral and contralateral to the side of seizure onset were delineated in TLE and compared to the healthy controls with right and left side combined. Diffusion tensor images were acquired to investigate structural connectivity between face regions that differed in fMRI signals between the two groups. Results In temporal lobe epilepsy, activation of the cortical face processing networks varied according to side of seizure onset. In temporal lobe epilepsy, the laterality of amygdala activation was shifted to the side contralateral to the seizure focus while controls showed no significant asymmetry. Furthermore, compared to controls, patients with TLE showed decreased activation of the occipital face responsive region in the ipsilateral side and an increased activity of the anterior temporal lobe in the contralateral side to the seizure focus. Probabilistic tractography revealed that the occipital face area and anterior temporal lobe are connected via the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, which in individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy showed reduced integrity. Significance Taken together, these findings suggest that brain function and white matter integrity of networks subserving face processing are impaired on the side of seizure onset, accompanied by altered responses on the side contralateral to the seizure. PMID:25823855

Brain fMRI study of crave induced by cue pictures in online game addicts (male adolescents).

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yueji; Ying, Huang; Seetohul, Ravi M; Xuemei, Wang; Ya, Zheng; Qian, Li; Guoqing, Xu; Ye, Sun

2012-08-01

To study crave-related cerebral regions induced by game figure cues in online game addicts. fMRI brain imaging was done when the subjects were shown picture cues of the WoW (World of Warcraft, Version: 4.1.014250) game. 10 male addicts of WoW were selected as addicts' group, and 10 other healthy male non-addicts who were matched by age, were used as non-game addicts' group. All volunteers participated in fMRI paradigms. WoW associated cue pictures and neutral pictures were shown. We examined functional cerebral regions activated by the pictures with 3.0 T Philips MRI. The imaging signals' database was analyzed by SPM5. The correlation between game craving scores and different image results were assessed. When the game addicts watch the pictures, some brain areas show increased signal activity namely: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, bilateral temporal cortex, cerebellum, right inferior parietal lobule, right cuneus, right hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, left caudate nucleus. But in these same brain regions we did not observe remarkable activities in the control group. Differential image signal densities of the addict group were subtracted from the health control group, results of which were expressed in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal lobe and inferior temporal gyrus, cerebellum, right insular and the right angular gyrus. The increased imaging signal densities were significant and positively correlated with the craving scale scores in the bilateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and right inferior parietal lobe. Craving of online game addicts was successfully induced by game cue pictures. Crave related brain areas are: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and right inferior parietal lobe. The brain regions are overlapped with cognitive and emotion related processing brain areas. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distinct parietal sites mediate the influences of mood, arousal, and their interaction on human recognition memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Ciara M; Flannery, Oliver; Soto, David

2014-12-01

The two dimensions of emotion, mood valence and arousal, have independent effects on recognition memory. At present, however, it is not clear how those effects are reflected in the human brain. Previous research in this area has generally dealt with memory for emotionally valenced or arousing stimuli, but the manner in which interacting mood and arousal states modulate responses in memory substrates remains poorly understood. We investigated memory for emotionally neutral items while independently manipulating mood valence and arousal state by means of music exposure. Four emotional conditions were created: positive mood/high arousal, positive mood/low arousal, negative mood/high arousal, and negative mood/low arousal. We observed distinct effects of mood valence and arousal in parietal substrates of recognition memory. Positive mood increased activity in ventral posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and orbitofrontal cortex, whereas arousal condition modulated activity in dorsal PPC and the posterior cingulate. An interaction between valence and arousal was observed in left ventral PPC, notably in a parietal area distinct from the those identified for the main effects, with a stronger effect of mood on recognition memory responses here under conditions of relative high versus low arousal. We interpreted the PPC activations in terms of the attention-to-memory hypothesis: Increased arousal may lead to increased top-down control of memory, and hence dorsal PPC activation, whereas positive mood valence may result in increased activity in ventral PPC regions associated with bottom-up attention to memory. These findings indicate that distinct parietal sites mediate the influences of mood, arousal, and their interplay during recognition memory.

Prediction of Reach Goals in Depth and Direction from the Parietal Cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Filippini

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Summary: The posterior parietal cortex is well known to mediate sensorimotor transformations during the generation of movement plans, but its ability to control prosthetic limbs in 3D environments has not yet been fully demonstrated. With this aim, we trained monkeys to perform reaches to targets located at various depths and directions and tested whether the reach goal position can be extracted from parietal signals. The reach goal location was reliably decoded with accuracy close to optimal (>90%, and this occurred also well before movement onset. These results, together with recent work showing a reliable decoding of hand grip in the same area, suggest that this is a suitable site to decode the entire prehension action, to be considered in the development of brain-computer interfaces. : Filippini et al. show that it is possible to use parietal cortex activity to predict in which direction the arm will move and how far it will reach. This opens up the possibility of neural prostheses that can accurately guide reach and grasp using signals from this part of the brain. Keywords: neuroprosthetics, offline neural decoding, reaching in depth, monkey, V6A, machine learning, visuomotor transformations, hand guidance, prehension, robotics

Virtual lesions of the inferior parietal cortex induce fast changes of implicit religiousness/spirituality.

Science.gov (United States)

Crescentini, Cristiano; Aglioti, Salvatore M; Fabbro, Franco; Urgesi, Cosimo

2014-05-01

Religiousness and spirituality (RS) are two ubiquitous aspects of human experience typically considered impervious to scientific investigation. Nevertheless, associations between RS and frontoparietal neural activity have been recently reported. However, much less is known about whether such activity is causally involved in modulating RS or just epiphenomenal to them. Here we combined two-pulse (10 Hz) Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) with a novel, ad-hoc developed RS-related, Implicit Association Test (IAT) to investigate whether implicit RS representations, although supposedly rather stable, can be rapidly modified by a virtual lesion of inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). A self-esteem (SE) IAT, focused on self-concepts nonrelated to RS representations, was developed as control. A specific increase of RS followed inhibition of IPL demonstrating its causative role in inducing fast plastic changes of religiousness/spirituality. In contrast, DLPFC inhibition had more widespread effects probably reflecting a general role in the acquisition or maintenance of task-rules or in controlling the expression of self-related representations not specific to RS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bilateral, posterior parietal polymicrogyria as part of speech therapy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SA Journal of Radiology ... Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been associated with either diffuse polymicrogyria around the entire extent of the sylvian fissure or in the posterior aspects of the parietal regions, in which case it is called posterior parietal ... This article discusses the possible embryological origin of these

Structural correlates of impaired working memory in hippocampal sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Winston, Gavin P; Stretton, Jason; Sidhu, Meneka K; Symms, Mark R; Thompson, Pamela J; Duncan, John S

2013-01-01

Purpose: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) has been considered to impair long-term memory, whilst not affecting working memory, but recent evidence suggests that working memory is compromised. Functional MRI (fMRI) studies demonstrate that working memory involves a bilateral frontoparietal network the activation of which is disrupted in hippocampal sclerosis (HS). A specific role of the hippocampus to deactivate during working memory has been proposed with this mechanism faulty in patients with HS. Structural correlates of disrupted working memory in HS have not been explored. Methods: We studied 54 individuals with medically refractory TLE and unilateral HS (29 left) and 28 healthy controls. Subjects underwent 3T structural MRI, a visuospatial n-back fMRI paradigm and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Working memory capacity assessed by three span tasks (digit span backwards, gesture span, motor sequences) was combined with performance in the visuospatial paradigm to give a global working memory measure. Gray and white matter changes were investigated using voxel-based morphometry and voxel-based analysis of DTI, respectively. Key Findings: Individuals with left or right HS performed less well than healthy controls on all measures of working memory. fMRI demonstrated a bilateral frontoparietal network during the working memory task with reduced activation of the right parietal lobe in both patient groups. In left HS, gray matter loss was seen in the ipsilateral hippocampus and parietal lobe, with maintenance of the gray matter volume of the contralateral parietal lobe associated with better performance. White matter integrity within the frontoparietal network, in particular the superior longitudinal fasciculus and cingulum, and the contralateral temporal lobe, was associated with working memory performance. In right HS, gray matter loss was also seen in the ipsilateral hippocampus and parietal lobe. Working memory performance correlated with the gray matter volume of

The Visual Word Form Area remains in the dominant hemisphere for language in late-onset left occipital lobe epilepsies: A postsurgery analysis of two cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, Ricardo; Nunes, Rita Gouveia; Simões, Mário Rodrigues; Secca, Mário Forjaz; Leal, Alberto

2015-05-01

Automatic recognition of words from letter strings is a critical processing step in reading that is lateralized to the left-hemisphere middle fusiform gyrus in the so-called Visual Word Form Area (VWFA). Surgical lesions in this location can lead to irreversible alexia. Very early left hemispheric lesions can lead to transfer of the VWFA to the nondominant hemisphere, but it is currently unknown if this capability is preserved in epilepsies developing after reading acquisition. In this study, we aimed to determine the lateralization of the VWFA in late-onset left inferior occipital lobe epilepsies and also the effect of surgical disconnection from the adjacent secondary visual areas. Two patients with focal epilepsies with onset near the VWFA underwent to surgery for epilepsy, with sparing of this area. Neuropsychology evaluations were performed before and after surgery, as well as quantitative evaluation of the speed of word reading. Comparison of the surgical localization of the lesion, with the BOLD activation associated with the contrast of words-strings, was performed, as well as a study of the associated main white fiber pathways using diffusion-weighted imaging. Neither of the patients developed alexia after surgery (similar word reading speed before and after surgery) despite the fact that the inferior occipital surgical lesions reached the neighborhood (less than 1cm) of the VWFA. Surgeries partly disconnected the VWFA from left secondary visual areas, suggesting that pathways connecting to the posterior visual ventral stream were severely affected but did not induce alexia. The anterior and superior limits of the resection suggest that the critical connection between the VWFA and the Wernicke's Angular Gyrus cortex was not affected, which is supported by the detection of this tract with probabilistic tractography. Left occipital lobe epilepsies developing after reading acquisition did not produce atypical localizations of the VWFA, even with foci in the

Isolation, culture and adenoviral transduction of parietal cells from mouse gastric mucosa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gliddon, Briony L; Nguyen, Nhung V; Gunn, Priscilla A; Gleeson, Paul A; Driel, Ian R van

2008-01-01

Here we describe a method for the isolation of intact gastric glands from mice and primary culture and transfection of mouse gastric epithelial cells. Collagenase digestion of PBS-perfused mouse stomachs released large intact gastric glands that were plated on a basement membrane matrix. The heterogeneous gland cell cultures typically contain ∼60% parietal cells. Isolated mouse parietal cells remain viable in culture for up to 5 days and react strongly with an antibody specific to the gastric H + /K + ATPase. Isolated intact mouse gastric glands and primary cultures of mouse parietal cells respond to the secretagogue, histamine. Typical morphological changes from a resting to an acid-secreting active parietal cell were observed. In resting cultures of mouse parietal cells, the H + /K + ATPase displayed a cytoplasmic punctate staining pattern consistent with tubulovesicle element structures. Following histamine stimulation, an expansion of internal apical vacuole structures was observed together with a pronounced redistribution of the H + /K + ATPase from the cytoplasm to the apical vacuoles. A reproducible procedure to express genes of interest exogenously in these cultures of mouse parietal cells was also established. This method combines recombinant adenoviral transduction with magnetic field-assisted transfection resulting in ∼30% transduced parietal cells. Adenoviral-transduced parietal cells maintain their ability to undergo agonist-induced activation. This protocol will be useful for the isolation, culture and expression of genes in parietal cells from genetically modified mice and as such will be an invaluable tool for studying the complex exocytic and endocytic trafficking events of the H + /K + ATPase which underpin the regulation of acid secretion

MRI lesion and epileptogenic focus in temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Kazumi; Yagi, Kazuichi; Mihara, Tadahiro; Tottori, Takayasu; Watanabe, Yutaka; Seino, Masakazu

1989-01-01

The spatial relationship between a circumscribed lesion in the temporal lobe detected by MRI and an epileptogenic focus identified by ictal depth EEG along with a correlation of the MRI lesion with neuropathological findings were investigated in patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy but without any focal lesion on CT. Four parameters (an areal ratio of the temporal lobe against the hemisphere, area and calculated T1, T2 values of the hippocampus) were used to determine the abnormal MRI side. An agreement was reached in 67-72% of 18 patients between the abnormal values of the hippocampal area and of calculated T1, T2 and the side of the epileptogenic focus. In 14 of 17 patients, typical hippocampal sclerosis was demonstrated in resected tissue in accordance with the MRI lesions (atrophy and/or prolonged T2 of hippocampus). These results imply: 1)MRI abnormality thus defined may, if not all, indicate the side of the epileptogenic focus, and 2)also the presence of hippocampal sclerosis. It was emphasized that the MRI lesion would be a usable instrument to explore the causal relationship of hippocampal sclerosis to a generation of epileptogenic lesions as well as for presurgical evalution. (author)

Temporo-Parietal Junction Activity in Theory-of-Mind Tasks: Falseness, Beliefs, or Attention

Science.gov (United States)

Aichhorn, Markus; Perner, Josef; Weiss, Benjamin; Kronbichler, Martin; Staffen, Wolfgang; Ladurner, Gunther

2009-01-01

By combining the false belief (FB) and photo (PH) vignettes to identify theory-of-mind areas with the false sign (FS) vignettes, we re-establish the functional asymmetry between the left and right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ). The right TPJ (TPJ-R) is specially sensitive to processing belief information, whereas the left TPJ (TPJ-L) is equally…

Origin of parietal podocytes in atubular glomeruli mapped by lineage tracing.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulte, Kevin; Berger, Katja; Boor, Peter; Jirak, Peggy; Gelman, Irwin H; Arkill, Kenton P; Neal, Christopher R; Kriz, Wilhelm; Floege, Jürgen; Smeets, Bart; Moeller, Marcus J

2014-01-01

Parietal podocytes are fully differentiated podocytes lining Bowman's capsule where normally only parietal epithelial cells (PECs) are found. Parietal podocytes form throughout life and are regularly observed in human biopsies, particularly in atubular glomeruli of diseased kidneys; however, the origin of parietal podocytes is unresolved. To assess the capacity of PECs to transdifferentiate into parietal podocytes, we developed and characterized a novel method for creating atubular glomeruli by electrocoagulation of the renal cortex in mice. Electrocoagulation produced multiple atubular glomeruli containing PECs as well as parietal podocytes that projected from the vascular pole and lined Bowman's capsule. Notably, induction of cell death was evident in some PECs. In contrast, Bowman's capsules of control animals and normal glomeruli of electrocoagulated kidneys rarely contained podocytes. PECs and podocytes were traced by inducible and irreversible genetic tagging using triple transgenic mice (PEC- or Pod-rtTA/LC1/R26R). Examination of serial cryosections indicated that visceral podocytes migrated onto Bowman's capsule via the vascular stalk; direct transdifferentiation from PECs to podocytes was not observed. Similar results were obtained in a unilateral ureter obstruction model and in human diseased kidney biopsies, in which overlap of PEC- or podocyte-specific antibody staining indicative of gradual differentiation did not occur. These results suggest that induction of atubular glomeruli leads to ablation of PECs and subsequent migration of visceral podocytes onto Bowman's capsule, rather than transdifferentiation from PECs to parietal podocytes.

An impaired attentional dwell time after parietal and frontal lesions related to impaired selective attention not unilateral neglect.

Science.gov (United States)

Correani, Alessia; Humphreys, Glyn W

2011-07-01

The attentional blink, a measure of the temporal dynamics of visual processing, has been documented to be more pronounced following brain lesions that are associated with visual neglect. This suggests that, in addition to their spatial bias in attention, neglect patients may have a prolonged dwell time for attention. Here the attentional dwell time was examined in patients with damage focused on either posterior parietal or frontal cortices. In three experiments, we show that there is an abnormally pronounced attentional dwell time, which does not differ in patients with posterior parietal and with frontal lobe lesions, and this is associated with a measure of selective attention but not with measures of spatial bias in selection. These data occurred both when we attempted to match patients and controls for overall differences in performance and when a single set stimulus exposure was used across participants. In Experiments 1 and 2, requiring report of colour-form conjunctions, there was evidence that the patients were also impaired at temporal binding, showing errors in feature combination across stimuli and in reporting in the correct temporal order. In Experiment 3, requiring only the report of features but introducing task switching led to similar results. The data suggest that damage to a frontoparietal network can compromise temporal selection of visual stimuli; however, this is not necessarily related to a deficit in hemispatial visual attention but it is to impaired target selection. We discuss the implications for understanding visual selection.

Semantic memory is impaired in patients with unilateral anterior temporal lobe resection for temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambon Ralph, Matthew A; Ehsan, Sheeba; Baker, Gus A; Rogers, Timothy T

2012-01-01

Contemporary clinical and basic neuroscience studies have increasingly implicated the anterior temporal lobe regions, bilaterally, in the formation of coherent concepts. Mounting convergent evidence for the importance of the anterior temporal lobe in semantic memory is found in patients with bilateral anterior temporal lobe damage (e.g. semantic dementia), functional neuroimaging and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation studies. If this proposal is correct, then one might expect patients with anterior temporal lobe resection for long-standing temporal lobe epilepsy to be semantically impaired. Such patients, however, do not present clinically with striking comprehension deficits but with amnesia and variable anomia, leading some to conclude that semantic memory is intact in resection for temporal lobe epilepsy and thus casting doubt over the conclusions drawn from semantic dementia and linked basic neuroscience studies. Whilst there is a considerable neuropsychological literature on temporal lobe epilepsy, few studies have probed semantic memory directly, with mixed results, and none have undertaken the same type of systematic investigation of semantic processing that has been conducted with other patient groups. In this study, therefore, we investigated the semantic performance of 20 patients with resection for chronic temporal lobe epilepsy with a full battery of semantic assessments, including more sensitive measures of semantic processing. The results provide a bridge between the current clinical observations about resection for temporal lobe epilepsy and the expectations from semantic dementia and other neuroscience findings. Specifically, we found that on simple semantic tasks, the patients' accuracy fell in the normal range, with the exception that some patients with left resection for temporal lobe epilepsy had measurable anomia. Once the semantic assessments were made more challenging, by probing specific-level concepts, lower frequency

A study using computerized tomography in the clinical practice of temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Kunimitsu

1982-01-01

The author has studied about analysis of clinical data and CT findings examined conventional method for 50 cases of temporal lobe epilepsy and how to assess the foci of temporal lobe by CT. According to the examination of conventional neuroradiologic technique and routine work of CT for temporal lobe epilepsy, an extreme space occuping lesions were detected and marked cerebral atrophy, low density area in temporal lobe were found out, but, most of them were not able to detect foci of the temporal lobe and yet, the study of CT number based on the print out data did not give any precise informations about epileptogenic lesions of temporal lobe epilepsy. The method of reversed axial section CT was designed to photograph inferior horn of lateral ventricles with the purpose to delineate the hippocampus and amygdata, and precise pictures from autopsy brain and clinical cases were obtained by that method about scanning angle of reversed axial section CT, various angles are made an experiment on scanning, such as reversed 15 0 , 20 0 , 25 0 , 30 0 , 35 0 . Among them, it is proved that the reversed angle of almost 25 0 is most suitable to delineate mesial temporal structure, so as to say, foci of the temporal lobe. (J.P.N.)

SPM analysis of brain perfusion SPECT and F-18 FDG PET in the Korean autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy family

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, Kyoung Sook; Zeon, Seok Kil

2004-01-01

This study attempted to investigate the specific pattern of brain perfusion and glucose metabolism in the Korean autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) family. Using Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT. we assessed brain perfusion in 6 patients at interictal period and 5 patients at ictal period. Interictal F-18 FDG PET was performed on 6 affected family members. The scans were statistically analyzed by using statistical parametric mapping (SPM99). The data of the affected family members were compared to those of the control subjects. Interictal F-18 FDG PET SPM group analysis showed decreased glucose metabolism over the left middle and superior frontal gyri and the left central regions including the anterior parietal lobe. There was a less pronounced decrease in glucose uptake in the right anterior superior frontal gyrus. Interictal brain perfusion SPECT SPM group analysis showed similar pattern of decreased perfusion compared to those of interictal F-18 FDG PET. Ictal brain perfusion SPECT SPM group analysis revealed increased perfusion over the left pre-and postcentral gyri and less pronounced increased perfusion in the right postcentral gyrus. lnterictal F -18 PET and brain perfusion SPECT SPM group analysis suggest that major abnormalities of ADNFLE family are in the left frontal lobe. These findings may be helpful to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanism of this rare disease entity

SPM analysis of brain perfusion SPECT and F-18 FDG PET in the Korean autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy family

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Won, Kyoung Sook; Zeon, Seok Kil [Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2004-07-01

This study attempted to investigate the specific pattern of brain perfusion and glucose metabolism in the Korean autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) family. Using Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT. we assessed brain perfusion in 6 patients at interictal period and 5 patients at ictal period. Interictal F-18 FDG PET was performed on 6 affected family members. The scans were statistically analyzed by using statistical parametric mapping (SPM99). The data of the affected family members were compared to those of the control subjects. Interictal F-18 FDG PET SPM group analysis showed decreased glucose metabolism over the left middle and superior frontal gyri and the left central regions including the anterior parietal lobe. There was a less pronounced decrease in glucose uptake in the right anterior superior frontal gyrus. Interictal brain perfusion SPECT SPM group analysis showed similar pattern of decreased perfusion compared to those of interictal F-18 FDG PET. Ictal brain perfusion SPECT SPM group analysis revealed increased perfusion over the left pre-and postcentral gyri and less pronounced increased perfusion in the right postcentral gyrus. lnterictal F -18 PET and brain perfusion SPECT SPM group analysis suggest that major abnormalities of ADNFLE family are in the left frontal lobe. These findings may be helpful to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanism of this rare disease entity.

Areas activated during naturalistic reading comprehension overlap topological visual, auditory, and somatotomotor maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Sood, Mariam R; Sereno, Martin I

2016-08-01

Cortical mapping techniques using fMRI have been instrumental in identifying the boundaries of topological (neighbor-preserving) maps in early sensory areas. The presence of topological maps beyond early sensory areas raises the possibility that they might play a significant role in other cognitive systems, and that topological mapping might help to delineate areas involved in higher cognitive processes. In this study, we combine surface-based visual, auditory, and somatomotor mapping methods with a naturalistic reading comprehension task in the same group of subjects to provide a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the cortical overlap between sensory-motor maps in all major sensory modalities, and reading processing regions. Our results suggest that cortical activation during naturalistic reading comprehension overlaps more extensively with topological sensory-motor maps than has been heretofore appreciated. Reading activation in regions adjacent to occipital lobe and inferior parietal lobe almost completely overlaps visual maps, whereas a significant portion of frontal activation for reading in dorsolateral and ventral prefrontal cortex overlaps both visual and auditory maps. Even classical language regions in superior temporal cortex are partially overlapped by topological visual and auditory maps. By contrast, the main overlap with somatomotor maps is restricted to a small region on the anterior bank of the central sulcus near the border between the face and hand representations of M-I. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2784-2810, 2016. © 2016 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Predictive values of F-18-FDG PET and ictal SPECT to find epileptogenic zones in cryptogenic neocortical epilepsies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D. S.; Lee, S. K.; Jeong, Z. K.; Kim, H. Z.; Lee, M. C.; Ko, C. S.

1997-01-01

Though cumulated reported sensitivity were 33% (F-18-FDG PET) and 81%(ictal SPECT) in neocortical epilepsy, positive predictive values rather than sensitivity should be referred if we wish to know the reliability of positive findings to predict epileptogenic zones. In cryptogenic neocortical epilepsy which did not have structural lesions on MR, we tried to find performance of F-18-FDG PET and ictal SPECT to find epileptogenic zones. In 77 patients who had no lesion on MR and who were suspected to have neocortical epilepsy on video monitored EEG, ictal SPECT were done in 44 patients and F-18-FDG PET were done in 70 patients. Invasive study and operation was done in 24 patients. The most hyper perfused area or prominently hypometabolic area was suspected to be epileptogenic on ictal SPECT or F-18-FDG PET, respectively. We could find zones of ictal hyperperfusion in 34/44(78%) patients. Positive predictive values of ictal hyperperfusion were 58%, 60%, and 12.5% in frontal lobes (n=12), lateral temporal lobes (20), and parietal lobes (8). We could find hypometabolic areas in 50/70(76%) patients. Positive predictive values of hypometabolism were 78%, 71%, 33%, and 25% in frontal lobes (9), lateral temporal lobes (28), parietal lobes (3) and occipital lobes (4). Among 24 patients who were operated, 17 patients were followed up more than 7 months (15 ± 5). Thirteen patients improved (10 : Engel class I or II, 2: 90% reduction, 1: 75% reduction but multifocal). Five among 11 PET studies were correct, 3 among 10 SPECT studies, and 6 among 11 PET/SPECT studies (55%) were correct for localization. In conclusion, three fourths of patients gave positive results to localized epileptogenic zones in cryptogenic neocortical epilepsy, and predictive values of ictal hyperperfusion or interictal hypometabolism were highest in frontal or lateral temporal lobes if these lobes were found to be culprit though rapid ictal propagation of cortical hyperperfusion confounded the exact

MRI parcellation of ex vivo medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Augustinack, Jean C; Magnain, Caroline; Reuter, Martin; van der Kouwe, André J W; Boas, David; Fischl, Bruce

2014-06-01

Recent advancements in radio frequency coils, field strength and sophisticated pulse sequences have propelled modern brain mapping and have made validation to biological standards - histology and pathology - possible. The medial temporal lobe has long been established as a pivotal brain region for connectivity, function and unique structure in the human brain, and reveals disconnection in mild Alzheimer's disease. Specific brain mapping of mesocortical areas affected with neurofibrillary tangle pathology early in disease progression provides not only an accurate description for location of these areas but also supplies spherical coordinates that allow comparison between other ex vivo cases and larger in vivo datasets. We have identified several cytoarchitectonic features in the medial temporal lobe with high resolution ex vivo MRI, including gray matter structures such as the entorhinal layer II 'islands', perirhinal layer II-III columns, presubicular 'clouds', granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus as well as lamina of the hippocampus. Localization of Brodmann areas 28 and 35 (entorhinal and perirhinal, respectively) demonstrates MRI based area boundaries validated with multiple methods and histological stains. Based on our findings, both myelin and Nissl staining relate to contrast in ex vivo MRI. Precise brain mapping serves to create modern atlases for cortical areas, allowing accurate localization with important applications to detecting early disease processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Turbulent measurements in the lobe mixer of a turbofan engine. Turbofan engine lobe mixer nagare no ranryu keisoku

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamamoto, Makoto; Ogawa, Yuji; Arakawa, Chuichi; Tagori, Tetsuo [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Co., Ltd., Tokyo, (Japan) Nippon Steel Corp., Tokyo, (Japan) The Univ. of Tokyo, Tokyo, (Japan). Faculty of Engineering The Univ. of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, (Japan)

1990-01-25

In order to examine the flow generated by the lobe mixer of a turbofan engine precisely, after measuring a three dimensional turbulent flow by a hot-wire anemometer, the mixing process of a bypass flow and a core flow with cross-sectional vortexes, and factors generating the vortex were clarified experimentally using the scale model of an exhaust duct with the lobe mixer. As a result, the mixing process was strongly affected by a lobe tip figure and a lobe figure near a center-body, and affected by the minimum gap between the lobe and center-body. The subsequent mixing process was scarcely affected by the ratio of a core flow velocity to a bypass flow one, although strongly affected by flow conditions on a lobe surface. Since the lobe mixer promoted the mixing around a center axis shifting a fast core flow outwards, it was unfavorable to mixing, however, it was expected to be useful for reducing engine jet noise. 3 refs., 7 figs.

Counterfactual thinking: an fMRI study on changing the past for a better future

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ning; Ampe, Lisa; Baetens, Kris; Van Overwalle, Frank

2013-01-01

Recent studies suggest that a brain network mainly associated with episodic memory has a more general function in imagining oneself in another time, place or perspective (e.g. episodic future thought, theory of mind, default mode). If this is true, counterfactual thinking (e.g. ‘If I had left the office earlier, I wouldn’t have missed my train.’) should also activate this network. Present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study explores the common and distinct neural activity of counterfactual and episodic thinking by directly comparing the imagining of upward counterfactuals (creating better outcomes for negative past events) with the re-experiencing of negative past events and the imagining of positive future events. Results confirm that episodic and counterfactual thinking share a common brain network, involving a core memory network (hippocampal area, temporal lobes, midline, and lateral parietal lobes) and prefrontal areas that might be related to mentalizing (medial prefrontal cortex) and performance monitoring (right prefrontal cortex). In contrast to episodic past and future thinking, counterfactual thinking recruits some of these areas more strongly and extensively, and additionally activates the bilateral inferior parietal lobe and posterior medial frontal cortex. We discuss these findings in view of recent fMRI evidence on the working of episodic memory and theory of mind. PMID:22403155

Emotional reactions in patients after frontal lobe stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stojanović Zlatan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Emotional reactions have been documented after tumor lesions and the other damages of the brain. The aim of this paper was to examine the correlation between frontal lobe lesions and emotional reactions in patients with stroke. Methods. The research included 118 patients after stroke. Lesion localization was defined on computed axial tomography records, whereas the area and perimeter of lesion were measured by AutoCAD 2004 software. Examinations by means of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety and Depression (HRSA and HRSD were carried out 11-40 days after stroke. Statistic data were processed by simple linear/nonlinear regression, Cox's and the generalized linear model. Results. A higher frequency of emotional reactions, i.e. anxiety, was determined in women after stroke (p = 0.024. A negative correlation between the lesion size and the intensity of anxiety manifestations was determined (Spearman’s r = -0.297; p = 0.001. Anxiety was more frequent in patients with frontal lobe lesions in the dominant hemisphere (interaction: frontal lesion * hand dominant hemisphere, p = 0.017. Also, HRSD score values showed the tendency for lesser decline in case of greater frontal lobe lesions in relation to lesions of other regions of prosencephalon (interaction: frontal lesion * lesion area, p = 0.001. Conclusion. The results of this study indicate the correlation between evolutionary younger structures of the central nervous system and emotional reactions of man. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake proper early psychopharmacotherapy in the vulnerable group of patients.

Emotional reactions in patients after frontal lobe stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Stojanović, Zlatan; Stojanović, Sanja Vukadinović

2015-09-01

Emotional reactions have been documented after tumor lesions and the other damages of the brain. The aim of this paper was to examine the correlation between frontal lobe lesions and emotional reactions in patients with stroke. The research included 118 patients after stroke. Lesion localization was defined on computed axial tomography records, whereas the area and perimeter of lesion were measured by AutoCAD 2004 software. Examinations by means of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety and Depression (HRSA and HRSD) were carried out 11-40 days after stroke. Statistic data were processed by simple linear/nonlinear regression, Cox's and the generalized linear model. A higher frequency of emotional reactions, i.e. anxiety, was determined in women after stroke (p = 0.024). A negative correlation between the lesion size and the intensity of anxiety manifestations was determined (Spearman's r = -0.297; p = 0.001). Anxiety was more frequent in patients with frontal lobe lesions in the dominant hemisphere (interaction: frontal lesion * hand dominant hemisphere, p = 0.017). Also, HRSD score values showed the tendency for lesser decline in case of greater frontal lobe lesions in relation to lesions of other regions of prosencephalon (interaction: frontal lesion * lesion area, p = 0.001). The results of this study indicate the correlation between evolutionary younger structures of the central nervous system and emotional reactions of man. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake proper early psychopharmacotherapy in the vulnerable group of patients.

Right parietal cortex mediates recognition memory for melodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaal, Nora K; Javadi, Amir-Homayoun; Halpern, Andrea R; Pollok, Bettina; Banissy, Michael J

2015-07-01

Functional brain imaging studies have highlighted the significance of right-lateralized temporal, frontal and parietal brain areas for memory for melodies. The present study investigated the involvement of bilateral posterior parietal cortices (PPCs) for the recognition memory of melodies using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Participants performed a recognition task before and after tDCS. The task included an encoding phase (12 melodies), a retention period, as well as a recognition phase (24 melodies). Experiment 1 revealed that anodal tDCS over the right PPC led to a deterioration of overall memory performance compared with sham. Experiment 2 confirmed the results of Experiment 1 and further showed that anodal tDCS over the left PPC did not show a modulatory effect on memory task performance, indicating a right lateralization for musical memory. Furthermore, both experiments revealed that the decline in memory for melodies can be traced back to an interference of anodal stimulation on the recollection process (remember judgements) rather than to familiarity judgements. Taken together, this study revealed a causal involvement of the right PPC for memory for melodies and demonstrated a key role for this brain region in the recollection process of the memory task. © 2015 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience published by Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Giant lipoma arising from deep lobe of the parotid gland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsu Ying-Che

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lipomas are common benign soft tissue neoplasms but they are found very rarely in the deep lobe of parotid gland. Surgical intervention in these tumors is challenging because of the proximity of the facial nerve, and thus knowledge of the anatomy and meticulous surgical technique are essential. Case presentation A 71-year-old female presented with a large asymptomatic mass, which had occupied the left facial area for over the past fifteen years, and she requested surgical excision for a cosmetically better facial appearance. The computed tomography (CT scan showed a well-defined giant lipoma arising from the left deep parotid gland. The lipoma was successfully enucleated after full exposure and mobilization of the overlying facial nerve branches. The surgical specimen measured 9 × 6 cm in size, and histopathology revealed fibrolipoma. The patient experienced an uneventful recovery, with a satisfying facial contour and intact facial nerve function. Conclusion Giant lipomas involving the deep parotid lobe are extremely rare. The high-resolution CT scan provides an accurate and cost-effective preoperative investigative method. Surgical management of deep lobe lipoma should be performed by experienced surgeons due to the need for meticulous dissection of the facial nerve branches. Superficial parotidectomy before deep lobe lipoma removal may be unnecessary in selected cases because preservation of the superficial lobe may contribute to a better aesthetic and functional result.

Meningio- angiomatosis — case report and subject review

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Enrique

showed multiple areas of hyperinten- sity in the left parietal lobe extending in a linear radial fashion along a num- ber of gyni and sulci over the surface of the brain (Fig. 1a). Moderate con- trast enhancement was seen adjacent to some of these hyperintensities (Fig. 1b). The hyperintense areas appeared denser than blood.

Abnormality of cerebral cortical glucose metabolism in temporal lobe epilepsy with cognitive function impairment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang-Hung Yang; Tsung-Szu Yeh; Tung-Ping Su; Jyh-Cheng Chen; Ren-Shyan Liu

2004-01-01

Objective: People with epilepsy commonly report having problems with their memory. Many indicate that memory difficulties significantly hinder their functioning at work, in school, and at home. Besides, some studies have reported that memory performance as a prognostic factor is of most value in patients with risk of refractory epilepsy and when used in a multidisciplinary setting. However, the cerebral cortical areas involving memory impairment in epilepsy is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to access changes of cerebral glucose metabolism of epilepsy patients using [F-18] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET). Method: Nine temporal lobe epilepsy patients were studied. Each patient was confirmed with lesions in right mesial temporal lobe by MRI, PET and EEG. Serial cognition function tests were performed. Regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMRglc) was measured by PET at 45 minutes after injection of 370 MBq of FDG. Parametric images were generated by grand mean scaling each scan to 50. The images were then transformed into standard stereotactic space. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM2) was applied to find the correlations between verbal memory, figure memory, perception intelligent quotation (PIQ) and rCMRglc in epilepsy patients. The changes of rCMRglc were significant if corrected p value was less than 0.05. Results: There was no significant relationship between figure memory score and verbal memory score. FDG-PET scan showed changes of rCMRglc positive related with verbal memory score in precentral gyms of right frontal lobe (Brodmann area 4, corrected p < 0.001, voxel size 240) and cingulated gyms of right limbic lobe (Brodmann area 32, corrected p=0.002, voxel size 143). No negative relationship was demonstrable between verbal memory and rCMRglc in this study. Besides, significanfiy positive correlation between figure memory was shown in cuneus of right occipital lobe (Brodmann area 18, corrected p < 0.001, voxel size

Application of magnetic source imaging in localizing the epileptic foci in patients with grey matter heterotopia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jilin; Wu Jie; Jia Xiuchuan; Li Sumin

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the value of magnetic source imaging (MSI) in localizing the epileptic foci of patients with histologically proved grey matter heterotopia (GMH) and seizure. Methods: MSI examinations were performed on 8 patients with GMH and seizure. The location of the epileptic foci defined by MSI was compared with the results of the ECoG. After imaging examinations, all patients received operation with 13-48 months follow up to observe the effectiveness of the operation. Results: Among the 8 patients, 1 had hippocampal sclerosis, 2 had focal cortical dysplasia of type Ⅰ B and 1 had focal cortical dysplasia of type Ⅱ B. MRI showed normal findings in 2 cases, subcortical heterotopia in 4 cases, and nodular heterotopia in 2 cases with one having schizencephaly. The epileptic foci defined by MSI were at right temporal lobe in 2 cases, left frontal lobe in 2 cases, biparietal lobe in 1 case, left parietal lobe in 1 case, left temporal lobe in 1 case, and left frontal-parietal lobe in 1 case. The epileptic foci defined by MSI were completely overlaid with area of GMH in 4 cases, closely behind the area of GMH in case, and partly overlaid with area of CMH in 1 cases with size larger than that of the latter. One patient showed two epileptic foci with one located within the area of GMH and the other one 2 centimeters anterior to the area of GMH. One case's epileptic focus located 2 centimeters posteolateral to the area of GMH. The locations of the epileptic foci defined by MSI showed no difference with those defined by ECoG in all patients. According to Engel classification of treatment effect of epilepsy, 6 patients achieved Engle class Ⅰ ( seizure free after operation), and 2 patients Engel class Ⅳ (no changes in the frequency of occurrence of seizures before and after operation). Conclusion: MSI can noninvasively and precisely localize the epileptic foci before operation in patients with GMH and seizure. (authors)

Intradiploic encephalocele of the left parietal bone: A case report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyung Sock; Huh, Choon Woong; Kim, Dal Soo; Mok, Jin Ho; Kim, In Soo; Yang, Geun Seok [Myongji St. Mary' s Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-15

Encephaloceles are generally regarded as midline abnormalities. A 50-year-old man presented with a parietal intradiploic encephalocele manifesting as intermittent headache for the past 6 months. Computed tomography (CT) showed bone destruction associated with a left parietal lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated brain herniation within the intradiploic space. Cerebral angiographic imaging showed a normal cerebral vessel pattern within the herniated brain lesion. In this case, surgical treatment may not be necessary in the absence of concurrent symptoms and neurologic deficit. We report the CT, MRI, and angiographic findings of an extremely rare case of parietal intradiploic encephalocele in adulthood.

Intradiploic encephalocele of the left parietal bone: A case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyung Sock; Huh, Choon Woong; Kim, Dal Soo; Mok, Jin Ho; Kim, In Soo; Yang, Geun Seok

2015-01-01

Encephaloceles are generally regarded as midline abnormalities. A 50-year-old man presented with a parietal intradiploic encephalocele manifesting as intermittent headache for the past 6 months. Computed tomography (CT) showed bone destruction associated with a left parietal lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated brain herniation within the intradiploic space. Cerebral angiographic imaging showed a normal cerebral vessel pattern within the herniated brain lesion. In this case, surgical treatment may not be necessary in the absence of concurrent symptoms and neurologic deficit. We report the CT, MRI, and angiographic findings of an extremely rare case of parietal intradiploic encephalocele in adulthood

Preservation of episodic memory in semantic dementia: The importance of regions beyond the medial temporal lobes.

Science.gov (United States)

Irish, Muireann; Bunk, Steffie; Tu, Sicong; Kamminga, Jody; Hodges, John R; Hornberger, Michael; Piguet, Olivier

2016-01-29

Episodic memory impairment represents one of the hallmark clinical features of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) attributable to the degeneration of medial temporal and parietal regions of the brain. In contrast, a somewhat paradoxical profile of relatively intact episodic memory, particularly for non-verbal material, is observed in semantic dementia (SD), despite marked atrophy of the hippocampus. This retrospective study investigated the neural substrates of episodic memory retrieval in 20 patients with a diagnosis of SD and 21 disease-matched cases of AD and compared their performance to that of 35 age- and education-matched healthy older Controls. Participants completed the Rey Complex Figure and the memory subscale of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised as indices of visual and verbal episodic recall, respectively. Relative to Controls, AD patients showed compromised memory performance on both visual and verbal memory tasks. In contrast, memory deficits in SD were modality-specific occurring exclusively on the verbal task. Controlling for semantic processing ameliorated these deficits in SD, while memory impairments persisted in AD. Voxel-based morphometry analyses revealed significant overlap in the neural correlates of verbal episodic memory in AD and SD with predominantly anteromedial regions, including the bilateral hippocampus, strongly implicated. Controlling for semantic processing negated this effect in SD, however, a distributed network of frontal, medial temporal, and parietal regions was implicated in AD. Our study corroborates the view that episodic memory deficits in SD arise very largely as a consequence of the conceptual loading of traditional tasks. We propose that the functional integrity of frontal and parietal regions enables new learning to occur in SD in the face of significant hippocampal and anteromedial temporal lobe pathology, underscoring the inherent complexity of the episodic memory circuitry. Copyright © 2015

Visual perception and memory systems: from cortex to medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Zafar U; Martín-Montañez, Elisa; Baxter, Mark G

2011-05-01

Visual perception and memory are the most important components of vision processing in the brain. It was thought that the perceptual aspect of a visual stimulus occurs in visual cortical areas and that this serves as the substrate for the formation of visual memory in a distinct part of the brain called the medial temporal lobe. However, current evidence indicates that there is no functional separation of areas. Entire visual cortical pathways and connecting medial temporal lobe are important for both perception and visual memory. Though some aspects of this view are debated, evidence from both sides will be explored here. In this review, we will discuss the anatomical and functional architecture of the entire system and the implications of these structures in visual perception and memory.

A case of viral encephalitis localized in the occipital lobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izawa, Masahiro; Okino, Teruhiko; Kagawa, Mizuo; Kitamura, Koichi.

1987-01-01

A case is reported of a 63-year-old female admitted to our hospital in Oct., 1986, with complaints of headache and visual field disturbance. A plain CT scan showed no abnormal low-density focal area. A contrast-enhancement CT scan, however, showed a localized linear abnormal enhancement in the right occipital lobe, without any mass-effect. A dynamic CT scan demonstrated a hyperemic perfusion pattern of the right occipital lobe. A visual-field examination showed left homonymous hemianopsia with concentric narrowing. These abnormal findings on CT, EEG, and ophthalmological examination disappeared within 3 weeks. (author)

The concreteness effect: evidence for dual coding and context availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Jessen, F; Heun, R; Erb, M; Granath, D O; Klose, U; Papassotiropoulos, A; Grodd, W

2000-08-01

The term concreteness effect refers to the observation that concrete nouns are processed faster and more accurately than abstract nouns in a variety of cognitive tasks. Two models have been proposed to explain the neuronal basis of the concreteness effect. The dual-coding theory attributes the advantage to the access of a right hemisphere image based system in addition to a verbal system by concrete words. The context availability theory argues that concrete words activate a broader contextual verbal support, which results in faster processing, but do not access a distinct image based system. We used event-related fMRI to detect the brain regions that subserve to the concreteness effect. We found greater activation in the lower right and left parietal lobes, in the left inferior frontal lobe and in the precuneus during encoding of concrete compared to abstract nouns. This makes a single exclusive theory unlikely and rather suggests a combination of both models. Superior encoding of concrete words in the present study may result from (1) greater verbal context resources reflected by the activation of left parietal and frontal associative areas, and (2) the additional activation of a non-verbal, perhaps spatial imagery-based system, in the right parietal lobe. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Aspirin induces morphological transformation to the secretory state in isolated rabbit parietal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Murthy, U K; Levine, R A

1991-08-01

The morphological response of rabbit parietal cells to aspirin was evaluated by grading several ultra-structural features including the extent of the tubulovesicular system, intracellular secretory canaliculi, and microvilli. After exposure of isolated parietal cells and gastric glands to aspirin or histamine, there was an approximately twofold increase in the ratio of secretory to nonsecretory parietal cells, and depletion of extracellular Ca2+ abolished the aspirin-induced morphological changes. Morphometry in parietal cells showed that aspirin induced a sixfold increase in secretory canalicular membrane elaboration. Aspirin potentiated histamine-induced parietal cell respiration and aminopyrine uptake ratio but did not increase basal respiration or aminopyrine uptake, suggesting an apparent dissociation from aspirin-induced morphological changes.

Parietal epithelial cells: their role in health and disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Romagnani, Paola

2011-01-01

Parietal epithelial cells of Bowman's capsules were first described by Sir William Bowman in 1842 in his paper On the Structure and Use of the Malpighian Bodies of the Kidney [London, Taylor, 1842], but since then their functions have remained poorly understood. A large body of evidence has recently suggested that parietal epithelial cells represent a reservoir of renal progenitors in adult human kidney which generate novel podocytes during childhood and adolescence, and can regenerate injured podocytes. The discovery that parietal epithelial cells represent a potential source for podocyte regeneration suggests that podocyte injury can be repaired. However, recent results also suggest that an abnormal proliferative response of renal progenitors to podocyte injury can generate hyperplastic glomerular lesions that are observed in crescentic glomerulonephritis and other types of glomerular disorders. Taken together, these results establish an entirely novel view that changes the way of thinking about renal physiology and pathophysiology, and suggest that understanding how self-renewal and fate decision of parietal epithelial cells in response to podocyte injury may be perturbed or modulated will be crucial for obtaining novel tools for prevention and treatment of glomerulosclerosis. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Source Monitoring 15 Years Later: What Have We Learned from fMRI about the Neural Mechanisms of Source Memory?

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Karen J.; Johnson, Marcia K.

2009-01-01

Focusing primarily on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this article reviews evidence regarding the roles of subregions of the medial temporal lobes, prefrontal cortex, posterior representational areas, and parietal cortex in source memory. In addition to evidence from standard episodic memory tasks assessing accuracy for neutral…

Functional connectivity evidence of cortico-cortico inhibition in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tracy, Joseph I; Osipowicz, Karol; Spechler, Philip; Sharan, Ashwini; Skidmore, Christopher; Doucet, Gaelle; Sperling, Michael R

2014-01-01

Epileptic seizures can initiate a neural circuit and lead to aberrant neural communication with brain areas outside the epileptogenic region. We focus on interictal activity in focal temporal lobe epilepsy and evaluate functional connectivity (FC) differences that emerge as function of bilateral versus strictly unilateral epileptiform activity. We assess the strength of FC at rest between the ictal and non-ictal temporal lobes, in addition to whole brain connectivity with the ictal temporal lobe. Results revealed strong connectivity between the temporal lobes for both patient groups, but this did not vary as a function of unilateral versus bilateral interictal status. Both the left and right unilateral temporal lobe groups showed significant anti-correlated activity in regions outside the epileptogenic temporal lobe, primarily involving the contralateral (non-ictal/non-pathologic) hemisphere, with precuneus involvement prominent. The bilateral groups did not show this contralateral anti-correlated activity. This anti-correlated connectivity may represent a form of protective and adaptive inhibition, helping to constrain epileptiform activity to the pathologic temporal lobe. The absence of this activity in the bilateral groups may be indicative of flawed inhibitory mechanisms, helping to explain their more widespread epileptiform activity. Our data suggest that the location and build up of epilepsy networks in the brain are not truly random, and are not limited to the formation of strictly epileptogenic networks. Functional networks may develop to take advantage of the regulatory function of structures such as the precuneus to instantiate an anti-correlated network, generating protective cortico-cortico inhibition for the purpose of limiting seizure spread or epileptogenesis. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Asymmetric multisensory interactions of visual and somatosensory responses in a region of the rat parietal cortex.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael T Lippert

Full Text Available Perception greatly benefits from integrating multiple sensory cues into a unified percept. To study the neural mechanisms of sensory integration, model systems are required that allow the simultaneous assessment of activity and the use of techniques to affect individual neural processes in behaving animals. While rodents qualify for these requirements, little is known about multisensory integration and areas involved for this purpose in the rodent. Using optical imaging combined with laminar electrophysiological recordings, the rat parietal cortex was identified as an area where visual and somatosensory inputs converge and interact. Our results reveal similar response patterns to visual and somatosensory stimuli at the level of current source density (CSD responses and multi-unit responses within a strip in parietal cortex. Surprisingly, a selective asymmetry was observed in multisensory interactions: when the somatosensory response preceded the visual response, supra-linear summation of CSD was observed, but the reverse stimulus order resulted in sub-linear effects in the CSD. This asymmetry was not present in multi-unit activity however, which showed consistently sub-linear interactions. These interactions were restricted to a specific temporal window, and pharmacological tests revealed significant local intra-cortical contributions to this phenomenon. Our results highlight the rodent parietal cortex as a system to model the neural underpinnings of multisensory processing in behaving animals and at the cellular level.

Post-adolescent developmental changes in cortical complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandu, Anca-Larisa; Izard, Edouard; Specht, Karsten; Beneventi, Harald; Lundervold, Arvid; Ystad, Martin

2014-11-27

Post-adolescence is known to be a period of general maturation and development in the human brain. In brain imaging, volumetric and morphologic cortical grey-matter changes can easily be assessed, but the analysis of cortical complexity seems to have been broadly neglected for this age interval. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to acquire structural brain images. The study involved 17 adolescents (mean age 14.1 ± 0.27, 11 girls) who were compared with 14 young adults (mean age 24.24 ± 2.76, 7 women) for measures of brain complexity (fractal dimension--FD), grey matter (GM) volume and surface-area of cortical ribbon. FD was calculated using box-counting and Minkowski-Bouligand methods; FD and GM volume were measured for the whole brain, each hemisphere and lobes: frontal, occipital, parietal and temporal. The results show that the adults have a lower cortical complexity than the adolescents, which was significant for whole brain, left and right hemisphere, frontal and parietal lobes for both genders; and only for males in left temporal lobe. The GM volume was smaller in men than in boys for almost all measurements, and smaller in women than in girls just for right parietal lobe. A significant Pearson correlation was found between FD and GM volume for whole brain and each hemisphere in both genders. The decrease of the GM surface-area was significant in post-adolescence for males, not for females. During post-adolescence there are common changes in cortical complexity in the same regions for both genders, but there are also gender specific changes in some cortical areas. The sex differences from different cortical measurements (FD, GM volume and surface-area of cortical ribbon) could suggest a maturation delay in specific brain regions for each gender in relation to the other and might be explained through the functional role of the corresponding regions reflected in gender difference of developed abilities.

Clinical study on temporal lobe epilepsy in childhood caused by temporal lobe space occupying lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuura, Mariko; Oguni, Hirokazu; Funatsuka, Makoto; Osawa, Makiko; Yamane, Fumitaka; Hori, Tomokatsu; Shimizu, Hiroyuki

2008-01-01

We studied the clinicoelectrical and neuroimaging features of 11 patients with symptomatic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) caused by temporal lobe space occupying lesions (SOLs), and compared its characteristics with those of 19 mesial TLE (MTLE) patients. Brain MRI demonstrated SOLs in the mesiotemporal lobe in 9, and laterotemporal lobe in the remaining 2 patients. Ten of the 11 patients successfully underwent surgery, which revealed tumors in 7 and focal cortical dysplasia in 3 patients. Comparisons of the clinical features between those with space occupying TLE (SOTLE) and MTLE showed that both conditions shared the same clinical seizure manifestations such as gastric uprising sensation or ictal fear and a favorable response to surgery. However, the patients with SOTLE had fewer febrile convulsion, and more frequent seizure recurrences as well as TLE EEG discharges and associations of the monophasic clinical course than those with MTLE. In addition, the MRI findings were characterized by unilateral hippocampal atrophy in MTLE and expanding or SOLs in the SOTLE group. Children with complex partial seizures of suspected temporal lobe origin should undergo extensive neuroimaging evaluation. (author)

A comparison among 123I-IMP SPECT, EEG and MRI in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tatsu, Yoshimitsu; Nishigaki, Hiroshi; Adachi, Itaru

1994-01-01

N-isopropyl-p-[ 123 I]iodoamphetamine ( 123 I-IMP) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in 19 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy during interictal stage. MRI demonstrated abnormal signal in mesial temporal lobe (hippocampus) in 10 of 19 patients and 123 I-IMP SPECT showed a hypoperfusion area in 15 of 19 patients. When compared with EEG and MRI data, disagreement of the affected area was observed in 3 cases. In comparison of EEG and 123 I-IMP SPECT data, disagreement of the affected area was observed in 6 cases. Although there was no disagreement in comparison of MRI and 123 I-IMP SPECT. We made a reprojection data parallel to the hippocampus in 123 I-IMP SPECT. These data demonstrated obviously a hypoperfusion area around the hippocampus. In cases within one month from seizure attack, wide hypoperfusion area was showed on 123 I-IMP SPECT in comparison of abnormal signal area on MRI. It could be considered that a reprojection data parallel to the hippocampus was useful to know extent of hypoperfusion area in temporal lobe epilepsy. (author)

The chronic encephalopathy of Parry Romberg Syndrome and en coupe de sabre with a 31-year-history in a West Indian woman: clinical, immunologic and neuroimaging abnormalities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karan Seegobin

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We describe a case of Parry Romberg syndrome/ en coupe de sabre in a woman whose disease started as seizures at age 8 but was diagnosed at the age 39. During these 31 years she got married, completed a first degree at university, had two successful pregnancies and has been gainfully employed. The features of generalized tonic-clonic seizures, autoimmune abnormalities, ocular abnormalities, morphea en coup de sabre and brain imaging abnormalities were present. Areas of parietal lobe cerebral calcification were encountered on the computed tomographic scan and bilateral periventricular white matter changes on the magnetic resonance imaging with frontal, temporal and parietal lobe brain atrophy ipsilateral to the facial hemiatrophy. Clinical, immunologic and neuroradiological abnormalities are discussed. In some cases, this illness can run a benign and stable course.

Haptically guided grasping. FMRI shows right-hemisphere parietal stimulus encoding, and bilateral dorso-ventral parietal gradients of object- and action-related processing during grasp execution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mattia eMarangon

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The neural bases of haptically-guided grasp planning and execution are largely unknown, especially for stimuli having no visual representations. Therefore, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI to monitor brain activity during haptic exploration of novel 3D complex objects, subsequent grasp planning, and the execution of the pre-planned grasps. Haptic object exploration, involving extraction of shape, orientation and length of the to-be-grasped targets, was associated with the fronto-parietal, temporo-occipital, and insular cortex activity. Yet, only the anterior divisions of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC of the right hemisphere were significantly more engaged in exploration of complex objects (vs. simple control disks. None of these regions were re-recruited during the planning phase. Even more surprisingly, the left-hemisphere intraparietal, temporal, and occipital areas that were significantly invoked for grasp planning did not show sensitivity to object features. Finally, grasp execution, involving the re-recruitment of the critical right-hemisphere PPC clusters, was also significantly associated with two kinds of bilateral parieto-frontal processes. The first represents transformations of grasp-relevant target features and is linked to the dorso-dorsal (lateral and medial parieto-frontal networks. The second monitors grasp kinematics and belongs to the ventro-dorsal networks. Indeed, signal modulations associated with these distinct functions follow dorso-ventral gradients, with left aIPS showing significant sensitivity to both target features and the characteristics of the required grasp. Thus, our results from the haptic domain are consistent with the notion that the parietal processing for action guidance reflects primarily transformations from object-related to effector-related coding, and these mechanisms are rather independent of sensory input modality.

Examining Brain Morphometry Associated with Self-Esteem in Young Adults Using Multilevel-ROI-Features-Based Classification Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Peng

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study is to exam self-esteem related brain morphometry on brain magnetic resonance (MR images using multilevel-features-based classification method.Method: The multilevel region of interest (ROI features consist of two types of features: (i ROI features, which include gray matter volume, white matter volume, cerebrospinal fluid volume, cortical thickness, and cortical surface area, and (ii similarity features, which are based on similarity calculation of cortical thickness between ROIs. For each feature type, a hybrid feature selection method, comprising of filter-based and wrapper-based algorithms, is used to select the most discriminating features. ROI features and similarity features are integrated by using multi-kernel support vector machines (SVMs with appropriate weighting factor.Results: The classification performance is improved by using multilevel ROI features with an accuracy of 96.66%, a specificity of 96.62%, and a sensitivity of 95.67%. The most discriminating ROI features that are related to self-esteem spread over occipital lobe, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, limbic lobe, temporal lobe, and central region, mainly involving white matter and cortical thickness. The most discriminating similarity features are distributed in both the right and left hemisphere, including frontal lobe, occipital lobe, limbic lobe, parietal lobe, and central region, which conveys information of structural connections between different brain regions.Conclusion: By using ROI features and similarity features to exam self-esteem related brain morphometry, this paper provides a pilot evidence that self-esteem is linked to specific ROIs and structural connections between different brain regions.

At the intersection of attention and memory: the mechanistic role of the posterior parietal lobe in working memory

Science.gov (United States)

Berryhill, Marian E.; Chein, Jason; Olson, Ingrid R.

2011-01-01

Portions of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) play a role in working memory (WM) yet the precise mechanistic function of this region remains poorly understood. The pure storage hypothesis proposes that this region functions as a short-lived modality-specific memory store. Alternatively, the internal attention hypothesis proposes that the PPC functions as an attention-based storage and refreshing mechanism deployable as an alternative to material-specific rehearsal. These models were tested in patients with bilateral PPC lesions. Our findings discount the pure storage hypothesis because variables indexing storage capacity and longevity were not disproportionately affected by PPC damage. Instead, our data support the internal attention account by showing that (a) normal participants tend to use a rehearsal-based WM maintenance strategy for recall tasks but not for recognition tasks; (b) patients with PPC lesions performed normally on WM tasks that relied on material-specific rehearsal strategies but poorly on WM tasks that relied on attention-based maintenance strategies and patient strategy usage could be shifted by task or instructions; (c) patients’ memory deficits extended into the long-term domain. These findings suggest that the PPC maintains or shifts internal attention among the representations of items in WM. PMID:21345344

At the intersection of attention and memory: the mechanistic role of the posterior parietal lobe in working memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Berryhill, Marian E; Chein, Jason; Olson, Ingrid R

2011-04-01

Portions of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) play a role in working memory (WM) yet the precise mechanistic function of this region remains poorly understood. The pure storage hypothesis proposes that this region functions as a short-lived modality-specific memory store. Alternatively, the internal attention hypothesis proposes that the PPC functions as an attention-based storage and refreshing mechanism deployable as an alternative to material-specific rehearsal. These models were tested in patients with bilateral PPC lesions. Our findings discount the pure storage hypothesis because variables indexing storage capacity and longevity were not disproportionately affected by PPC damage. Instead, our data support the internal attention account by showing that (a) normal participants tend to use a rehearsal-based WM maintenance strategy for recall tasks but not for recognition tasks; (b) patients with PPC lesions performed normally on WM tasks that relied on material-specific rehearsal strategies but poorly on WM tasks that relied on attention-based maintenance strategies and patient strategy usage could be shifted by task or instructions; (c) patients' memory deficits extended into the long-term domain. These findings suggest that the PPC maintains or shifts internal attention among the representations of items in WM. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between neuropsychological tests of visuospatial function and lobar cortical thickness.

Science.gov (United States)

Zink, Davor N; Miller, Justin B; Caldwell, Jessica Z K; Bird, Christopher; Banks, Sarah J

2018-06-01

Tests of visuospatial function are often administered in comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations. These tests are generally considered assays of parietal lobe function; however, the neural correlates of these tests, using modern imaging techniques, are not well understood. In the current study we investigated the relationship between three commonly used tests of visuospatial function and lobar cortical thickness in each hemisphere. Data from 374 patients who underwent a neuropsychological evaluation and MRI scans in an outpatient dementia clinic were included in the analysis. We examined the relationships between cortical thickness, as assessed with Freesurfer, and performance on three tests: Judgment of Line Orientation (JoLO), Block Design (BD) from the Fourth edition of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised Copy Trial (BVMT-R-C) in patients who showed overall average performance on these tasks. Using a series of multiple regression models, we assessed which lobe's overall cortical thickness best predicted test performance. Among the individual lobes, JoLO performance was best predicted by cortical thickness in the right temporal lobe. BD performance was best predicted by cortical thickness in the right parietal lobe, and BVMT-R-C performance was best predicted by cortical thickness in the left parietal lobe. Performance on constructional tests of visuospatial function appears to correspond best with underlying cortical thickness of the parietal lobes, while performance on visuospatial judgment tests appears to correspond best to temporal lobe thickness. Future research using voxel-wise and connectivity techniques and including more diverse samples will help further understanding of the regions and networks involved in visuospatial tests.

Hierarchical clustering of Alzheimer and 'normal' brains using elemental concentrations and glucose metabolism determined by PIXE, INAA and PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cutts, D.A.; Spyrou, N.M.

2001-01-01

Brain tissue samples, obtained from the Alzheimer Disease Brain Bank, Institute of Psychiatry, London, were taken from both left and right hemispheres of three regions of the cerebrum, namely the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes for both Alzheimer and 'normal' subjects. Trace element concentrations in the frontal lobe were determined for twenty six Alzheimer (15 male, 11 female) and twenty six 'normal' (8 male, 18 female) brain tissue samples. In the parietal lobe ten Alzheimer (2 male, 8 female) and ten 'normal' (8 male, 2 female) samples were taken along with ten Alzheimer (4 male, 6 female) and ten 'normal' (6 male, 4 female) from the occipital lobe. For the frontal lobe trace element concentrations were determined using proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis while in parietal and occipital regions instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used. Additionally eighteen Alzheimer (9 male, 9 female) and eighteen age matched 'normal' (8 male, 10 female) living subjects were examined using positron emission tomography (PET) in order to determine regional cerebral metabolic rates of glucose (rCMRGlu). The rCMRGlu of 36 regions of the brain was investigated including frontal, occipital and parietal lobes as in the trace element study. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to the trace element and glucose metabolism data to discover which variables in the resulting dendrograms displayed the most significant separation between Alzheimer and 'normal' subjects. (author)

Parietal and temporal activity during a multimodal dance video game: an fNIRS study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tachibana, Atsumichi; Noah, J Adam; Bronner, Shaw; Ono, Yumie; Onozuka, Minoru

2011-10-03

Using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) we studied how playing a dance video game employs coordinated activation of sensory-motor integration centers of the superior parietal lobe (SPL) and superior temporal gyrus (STG). Subjects played a dance video game, in a block design with 30s of activity alternating with 30s of rest, while changes in oxy-hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels were continuously measured. The game was modified to compare difficult (4-arrow), simple (2-arrow), and stepping conditions. Oxy-Hb levels were greatest with increased task difficulty. The quick-onset, trapezoidal time-course increase in SPL oxy-Hb levels reflected the on-off neuronal response of spatial orienting and rhythmic motor timing that were required during the activity. Slow-onset, bell-shaped increases in oxy-Hb levels observed in STG suggested the gradually increasing load of directing multisensory information to downstream processing centers associated with motor behavior and control. Differences in temporal relationships of SPL and STG oxy-Hb concentration levels may reflect the functional roles of these brain structures during the task period. NIRS permits insights into temporal relationships of cortical hemodynamics during real motor tasks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

CT evaluation of decrease in attenuation in the superior segment of the left lower lobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inaoka, Tsutomu; Takahashi, Koji; Ono, Hidetoshi

2003-01-01

We occasionally see decrease in attenuation in the superior segment of the left lower lobe on normal chest CT and notice that this finding could be seen in elder population. Then, we assessed the frequency, age distribution and cause of decrease in attenuation in the superior segment of the left lower lobe. Chest CT scans of 246 patients without lung or cardiac disorders were retrospectively reviewed. Segmental low attenuation area in the superior segment of the left lower lobe was identified in 12 patients (4.9%), which were 65-92 years old with mean age of 77.2 years old. In all of them, chest CT demonstrated that the tortuous descending aorta compressed directly the superior segmental bronchus of the left lower lobe. It is concluded that the lateral tortuousity of the descending aorta could cause decrease in attenuation in the superior segment of the left lower lobe. (author)

Altered pattern of spontaneous brain activity in the patients with end-stage renal disease: a resting-state functional MRI study with regional homogeneity analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue Liang

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To investigate the pattern of spontaneous neural activity in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD with and without neurocognitive dysfunction using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI with a regional homogeneity (ReHo algorithm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: rs-fMRI data were acquired in 36 ESRD patients (minimal nephro-encephalopathy [MNE], n = 19, 13 male, 37±12.07 years; non-nephro-encephalopathy [non-NE], n = 17, 11 male, 38±12.13 years and 20 healthy controls (13 male, 7 female, 36±10.27 years. Neuropsychological (number connection test type A [NCT-A], digit symbol test [DST] and laboratory tests were performed in all patients. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC was used to measure the regional homogeneity for each subject. The regional homogeneity maps were compared using ANOVA tests among MNE, non-NE, and healthy control groups and post hoc t -tests between each pair in a voxel-wise way. A multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationships between ReHo index and NCT-A, DST scores, serum creatinine and urea levels, disease and dialysis duration. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, both MNE and non-NE patients showed decreased ReHo in the multiple areas of bilateral frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. Compared with the non-NE, MNE patients showed decreased ReHo in the right inferior parietal lobe (IPL, medial frontal cortex (MFC and left precuneus (PCu. The NCT-A scores and serum urea levels of ESRD patients negatively correlated with ReHo values in the frontal and parietal lobes, while DST scores positively correlated with ReHo values in the bilateral PCC/precuneus, MFC and inferior parietal lobe (IPL (all P0.05, AlphaSim corrected. CONCLUSION: Diffused decreased ReHo values were found in both MNE and non-NE patients. The progressively decreased ReHo in the default mode network (DMN, frontal and parietal lobes might be trait-related in MNE. The Re

Functional connectivity of parietal cortex during temporal selective attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyler, Sarah C; Dasgupta, Samhita; Agosta, Sara; Battelli, Lorella; Grossman, Emily D

2015-04-01

Perception of natural experiences requires allocation of attention towards features, objects, and events that are moving and changing over time. This allocation of attention is controlled by large-scale brain networks that, when damaged, cause widespread cognitive deficits. In particular, damage to ventral parietal cortex (right lateralized TPJ, STS, supramarginal and angular gyri) is associated with failures to selectively attend to and isolate features embedded within rapidly changing visual sequences (Battelli, Pascual-Leone, & Cavanagh, 2007; Husain, Shapiro, Martin, & Kennard, 1997). In this study, we used fMRI to investigate the neural activity and functional connectivity of intact parietal cortex while typical subjects judged the relative onsets and offsets of rapidly flickering tokens (a phase discrimination task in which right parietal patients are impaired). We found two regions in parietal cortex correlated with task performance: a bilateral posterior TPJ (pTPJ) and an anterior right-lateralized TPJ (R aTPJ). Both regions were deactivated when subjects engaged in the task but showed different patterns of functional connectivity. The bilateral pTPJ was strongly connected to nodes within the default mode network (DMN) and the R aTPJ was connected to the attention network. Accurate phase discriminations were associated with increased functional correlations between sensory cortex (hMT+) and the bilateral pTPJ, whereas accuracy on a control task was associated with yoked activity in the hMT+ and the R aTPJ. We conclude that temporal selective attention is particularly sensitive for revealing information pathways between sensory and core cognitive control networks that, when damaged, can lead to nonspatial attention impairments in right parietal stroke patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of surgical treatment for cerebral amyloid angiopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohta, Masaru; Takeshita, Iwao; Samoto, Ken

2007-01-01

Treatment of cerebral hemorrhage in the elderly is often difficult and a growing concern due to Japan's aging population. We retrospectively evaluated radiological images of intracerebral hemorrhages associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and surgical efficacy for performance status of patients. From January 2000 to December 2005, 240 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and 49 patients with cerebral subcortical hemorrhage were reported. Of these, 41 cases fulfilled the Boston criteria for CAA. Diagnosis by autopsy was 0, surgical biopsy histopathology 9, multiple hemorrhagic lesions 8 and single lesion in 24 patients. Involved lobes were frontal: 6, temporal: 1, fronto-parietal: 3, temporo-parietal: 8, parietal: 12, parieto-occipital: 6 and occipital: 5. CAA-related subcortical hemorrhages were commonly distributed in 2 lobes, with the parietal lobe the most commonly affected area. Radiological characteristics of CAA-related subcortical hemorrhages were irregular borders: 30/41 (73%) intraventricular ruptures: 15/41 (37%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage and/or acute subdural hematoma: 37/41 (90%). Surgery was indicated if consciousness level (Japan Coma Scale) was greater than II-20 and hematoma volume greater than 40 ml. Craniotomy was performed on 18 patients with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) with 60% improving postoperatively and the remainder maintaining the same mRS as before surgery. Two patients underwent emergency craniotomy due to a rapidly growing hematoma producing a comatose state. Of the 18 surgical cases, 1 had further bleeding in a different area postoperatively at 3 months. Of the 23 nonsurgical cases, 4 had further bleeding after conservative treatment at 1.5 to 3.5 months with 1 case affected on 3 separate occasions. Surgical removal of hematomas caused by CAA is safe and unlikely to accelerate the rate of further bleeding, but rather contribute to improvement of mRS in selected patients. (author)

Temporal and extra-temporal hypoperfusion in medial temporal lobe epilepsy evaluated by arterial-spin-labeling based MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Lianfang; Zhang Zhiqiang; Lu Guangming; Yuan Cuiping; Wang Zhengge; Wang Haoxue; Huang Wei; Wei Fangyuan; Chen Guanghui; Tan Qifu

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of the lateralization of unilateral medial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) by using arterial-spin-labeling (ASL) based perfusion MR imaging and investigate the changes of perfusion in the regions related to mTLE network and the relationship between the perfusion and the clinical status. Methods: Twenty-five patients with left-sided and 23 with right-sided mTLE were enrolled, and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited. The cerebral blood flow (CBF) of related region was measured based on pulsed-ASL sequence on Siemens 3 T scanner. The CBF of the mTLE group were compared with that in the controls by using ANOVA analysis. The asymmetric indices of CBF in the medial temporal lobe were calculated as the lesion side compared with the normal side in matched region in mTLE group. Results: Compared with the volunteers, the patients with mTLE showed the decrease of CBF in the bilateral medial and lateral temporal, the frontal and parietal regions relating to the default-mode network and more serious in lesion side. The CBF values of the medial temporal lobe were negatively correlated with the epilepsy duration (r=-0.51, P<0.01). The asymmetric index of CBF as-0.01 has a 76.0% (19/25) sensitivity and a 78.3% (18/23) specificity to distinguish the lesion side. Conclusions: The decrease of CBF in the temporal and extra-temporal region by ASL-based MRI suggests the functional abnormalities in the network involved by mTLE. The ASL technique is a useful tool for lateralizing the unilateral mTLE. (authors)

Intrinsic controls on the range of volumes, morphologies, and dimensions of submarine lobes

Science.gov (United States)

Prélat, A.; Covault, J. A.; Hodgson, D. M.; Fildani, A.; Flint, S. S.

2010-12-01

Submarine lobe dimensions from six different systems are compared: 1) the exhumed Permian Fan 3 lobe complex of the Tanqua Karoo, South Africa; 2) the modern Amazon fan channel-mouth lobe complex, offshore Brazil; 3) a portion of the modern distal Zaïre fan, offshore Angola/Congo; 4) a Pleistocene fan of the Kutai basin, subsurface offshore Indonesia; 5) the modern Golo system, offshore east Corsica, France; and 6) a shallow subsurface lobe complex , offshore Nigeria. These six systems have significantly different source-to-sink configurations (shelf dimension and slope topography), sediment supply characteristics (available grain size range and supply rate), tectonic settings, (palaeo) latitude, and delivery systems. Despite these differences, lobe deposits share similar geometric and dimensional characteristics. Lobes are grouped into two distinct populations of geometries that can be related to basin floor topography. The first population corresponds to areally extensive but thin lobes (average width 14 km × length 35 km × thickness 12 m) that were deposited onto low relief basin floor areas. Examples of such systems include the Tanqua Karoo, the Amazon, and the Zaïre systems. The second population corresponds to areally smaller but thicker lobes (average width 5 km × length 8 km × thickness 30 m) that were deposited into settings with higher amplitude of relief, like in the Corsican trough, the Kutai basin, and offshore Nigeria. The two populations of lobe types, however, share similar volumes (a narrow range around 1 or 2 km 3), which suggests that there is a control to the total volume of sediment that individual lobes can reach before they shift to a new locus of deposition. This indicates that the extrinsic processes control the number of lobes deposited per unit time rather than their dimensions. Two alternative hypotheses are presented to explain the similarities in lobe volumes calculated from the six very different systems. The first states that

Structural MRI research in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma following radiotherapy: A DTI and VBM study.

Science.gov (United States)

Leng, Xi; Fang, Peng; Lin, Huan; An, Jie; Tan, Xin; Zhang, Chi; Wu, Donglin; Shen, Wen; Qiu, Shijun

2017-11-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the microstructural characteristics of the brain lobes following radiotherapy (RT) for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) at distinct times. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and 3D-T1-weighted imaging was performed in 70 age- and sex-matched subjects, 24 of whom were pre-treatment patients. The patients were divided into three groups, according to the time following completion of RT. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and gray matter (GM) volume were determined. The DTI data were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics and the GM volume was analyzed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Compared with the pre-RT group, the mean FA values in the left parietal lobe white matter (WM) and right cerebellum decreased significantly in the post-RT 0-6 month group (P<0.05). In addition, the mean FA values in the right parietal lobe WM decreased significantly in the post-RT 6-12 month group (P<0.05), compared with the pre-RT group. The FA level in the right temporal lobe remained significantly decreased, compared with that in the pre-RT group (P<0.05) for 1 year after RT. Furthermore, compared with pre-RT group, the GM volume in the bilateral frontal lobe, right occipital lobe, left parietal lobe, right temporal lobe and left cerebellum decreased significantly in the post-RT 0-6 month group (P<0.05), and in the bilateral temporal lobe, parietal lobe, right frontal lobe and left cerebellum, the GM volume decreased significantly in the post-RT 6-12 month group (P<0.05). The GM volume in the right temporal lobe, bilateral frontal lobe and bilateral cerebellum remained significantly decreased compared with that in the pre-RT group (P<0.05) for 1 year after RT. A combination of DTI and VBM may be used to determine radiation-induced brain injury in patients treated for NPC.

Gelastic seizures and the anteromesial frontal lobe: a case report and review of intracranial EEG recording and electrocortical stimulation case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Unnwongse, Kanjana; Wehner, Tim; Bingaman, William; Foldvary-Schaefer, Nancy

2010-10-01

Symptomatogenic areas for ictal laughter have been described in the frontal and temporal lobes. Within the frontal lobe, gelastic seizures have been recorded from the cingulate gyrus. Electrocortical stimulation of the cingulate gyrus as well as the superior frontal gyrus induced laughter. We describe a patient whose gelastic seizures were associated with electrographic ictal activity in the mesial aspect of the right anterior frontal gyrus. The symptomatogenic area for ictal laughter in the frontal lobe may reside in the superior frontal gyrus.

Haptically Guided Grasping. fMRI Shows Right-Hemisphere Parietal Stimulus Encoding, and Bilateral Dorso-Ventral Parietal Gradients of Object- and Action-Related Processing during Grasp Execution.

Science.gov (United States)

Marangon, Mattia; Kubiak, Agnieszka; Króliczak, Gregory

2015-01-01

The neural bases of haptically-guided grasp planning and execution are largely unknown, especially for stimuli having no visual representations. Therefore, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to monitor brain activity during haptic exploration of novel 3D complex objects, subsequent grasp planning, and the execution of the pre-planned grasps. Haptic object exploration, involving extraction of shape, orientation, and length of the to-be-grasped targets, was associated with the fronto-parietal, temporo-occipital, and insular cortex activity. Yet, only the anterior divisions of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) of the right hemisphere were significantly more engaged in exploration of complex objects (vs. simple control disks). None of these regions were re-recruited during the planning phase. Even more surprisingly, the left-hemisphere intraparietal, temporal, and occipital areas that were significantly invoked for grasp planning did not show sensitivity to object features. Finally, grasp execution, involving the re-recruitment of the critical right-hemisphere PPC clusters, was also significantly associated with two kinds of bilateral parieto-frontal processes. The first represents transformations of grasp-relevant target features and is linked to the dorso-dorsal (lateral and medial) parieto-frontal networks. The second monitors grasp kinematics and belongs to the ventro-dorsal networks. Indeed, signal modulations associated with these distinct functions follow dorso-ventral gradients, with left aIPS showing significant sensitivity to both target features and the characteristics of the required grasp. Thus, our results from the haptic domain are consistent with the notion that the parietal processing for action guidance reflects primarily transformations from object-related to effector-related coding, and these mechanisms are rather independent of sensory input modality.

Collaborative activity between parietal and dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex in dynamic spatial working memory revealed by fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Diwadkar, V A; Carpenter, P A; Just, M A

2000-07-01

Functional MRI was used to determine how the constituents of the cortical network subserving dynamic spatial working memory respond to two types of increases in task complexity. Participants mentally maintained the most recent location of either one or three objects as the three objects moved discretely in either a two- or three-dimensional array. Cortical activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) and the parietal cortex increased as a function of the number of object locations to be maintained and the dimensionality of the display. An analysis of the response characteristics of the individual voxels showed that a large proportion were activated only when both the variables imposed the higher level of demand. A smaller proportion were activated specifically in response to increases in task demand associated with each of the independent variables. A second experiment revealed the same effect of dimensionality in the parietal cortex when the movement of objects was signaled auditorily rather than visually, indicating that the additional representational demands induced by 3-D space are independent of input modality. The comodulation of activation in the prefrontal and parietal areas by the amount of computational demand suggests that the collaboration between areas is a basic feature underlying much of the functionality of spatial working memory. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Neural correlates of temporal credit assignment in the parietal lobe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy M Gersch

Full Text Available Empirical studies of decision making have typically assumed that value learning is governed by time, such that a reward prediction error arising at a specific time triggers temporally-discounted learning for all preceding actions. However, in natural behavior, goals must be acquired through multiple actions, and each action can have different significance for the final outcome. As is recognized in computational research, carrying out multi-step actions requires the use of credit assignment mechanisms that focus learning on specific steps, but little is known about the neural correlates of these mechanisms. To investigate this question we recorded neurons in the monkey lateral intraparietal area (LIP during a serial decision task where two consecutive eye movement decisions led to a final reward. The underlying decision trees were structured such that the two decisions had different relationships with the final reward, and the optimal strategy was to learn based on the final reward at one of the steps (the "F" step but ignore changes in this reward at the remaining step (the "I" step. In two distinct contexts, the F step was either the first or the second in the sequence, controlling for effects of temporal discounting. We show that LIP neurons had the strongest value learning and strongest post-decision responses during the transition after the F step regardless of the serial position of this step. Thus, the neurons encode correlates of temporal credit assignment mechanisms that allocate learning to specific steps independently of temporal discounting.

Accelerating regional atrophy rates in the progression from normal aging to Alzheimer's disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sluimer, Jasper D. [VU University Medical Centre, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Image Analysis Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Alzheimer Centre, PO Box 7057, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Flier, Wiesje M. van der; Scheltens, Philip [VU University Medical Centre, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Karas, Giorgos B.; Barkhof, Frederik [VU University Medical Centre, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Image Analysis Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Schijndel, Ronald van [VU University Medical Centre, Image Analysis Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Department of Informatics, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Barnes, Josephine; Boyes, Richard G. [UCL, Institute of Neurology, Dementia Research Centre, London (United Kingdom); Cover, Keith S. [VU University Medical Centre, Department of Physics and Medical Technology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Olabarriaga, Silvia D. [University of Amsterdam, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Fox, Nick C. [VU University Medical Centre, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); UCL, Institute of Neurology, Dementia Research Centre, London (United Kingdom); Vrenken, Hugo [VU University Medical Centre, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Image Analysis Centre, Amsterdam (Netherlands); VU University Medical Centre, Department of Physics and Medical Technology, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2009-12-15

We investigated progression of atrophy in vivo, in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We included 64 patients with AD, 44 with MCI and 34 controls with serial MRI examinations (interval 1.8 {+-} 0.7 years). A nonlinear registration algorithm (fluid) was used to calculate atrophy rates in six regions: frontal, medial temporal, temporal (extramedial), parietal, occipital lobes and insular cortex. In MCI, the highest atrophy rate was observed in the medial temporal lobe, comparable with AD. AD patients showed even higher atrophy rates in the extramedial temporal lobe. Additionally, atrophy rates in frontal, parietal and occipital lobes were increased. Cox proportional hazard models showed that all regional atrophy rates predicted conversion to AD. Hazard ratios varied between 2.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-6.2) for occipital atrophy and 15.8 (95% CI = 3.5-71.8) for medial temporal lobe atrophy. In conclusion, atrophy spreads through the brain with development of AD. MCI is marked by temporal lobe atrophy. In AD, atrophy rate in the extramedial temporal lobe was even higher. Moreover, atrophy rates also accelerated in parietal, frontal, insular and occipital lobes. Finally, in nondemented elderly, medial temporal lobe atrophy was most predictive of progression to AD, demonstrating the involvement of this region in the development of AD. (orig.)

Accelerating regional atrophy rates in the progression from normal aging to Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sluimer, Jasper D.; Flier, Wiesje M. van der; Scheltens, Philip; Karas, Giorgos B.; Barkhof, Frederik; Schijndel, Ronald van; Barnes, Josephine; Boyes, Richard G.; Cover, Keith S.; Olabarriaga, Silvia D.; Fox, Nick C.; Vrenken, Hugo

2009-01-01

We investigated progression of atrophy in vivo, in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We included 64 patients with AD, 44 with MCI and 34 controls with serial MRI examinations (interval 1.8 ± 0.7 years). A nonlinear registration algorithm (fluid) was used to calculate atrophy rates in six regions: frontal, medial temporal, temporal (extramedial), parietal, occipital lobes and insular cortex. In MCI, the highest atrophy rate was observed in the medial temporal lobe, comparable with AD. AD patients showed even higher atrophy rates in the extramedial temporal lobe. Additionally, atrophy rates in frontal, parietal and occipital lobes were increased. Cox proportional hazard models showed that all regional atrophy rates predicted conversion to AD. Hazard ratios varied between 2.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-6.2) for occipital atrophy and 15.8 (95% CI = 3.5-71.8) for medial temporal lobe atrophy. In conclusion, atrophy spreads through the brain with development of AD. MCI is marked by temporal lobe atrophy. In AD, atrophy rate in the extramedial temporal lobe was even higher. Moreover, atrophy rates also accelerated in parietal, frontal, insular and occipital lobes. Finally, in nondemented elderly, medial temporal lobe atrophy was most predictive of progression to AD, demonstrating the involvement of this region in the development of AD. (orig.)

Thalamic and parietal brain morphology predicts auditory category learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Scharinger, Mathias; Henry, Molly J; Erb, Julia; Meyer, Lars; Obleser, Jonas

2014-01-01

Auditory categorization is a vital skill involving the attribution of meaning to acoustic events, engaging domain-specific (i.e., auditory) as well as domain-general (e.g., executive) brain networks. A listener's ability to categorize novel acoustic stimuli should therefore depend on both, with the domain-general network being particularly relevant for adaptively changing listening strategies and directing attention to relevant acoustic cues. Here we assessed adaptive listening behavior, using complex acoustic stimuli with an initially salient (but later degraded) spectral cue and a secondary, duration cue that remained nondegraded. We employed voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to identify cortical and subcortical brain structures whose individual neuroanatomy predicted task performance and the ability to optimally switch to making use of temporal cues after spectral degradation. Behavioral listening strategies were assessed by logistic regression and revealed mainly strategy switches in the expected direction, with considerable individual differences. Gray-matter probability in the left inferior parietal lobule (BA 40) and left precentral gyrus was predictive of "optimal" strategy switch, while gray-matter probability in thalamic areas, comprising the medial geniculate body, co-varied with overall performance. Taken together, our findings suggest that successful auditory categorization relies on domain-specific neural circuits in the ascending auditory pathway, while adaptive listening behavior depends more on brain structure in parietal cortex, enabling the (re)direction of attention to salient stimulus properties. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Occipital lobe epilepsy with fear as leading ictal symptom.

Science.gov (United States)

Oehl, Bernhard; Schulze-Bonhage, Andreas; Lanz, Michael; Brandt, Armin; Altenmüller, Dirk-Matthias

2012-03-01

Ictal fear is a semiological feature which is commonly associated with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Here, we describe fear as a leading symptom in cryptogenic occipital lobe epilepsy. In a patient with negative MRI findings, intracranial EEG recordings documented a strict correlation between habitual ictal anxiety attacks and both spontaneous and stimulation-induced epileptic activity in a right occipital epileptogenic area with subsequent spreading to the symptomatogenic zone in the amygdala. Circumscribed occipital topectomy led to seizure freedom. Episodes of non-epileptic fear ceased shortly afterwards. This report provides insight into pathways of propagation of epileptic activity, illustrates different etiologies of pathologic fear and underlines the importance of ictal EEG recordings. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ON THE ORIGIN OF FANAROFF-RILEY CLASSIFICATION OF RADIO GALAXIES: DECELERATION OF SUPERSONIC RADIO LOBES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawakatu, Nozomu; Kino, Motoki; Nagai, Hiroshi

2009-01-01

We argue that the origin of 'FRI/FRII dichotomy' - the division between Fanaroff-Riley class I (FRI) with subsonic lobes and class II (FRII) radio sources with supersonic lobes is sharp in the radio-optical luminosity plane (Owen-White diagram) - can be explained by the deceleration of advancing radio lobes. The deceleration is caused by the growth of the effective cross-sectional area of radio lobes. We derive the condition in which an initially supersonic lobe turns into a subsonic lobe, combining the ram pressure equilibrium between the hot spots and the ambient medium with the relation between 'the hot spot radius' and 'the linear size of radio sources' obtained from the radio observations. We find that the dividing line between the supersonic lobes and subsonic ones is determined by the ratio of the jet power L j to the number density of the ambient matter at the core radius of the host galaxy n-bar a . It is also found that the maximal ratio of (L j ,n-bar a ) exists and its value resides in (L j ,n-bar a ) max ∼10 44-47 er s -1 cm 3 , taking into account considerable uncertainties. This suggests that the maximal value (L j ,n-bar a ) max separates between FRIs and FRIIs.

Peninsula Effects on Birds in a Coastal Landscape: Are Coves More Species Rich than Lobes?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Riffell

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Peninsula effects - decreasing richness with increasing distance along peninsula lobes - have been identified for many taxa on large peninsulas. Peninsula effects are caused by differences in colonization and extinction predicted by island biogeography or by environmental gradients along the peninsula. We compared species-area regressions for cove patches (i.e., mainland to regressions for lobe patches (i.e., on peninsula tips for wet meadow birds along a highly interdigitated shoreline (northern Lake Huron, USA. We conducted analysis both with and without accounting for variation in habitat and landscape characteristics (i.e., environmental gradients of wet meadows. Species-area regressions for coves did not differ from lobes, nor did these results differ when we accounted for gradients. Similarly, few species were more abundant in coves. Peninsula effects may have been lacking because lobe patches were located ≈ 800 m on average from the mainland, and birds are highly mobile and can easily sample patches over these distances. One important caveat was that wet meadow patches > 5 ha were located in coves, so coves would still be important considerations in conservation plans because of the contribution of large patches to reproductive success, dispersal and population dynamics.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in Riedel's lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamfir, R; Braşoveanu, V; Boroş, M; Herlea, V; Popescu, I

2008-01-01

We present a rare case of 65-year female with right abdominal mass and abdominal discomfort; a combination of Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography and laparotomy was utilized to make a diagnosis of tumoral Riedel's lobe. In our case, laparotomy with resection of Riedel's lobe was the proper therapeutical solution.

Hurst Exponent Analysis of Resting-State fMRI Signal Complexity across the Adult Lifespan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianxin Dong

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Exploring functional information among various brain regions across time enables understanding of healthy aging process and holds great promise for age-related brain disease diagnosis. This paper proposed a method to explore fractal complexity of the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI signal in the human brain across the adult lifespan using Hurst exponent (HE. We took advantage of the examined rs-fMRI data from 116 adults 19 to 85 years of age (44.3 ± 19.4 years, 49 females from NKI/Rockland sample. Region-wise and voxel-wise analyses were performed to investigate the effects of age, gender, and their interaction on complexity. In region-wise analysis, we found that the healthy aging is accompanied by a loss of complexity in frontal and parietal lobe and increased complexity in insula, limbic, and temporal lobe. Meanwhile, differences in HE between genders were found to be significant in parietal lobe (p = 0.04, corrected. However, there was no interaction between gender and age. In voxel-wise analysis, the significant complexity decrease with aging was found in frontal and parietal lobe, and complexity increase was found in insula, limbic lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe with aging. Meanwhile, differences in HE between genders were found to be significant in frontal, parietal, and limbic lobe. Furthermore, we found age and sex interaction in right parahippocampal gyrus (p = 0.04, corrected. Our findings reveal HE variations of the rs-fMRI signal across the human adult lifespan and show that HE may serve as a new parameter to assess healthy aging process.

Single photon emission computed tomography with N-isopropyl-p-[123I] iodoamphetamine in dementia of the Alzheimer type

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsunoda, Masahiko; Fujii, Tsutomu; Tanii, Yasuyuki; Yasui, Shinichi; Yuasa, Satoru; Shimizu, Akinori; Kurachi, Masayoshi; Seki, Hiroyasu; Fukuta, Tsutomu.

1989-01-01

Correlation between brain uptake of N-isopropyl-p-[I-123]iodoamphetamine (I-123 IMP), as shown on single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans, and clinical stages was examined in 8 patients with Alzheimer type dementia. The patients were clinically staged as Stage I (3), Stage II (3), or Stage III (2). The count ratio of each cerebral lobe to the cerebellum was calculated on horizontal SPECT scans. Stage I patients had a decreased I-123 IMP uptake in the temporal and parietal lobes. The decreased uptake in these areas became marked in Stage II patients, with diffusely slight uptake of I-123 IMP in the brain. In Stage III patients, the uptake of I-123 IMP was markedly decreased in the whole brain, including temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes. For five patients of Stage II and III, bilateral differences in the cerebral hemispheres were observed, corresponding to neurologic symptoms. Iodine-123 IMP SPECT was thus considered useful in clinically evaluating Alzheimer type dementia and in determining degenerative process of this disease. (Namekawa, K)

Single photon emission computed tomography with N-isopropyl-p-(/sup 123/I) iodoamphetamine in dementia of the Alzheimer type. Comparative study in each stage and the difference between the hemispheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsunoda, Masahiko; Fujii, Tsutomu; Tanii, Yasuyuki; Yasui, Shinichi; Yuasa, Satoru; Shimizu, Akinori; Kurachi, Masayoshi; Seki, Hiroyasu; Fukuta, Tsutomu

1989-05-01

Correlation between brain uptake of N-isopropyl-p-(I-123)iodoamphetamine (I-123 IMP), as shown on single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans, and clinical stages was examined in 8 patients with Alzheimer type dementia. The patients were clinically staged as Stage I (3), Stage II (3), or Stage III (2). The count ratio of each cerebral lobe to the cerebellum was calculated on horizontal SPECT scans. Stage I patients had a decreased I-123 IMP uptake in the temporal and parietal lobes. The decreased uptake in these areas became marked in Stage II patients, with diffusely slight uptake of I-123 IMP in the brain. In Stage III patients, the uptake of I-123 IMP was markedly decreased in the whole brain, including temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes. For five patients of Stage II and III, bilateral differences in the cerebral hemispheres were observed, corresponding to neurologic symptoms. Iodine-123 IMP SPECT was thus considered useful in clinically evaluating Alzheimer type dementia and in determining degenerative process of this disease. (Namekawa, K).

Deployment Instabilities of Lobed-Pumpkin Balloon

Science.gov (United States)

Nakashino, Kyoichi

A lobed-pumpkin balloon, currently being developed in ISAS/JAXA as well as in NASA, is a promising vehicle for long duration scientific observations in the stratosphere. Recent ground and flight experiments, however, have revealed that the balloon has deployment instabilities under certain conditions. In order to overcome the instability problems, a next generation SPB called 'tawara' type balloon has been proposed, in which an additional cylindrical part is appended to the standard lobed-pumpkin balloon. The present study investigates the deployment stability of tawara type SPB in comparison to that of standard lobed-pumpkin SPB through eigenvalue analysis on the basis of finite element methods. Our numerical results show that tawara type SPB enjoys excellent deployment performance over the standard lobed-pumpkin SPBs.

The Pivotal Role of the Parieto-Occipital Lobe in Card Game-Induced Reflex Epilepsy: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kang Min; Kim, Sung Eun; Lee, Byung In

2016-01-01

The pathogenesis of card game-induced reflex epilepsy has not been determined so far. The aim of this study was to evaluate structural abnormalities using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis, which may give some clue about the pathogenesis in card game-induced reflex epilepsy. The 3 subjects were diagnosed with card game-induced reflex epilepsy. Evaluation involved a structured interview to obtain clinical information and brain MRI. In VBM analysis, Statistical Parametric Mapping 8 running on the MATLAB platform was employed to analyze the structural differences between patients with card game-induced reflex epilepsy and age- and sex-matched control subjects. The results of VBM analysis revealed that patients with card game-induced reflex epilepsy had significantly increased gray matter volume in the right occipital and parietal lobe. However, there were no structures with decreased gray matter volume in patients with card game-induced reflex epilepsy compared with control subjects. In addition, we found that the patients with card game-induced reflex epilepsy had onset of seizures in adulthood rather than in adolescence, and all of the patients were men. The parieto-occipital lobes might be partially involved in the neuronal network responsible for card game-induced reflex epilepsy. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Modulation of fronto-parietal connections during the rubber hand illusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karabanov, Anke Ninija; Ritterband-Rosenbaum, Anina; Christensen, Mark Schram

2017-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that parieto-frontal connections play a role in adjusting body ownership during the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI). Using a motor version of the rubber hand illusion paradigm, we applied single-site and dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate...... and during three RHI conditions: a) agency and ownership, b) agency but no ownership and c) neither agency nor ownership. Parietal-motor communication differed among experimental conditions. The induction of action ownership was associated with an inhibitory parietal-to-motor connectivity, which...... cortico-spinal and parietal-frontal connectivity during perceived rubber hand ownership. Healthy volunteers received a conditioning TMS pulse over left anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS) and a test TMS pulse over left primary motor cortex (M1). Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) were recorded at rest...

Overlapping Parietal Activity in Memory and Perception: Evidence for the Attention to Memory Model

Science.gov (United States)

Cabeza, Roberto; Mazuz, Yonatan S.; Stokes, Jared; Kragel, James E.; Woldorff, Marty G.; Ciaramelli, Elisa; Olson, Ingrid R.; Moscovitch, Morris

2011-01-01

The specific role of different parietal regions to episodic retrieval is a topic of intense debate. According to the Attention to Memory (AtoM) model, dorsal parietal cortex (DPC) mediates top-down attention processes guided by retrieval goals, whereas ventral parietal cortex (VPC) mediates bottom-up attention processes captured by the retrieval…

Confabulation and memory impairments following frontal lobe lesions

OpenAIRE

Turner, Martha

2005-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have provided considerable evidence for frontal lobe involvement in memory processing. Memory impairments arc also frequently reported in patients with frontal lobe lesions. However detailed anatomical localisation is rare, making integration of lesion and imaging findings difficult. An investigation of the functional and anatomical contributions of the frontal lobes to memory was conducted in 42 patients with frontal lobe lesions, examining memory processes identified in...

Excitatory stimulation of the right inferior parietal cortex lessens implicit religiousness/spirituality.

Science.gov (United States)

Crescentini, Cristiano; Di Bucchianico, Marilena; Fabbro, Franco; Urgesi, Cosimo

2015-04-01

Although religiousness and spirituality (RS) are considered two fundamental constituents of human life, neuroscientific investigation has long avoided the study of their neurocognitive basis. Nevertheless, recent investigations with brain imaging and brain damaged patients, and more recently with brain stimulation methods, have documented important associations between RS beliefs and experiences and frontoparietal neural activity. In this study, we further investigated how individuals' implicit RS self-representations can be modulated by changes in right inferior parietal lobe (IPL) excitability, a key region associated to RS. To this end, we combined continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), intermittent TBS (iTBS), and sham TBS with RS-related, Implicit Association Test (IAT) and with a control self-esteem (SE) IAT in a group of fourteen healthy adult individuals. A specific decrease of implicit RS, as measured with the IAT effect, was induced by increasing IPL excitability with iTBS; conversely cTBS, which is supposedly inhibitory, left participants' implicit RS unchanged. The performance in the control SE-IAT was left unchanged by any TBS stimulation. These data showed the causative role of right IPL functional state in mediating plastic changes of implicit RS. Implications of these results are also discussed in the light of the variability of behavioral effects associated with TBS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospective relations between resting-state connectivity of parietal subdivisions and arithmetic competence.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Gavin R; Yeo, Darren J; Wilkey, Eric D; Cutting, Laurie E

2018-04-01

The present study investigates the relation between resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of cytoarchitectonically defined subdivisions of the parietal cortex at the end of 1st grade and arithmetic performance at the end of 2nd grade. Results revealed a dissociable pattern of relations between rsFC and arithmetic competence among subdivisions of intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and angular gyrus (AG). rsFC between right hemisphere IPS subdivisions and contralateral IPS subdivisions positively correlated with arithmetic competence. In contrast, rsFC between the left hIP1 and the right medial temporal lobe, and rsFC between the left AG and left superior frontal gyrus, were negatively correlated with arithmetic competence. These results suggest that strong inter-hemispheric IPS connectivity is important for math development, reflecting either neurocognitive mechanisms specific to arithmetic processing, domain-general mechanisms that are particularly relevant to arithmetic competence, or structural 'cortical maturity'. Stronger connectivity between IPS, and AG, subdivisions and frontal and temporal cortices, however, appears to be negatively associated with math development, possibly reflecting the ability to disengage suboptimal problem-solving strategies during mathematical processing, or to flexibly reorient task-based networks. Importantly, the reported results pertain even when controlling for reading, spatial attention, and working memory, suggesting that the observed rsFC-behavior relations are specific to arithmetic competence. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mental reversal of imagined melodies: a role for the posterior parietal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Zatorre, Robert J; Halpern, Andrea R; Bouffard, Marc

2010-04-01

Two fMRI experiments explored the neural substrates of a musical imagery task that required manipulation of the imagined sounds: temporal reversal of a melody. Musicians were presented with the first few notes of a familiar tune (Experiment 1) or its title (Experiment 2), followed by a string of notes that was either an exact or an inexact reversal. The task was to judge whether the second string was correct or not by mentally reversing all its notes, thus requiring both maintenance and manipulation of the represented string. Both experiments showed considerable activation of the superior parietal lobe (intraparietal sulcus) during the reversal process. Ventrolateral and dorsolateral frontal cortices were also activated, consistent with the memory load required during the task. We also found weaker evidence for some activation of right auditory cortex in both studies, congruent with results from previous simpler music imagery tasks. We interpret these results in the context of other mental transformation tasks, such as mental rotation in the visual domain, which are known to recruit the intraparietal sulcus region, and we propose that this region subserves general computations that require transformations of a sensory input. Mental imagery tasks may thus have both task or modality-specific components as well as components that supersede any specific codes and instead represent amodal mental manipulation.

Temporary interference over the posterior parietal cortices disrupts thermoregulatory control in humans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Gallace

Full Text Available The suggestion has recently been made that certain higher-order cortical areas involved in supporting multisensory representations of the body, and of the space around it, might also play a role in controlling thermoregulatory functions. Here we demonstrate that temporary interference with the function of one of these areas, the posterior parietal cortex, by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, results in a decrease in limb temperature. By contrast, interference with the activity of a sensory-specific area (the primary somatosensory cortex had no effect on temperature. The results of this experiment suggest that associative multisensory brain areas might exert a top-down modulation over basic physiological control. Such a function might be part of a larger neural circuit responsible for maintaining the integrity of the body at both a homeostatic and a psychological level.

posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

signal intensity located in the bilateral frontal lobes, parietal lobes, temporal lobes and occipital lobes. (arrows); B and C, T2WI and FLAIR sequence, respectively, both of which show hyperintense signals in the same positions indicated by arrows; D, DWI shows slightly increased signals in the frontal lobes and isointense ...

The cognitive profile of occipital lobe epilepsy and the selective association of left temporal lobe hypometabolism with verbal memory impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Knopman, Alex A; Wong, Chong H; Stevenson, Richard J; Homewood, Judi; Mohamed, Armin; Somerville, Ernest; Eberl, Stefan; Wen, Lingfeng; Fulham, Michael; Bleasel, Andrew F

2014-08-01

We investigated the cognitive profile of structural occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) and whether verbal memory impairment is selectively associated with left temporal lobe hypometabolism on [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Nine patients with OLE, ages 8-29 years, completed presurgical neuropsychological assessment. Composite measures were calculated for intelligence quotient (IQ), speed, attention, verbal memory, nonverbal memory, and executive functioning. In addition, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was used as a specific measure of frontal lobe functioning. Presurgical FDG-PET was analyzed with statistical parametric mapping in 8 patients relative to 16 healthy volunteers. Mild impairments were evident for IQ, speed, attention, and executive functioning. Four patients demonstrated moderate or severe verbal memory impairment. Temporal lobe hypometabolism was found in seven of eight patients. Poorer verbal memory was associated with left temporal lobe hypometabolism (p = 0.002), which was stronger (p = 0.03 and p = 0.005, respectively) than the association of left temporal lobe hypometabolism with executive functioning or with performance on the WCST. OLE is associated with widespread cognitive comorbidity, suggesting cortical dysfunction beyond the occipital lobe. Verbal memory impairment is selectively associated with left temporal lobe hypometabolism in OLE, supporting a link between neuropsychological dysfunction and remote hypometabolism in focal epilepsy. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 International League Against Epilepsy.

Analysis of anatomic variability in children with low mathematical skills

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Zhaoying; Fuchs, Lynn; Davis, Nikki; Cannistraci, Christopher J.; Anderson, Adam W.; Gore, John C.; Dawant, Benoit M.

2008-03-01

Mathematical difficulty affects approximately 5-9% of the population. Studies on individuals with dyscalculia, a neurologically based math disorder, provide important insight into the neural correlates of mathematical ability. For example, cognitive theories, neuropsychological studies, and functional neuroimaging studies in individuals with dyscalculia suggest that the bilateral parietal lobes and intraparietal sulcus are central to mathematical performance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate morphological differences in a group of third grade children with poor math skills. We compare population averages of children with low math skill (MD) to gender and age matched controls with average math ability. Anatomical data were gathered with high resolution MRI and four different population averaging methods were used to study the effect of the normalization technique on the results. Statistical results based on the deformation fields between the two groups show anatomical differences in the bilateral parietal lobes, right frontal lobe, and left occipital/parietal lobe.

Asymmetry of cerebral blood flow in patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type by SPECT using I-123 IMP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arai, Hisayuki; Hanyu, Haruo; Kobayashi, Yasutaka; Hatano, Nobuyoshi; Katsunuma, Hideyo; Suzuki, Takanari; Amino, Saburo [Tokyo Medical Coll. (Japan)

1990-12-01

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was determined by single photon emission CT (SPECT) with N-isopropyl-p-({sup 123}I)iodoamphetamine in 22 patients with clinically diagnosed senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and in 18 age matched controls. We calculated asymmetry indices (AIs) of rCBF for matched right-left regions of interest. rCBF of parietal lobe in SDAT patients was significantly most laterally asymmetrycal, but the least in occipital lobe. Lateral asymmetry of rCBF in SDAT patients correlated with asymmetry of language and visuospatial functions; decreased rCBF in the left parietal lobe was associated with language dysfunction, and that in the right parietal lobe, with viduospatial dysfunction. Furthermore cerebellar AIs correlated negatively with those of the cerebral hemisphere and lower frontal region in SDAT patients. The results demonstrate that rCBF measurement by {sup 123}I-IMP SPECT is useful to detect lateral asymmetry in reduction of rCBF in SDAT. (author).

Asymmetry of cerebral blood flow in patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type by SPECT using I-123 IMP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arai, Hisayuki; Hanyu, Haruo; Kobayashi, Yasutaka; Hatano, Nobuyoshi; Katsunuma, Hideyo; Suzuki, Takanari; Amino, Saburo

1990-01-01

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was determined by single photon emission CT (SPECT) with N-isopropyl-p-[ 123 I]iodoamphetamine in 22 patients with clinically diagnosed senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and in 18 age matched controls. We calculated asymmetry indices (AIs) of rCBF for matched right-left regions of interest. rCBF of parietal lobe in SDAT patients was significantly most laterally asymmetrycal, but the least in occipital lobe. Lateral asymmetry of rCBF in SDAT patients correlated with asymmetry of language and visuospatial functions; decreased rCBF in the left parietal lobe was associated with language dysfunction, and that in the right parietal lobe, with viduospatial dysfunction. Furthermore cerebellar AIs correlated negatively with those of the cerebral hemisphere and lower frontal region in SDAT patients. The results demonstrate that rCBF measurement by 123 I-IMP SPECT is useful to detect lateral asymmetry in reduction of rCBF in SDAT. (author)

Occurrence of the lobe plasma at lunar distance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardy, D.A.; Hills, H.K.; Freeman, J.W.

1979-01-01

Recent analysis has confirmed and expanded the characterization of the lobe plasma, the extension of the 'boundary layer' and 'plasma mantle' to lunar distances. Careful statistical analysis has verified that Magnetic Field (1MF). When the moon is in the dawnside of the northern lobe or duskside of the southern lobe, the probability for observation of the lobe plasma is greatly increased when, in the hour preceding, the IMF has had a positive y component. Conversely, when the moon is in the duskside of the northern lobe or dawnside of the southern lobe, the probability for observation is much increased when the IMF has a negative y component. Analysis of lobe plasma data in conjunction with high time resolution IMF data has shown the probability of observation also is greater with a southward pointing IMF. The observed correlations with the y and z components the IMF reflect the fact that the asymmetry and changes in magnitude of the polar cap electric field induced by the IMF extends to lunar distances and determines the depth into the tail to which the ions can drift. Generally, the lobe plasma is observed sporadically for a full day after the moon has entered the tail and a full day before the last magnetopause crossing as it exits the tail. An average extent of approx.8--10R/sub e/ inward from the magnetopause is inferred; however, the lobe plasma has been seen all across the tail

Mismatch between the eye and the optic lobe in the giant squid.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yung-Chieh; Liu, Tsung-Han; Yu, Chun-Chieh; Su, Chia-Hao; Chiao, Chuan-Chin

2017-07-01

Giant squids ( Architeuthis ) are a legendary species among the cephalopods. They live in the deep sea and are well known for their enormous body and giant eyes. It has been suggested that their giant eyes are not adapted for the detection of either mates or prey at distance, but rather are best suited for monitoring very large predators, such as sperm whales, at distances exceeding 120 m and at a depth below 600 m (Nilsson et al. 2012 Curr. Biol. 22 , 683-688. (doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.02.031)). However, it is not clear how the brain of giant squids processes visual information. In this study, the optic lobe of a giant squid ( Architeuthis dux , male, mantle length 89 cm), which was caught by local fishermen off the northeastern coast of Taiwan, was scanned using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging in order to examine its internal structure. It was evident that the volume ratio of the optic lobe to the eye in the giant squid is much smaller than that in the oval squid ( Sepioteuthis lessoniana ) and the cuttlefish ( Sepia pharaonis ). Furthermore, the cell density in the cortex of the optic lobe is significantly higher in the giant squid than in oval squids and cuttlefish, with the relative thickness of the cortex being much larger in Architeuthis optic lobe than in cuttlefish. This indicates that the relative size of the medulla of the optic lobe in the giant squid is disproportionally smaller compared with these two cephalopod species. This morphological study of the giant squid brain, though limited only to the optic lobe, provides the first evidence to support that the optic lobe cortex, the visual information processing area in cephalopods, is well developed in the giant squid. In comparison, the optic lobe medulla, the visuomotor integration centre in cephalopods, is much less developed in the giant squid than other species. This finding suggests that, despite the giant eye and a full-fledged cortex within the optic lobe, the brain of giant

CT diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Xiang; Ma Jiwei; Wu Lide

2004-01-01

Objective: To explore CT characteristics of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and to improve the accuracy of CT diagnosis. Methods: 50 cases of neonatal asphyxia in perinatal period diagnosed as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy by CT was analyzed. Results: The main manifestation of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is cerebral edema and intracranial hemorrhage. Focal or diffuse hypo-dense lesion and hyper-dense area in various location and morphology were seen on CT images. (1) Localized diffuse hypo-dense area in 1 or 2 cerebral lobe were found in 17 cases, and the lesions were localized in frontal lobe (n=6), in frontotemporal lobe (n=5), and in temporo-occipital lobe (n=6). (2) Hypo-density region involving more than three cerebral lobes were found in 18 cases, and abnormalities were found in frontotemporal and parietal lobe (n=8), accompanying with subarachnoid hemorrhage (n=2); in frontal, temporal and occipital lobe (n=6), in which cerebral hemorrhage was complicated (n=1); and in other cerebral lobe (n=4). (3) Diffuse low-density region in all cerebral lobe were found in 15 cases, in which subarachnoid hemorrhage was complicated in 4 cases, and ventricular hemorrhage was found in 2 case. Conclusion: CT imaging plays an important role in diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and has shown its clinical value

Significance of parietal projection in radiosotope scintigraphy of the brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fomchenkov, E.P.

1978-01-01

The diagnostic value of the isotope scintigraphy of the brain in the parieal projection with the change of the dip angle of the gamma-chamber detector to the plane of the physiological horizontal was revealed. The observation was made on 100 patients with suspected presence of the volumetric process of the brain. Three variants of placing were studied: the parietal projection - standard (collimator plane parallel to the plane of physiological horizontal and strictly perpendicular to the sagittal plane); the placing with an angle of 30 deg between the detector plane and the physiological horizontal, opened at the front (posterio-parietal); placing with an angle of 30 deg between the detector plane and the physiological horizontal opened at the back (anterio-parietal). A comparative analysis of scintigrams with focal processes of the brain showed the largest informativeness of the proposed modification of the parietal projection in the form of a change of the dip angle of the gamma-chamber detector plane to the plane of the physiological horizontal opened at the back; this makes it possible to reveal more thoroughly the focus of the increased, pathological accumulation of the isotope in different parts of the skull, where the use of as standard placing is of small informativeness

MRI findings of temporal lobe ganglioglioma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Myung Jun; Lee, Ho Kyu; Lee, Jung Kyo; Choi, Choong Gon; Suh, Dae Chul

1999-01-01

Ganglioglioma is a rare primary brain tumor usually found in the temporal lobe. The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristic MR findings of temporal lobe ganglioglioma. Over a seven-year period, ten patients with cerebral ganglioglioma were evaluated at our institution. Seven cases of temporal lobe ganglioma were found ; six of these involved men, and one, a woman ; their mean age was 29.6 years. In three patients, Gd-DTPA-enhanced T1-weighted images were also obtained. We retrospectively analysed the MRI findings with respect to location, size, cortical involvement, margin, cystic change, degree of enhancement, MR signal intensity, calcification and peritumoral change. In five cases, tumors were located within the temporal lobe. In one, a tumor extended from the temporal lobe to the thalamus, and in one from the temporal lobe to the thalamus and cerebral peduncle. All temporal gangliogliomas measured 1.6-3.8cm in their greatest diameter (mean diameter, 2.7cm). In all cases, the cortices were involved with the maintenance of gyriform. The tumor margin was ill defined in five cases and well defined in two. Tumors showed multiple small cystic changes in four cases, a large cyst in two, and a solid nodule in one. In three cases in which contrast media was administered, no lesions were enhanced. On T1-weighted images, iso-signal intensities were seen in five cases and high signal intensities in two. On T2-weighted images, the corresponding figures were five and two. On MRI, tumor calcification and calvarial erosion were each detected in two cases. In patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in whom cortical solid or cystic and poorly enhanced lesions were seen on brain MRI, and in whom associated findings such as calcification and or adjacent bony erosion were noted, ganglioglioma must be considered

Caracterización del injerto parietal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Manuel Díaz Fernández

1996-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y prospectivo de 22 pacientes en los que se utilizó el injerto parietal autógeno para reconstruir defectos del cráneo, en los servicios de Cirugía Maxilofacial y Neurocirugía del Hospital Clinicoquirúrgico Docente "Saturnino Lora", de Santiago de Cuba, desde 1988 hasta 1991. El método de extracción del injerto con división in situ resultó el más empleado y el que ofreció las mejores posibilidades de reconstrucción en cuanto a forma, volumen y flexibilidad, por lo que se recomienda en los defectos pequeños y medianos, sobre todo de la región frontal y áreas adyacentes, donde el contorno y la simetría son los 2 aspectos fundamentales que se deben conseguir. El método de división, in vitro se utilizó en las reconstrucciones de las deformidades de grandes dimensiones, particularmente en aquellas que no incluían la frente. El índice de complicaciones fue bajoIt was carried out a descriptive, longitudinal and prospective study of 22 patients in whom an autogenous parietal graft was used to reconstruct cranial defects at the Maxillofacial Surgery and Neurosurgery Department of the "Saturnino Lora" Clinical and Surgical Teaching Hospital, in Santiago de Cuba, from 1988 to 1991. The graft extraction method with division in situ was the most used and offered the best possibilities for reconstruction as regards form, volume and flexibility. Therefore, it is recommended for small and medium defects, particularly of the frontal region and adjacent areas, where contour and symmetry are the two fundamental aspects to be taken into consideration. The method of division in vitro was used to reconstruct large deformities, specially those in which the forehead was not included. The complications index was low

Region-specific reduction in brain volume in young adults with perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bregant, Tina; Rados, Milan; Vasung, Lana; Derganc, Metka; Evans, Alan C; Neubauer, David; Kostovic, Ivica

2013-11-01

A severe form of perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) carries a high risk of perinatal death and severe neurological sequelae while in mild HIE only discrete cognitive disorders may occur. To compare total brain volumes and region-specific cortical measurements between young adults with mild-moderate perinatal HIE and a healthy control group of the same age. MR imaging was performed in a cohort of 14 young adults (9 males, 5 females) with a history of mild or moderate perinatal HIE. The control group consisted of healthy participants, matched with HIE group by age and gender. Volumetric analysis was done after the processing of MR images using a fully automated CIVET pipeline. We measured gyrification indexes, total brain volume, volume of grey and white matter, and of cerebrospinal fluid. We also measured volume, thickness and area of the cerebral cortex in the parietal, occipital, frontal, and temporal lobe, and of the isthmus cinguli, parahippocampal and cingulated gyrus, and insula. The HIE patient group showed smaller absolute volumetric data. Statistically significant (p right hemisphere, of cortical areas in the right temporal lobe and parahippocampal gyrus, of cortical volumes in the right temporal lobe and of cortical thickness in the right isthmus of the cingulate gyrus were found. Comparison between the healthy group and the HIE group of the same gender showed statistically significant changes in the male HIE patients, where a significant reduction was found in whole brain volume; left parietal, bilateral temporal, and right parahippocampal gyrus cortical areas; and bilateral temporal lobe cortical volume. Our analysis of total brain volumes and region-specific corticometric parameters suggests that mild-moderate forms of perinatal HIE lead to reductions in whole brain volumes. In the study reductions were most pronounced in temporal lobe and parahippocampal gyrus. Copyright © 2013 European Paediatric Neurology Society. All rights reserved.

Insights into Intrinsic Brain Networks based on Graph Theory and PET in right- compared to left-sided Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanicek, Thomas; Hahn, Andreas; Traub-Weidinger, Tatjana; Hilger, Eva; Spies, Marie; Wadsak, Wolfgang; Lanzenberger, Rupert; Pataraia, Ekaterina; Asenbaum-Nan, Susanne

2016-06-28

The human brain exhibits marked hemispheric differences, though it is not fully understood to what extent lateralization of the epileptic focus is relevant. Preoperative [(18)F]FDG-PET depicts lateralization of seizure focus in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and reveals dysfunctional metabolic brain connectivity. The aim of the present study was to compare metabolic connectivity, inferred from inter-regional [(18)F]FDG PET uptake correlations, in right-sided (RTLE; n = 30) and left-sided TLE (LTLE; n = 32) with healthy controls (HC; n = 31) using graph theory based network analysis. Comparing LTLE and RTLE and patient groups separately to HC, we observed higher lobar connectivity weights in RTLE compared to LTLE for connections of the temporal and the parietal lobe of the contralateral hemisphere (CH). Moreover, especially in RTLE compared to LTLE higher local efficiency were found in the temporal cortices and other brain regions of the CH. The results of this investigation implicate altered metabolic networks in patients with TLE specific to the lateralization of seizure focus, and describe compensatory mechanisms especially in the CH of patients with RTLE. We propose that graph theoretical analysis of metabolic connectivity using [(18)F]FDG-PET offers an important additional modality to explore brain networks.

Microsurgical techniques in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso Vanegas, Mario A; Lew, Sean M; Morino, Michiharu; Sarmento, Stenio A

2017-04-01

Temporal lobe resection is the most prevalent epilepsy surgery procedure. However, there is no consensus on the best surgical approach to treat temporal lobe epilepsy. Complication rates are low and efficacy is very high regarding seizures after such procedures. However, there is still ample controversy regarding the best surgical approach to warrant maximum seizure control with minimal functional deficits. We describe the most frequently used microsurgical techniques for removal of both the lateral and mesial temporal lobe structures in the treatment of medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) due to mesial temporal sclerosis (corticoamygdalohippocampectomy and selective amygdalohippocampectomy). The choice of surgical technique appears to remain a surgeon's preference for the near future. Meticulous surgical technique and thorough three-dimensional microsurgical knowledge are essentials for obtaining the best results. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International League Against Epilepsy.

White matter impairments in autism, evidence from voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Xiaoyan; Tang, Tianyu; Hong, Shanshan; Hang, Yueyue; Zou, Bing; Li, Huiguo; Zhou, Zhenyu; Ruan, Zongcai; Lu, Zuhong; Tao, Guotai; Liu, Yijun

2009-04-10

This study explored white matter abnormalities in a group of Chinese children with high functioning autism (HFA). Twelve male children with HFA and ten matched typically developing children underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as well three-dimensional T1-weighted MRI for voxel-based morphometry (VBM). We found a significant decrease of the white matter density in the right frontal lobe, left parietal lobe and right anterior cingulate and a significant increase in the right frontal lobe, left parietal lobe and left cingulate gyrus in the HFA group compared with the control group. The HFA group also had decreased FA in the frontal lobe and left temporal lobe. By combining DT-MRI FA and MRI volumetric analyses based on the VBM model, the results showed consistent white matter abnormalities in a group of Chinese children with HFA.

Shared neural substrates of apraxia and aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldenberg, Georg; Randerath, Jennifer

2015-08-01

Apraxia is regularly associated with aphasia, but there is controversy whether their co-occurrence is the expression of a common basic deficit or results from anatomical proximity of their neural substrates. However, neither aphasia nor apraxia is an indivisible entity. Both diagnoses embrace diverse manifestations that may occur more or less independently from each other. Thus, the question whether apraxia is always accompanied by aphasia may lead to conflicting answers depending on which of their manifestations are considered. We used voxel based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM) for exploring communalities between lesion sites associated with aphasia and with apraxia. Linguistic impairment was assessed by the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT) subtests naming, comprehension, repetition, written language, and Token Test. Apraxia was examined for imitation of meaningless hand and finger postures and for pantomime of tool use. There were two areas of overlap between aphasia and apraxia. Lesions in the anterior temporal lobe interfered with pantomime of tool use and with all linguistic tests. In the left inferior parietal lobe there was a large area where lesions were associated with defective imitation of hand postures and with poor scores on written language and the Token Test. Within this large area there were also two spots in supramarginal and angular gyrus where lesions were also associated with defective pantomime. We speculate that the coincidence of language impairment and defective pantomime after anterior temporal lesions is due to impaired access to semantic memory. The combination of defective imitation of hand postures with poor scores on Token Test and written language is not easily compatible with a crucial role of parietal regions for the conversion of concepts of intended actions into motor commands. It accords better with a role of left inferior parietal lobe regions for the categorical perception of spatial relationships. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All

Separating recognition processes of declarative memory via anodal tDCS: boosting old item recognition by temporal and new item detection by parietal stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pisoni, Alberto; Turi, Zsolt; Raithel, Almuth; Ambrus, Géza Gergely; Alekseichuk, Ivan; Schacht, Annekathrin; Paulus, Walter; Antal, Andrea

2015-01-01

There is emerging evidence from imaging studies that parietal and temporal cortices act together to achieve successful recognition of declarative information; nevertheless, the precise role of these regions remains elusive. To evaluate the role of these brain areas in declarative memory retrieval, we applied bilateral tDCS, with anode over the left and cathode over the right parietal or temporal cortices separately, during the recognition phase of a verbal learning paradigm using a balanced old-new decision task. In a parallel group design, we tested three different groups of healthy adults, matched for demographic and neurocognitive status: two groups received bilateral active stimulation of either the parietal or the temporal cortex, while a third group received sham stimulation. Accuracy, discriminability index (d') and reaction times of recognition memory performance were measurements of interest. The d' sensitivity index and accuracy percentage improved in both active stimulation groups, as compared with the sham one, while reaction times remained unaffected. Moreover, the analysis of accuracy revealed a different effect of tDCS for old and new item recognition. While the temporal group showed enhanced performance for old item recognition, the parietal group was better at correctly recognising new ones. Our results support an active role of both of these areas in memory retrieval, possibly underpinning different stages of the recognition process.

Environmental heat stress enhances mental fatigue during sustained attention task performing: evidence from an ASL perfusion study.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Shaowen; Li, Min; Li, Guoying; Liu, Kai; Li, Bo; Jiang, Qingjun; Li, Li; Yang, Zhen; Sun, Gang

2015-03-01

This study was to investigate the potential enhancing effect of heat stress on mental fatigue progression during sustained attention task using arterial spin labeling (ASL) imaging. Twenty participants underwent two thermal exposures in an environmental chamber: normothermic (NT) condition (25°C, 1h) and hyperthermic (HT) condition (50°C, 1h). After thermal exposure, they performed a twenty-minute psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) in the scanner. Behavioral analysis revealed progressively increasing subjective fatigue ratings and reaction time as PVT progressed. Moreover, heat stress caused worse performance. Perfusion imaging analyses showed significant resting-state cerebral blood flow (CBF) alterations after heat exposure. Specifically, increased CBF mainly gathered in thalamic-brainstem area while decreased CBF predominantly located in fronto-parietal areas, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and medial frontal cortex. More importantly, diverse CBF distributions and trend of changes between both conditions were observed as the fatigue level progressed during subsequent PVT task. Specifically, higher CBF and enhanced rising trend were presented in superior parietal lobe, precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, while lower CBF or inhibited rising trend was found in dorsolateral frontal cortex, medial frontal cortex, inferior parietal lobe and thalamic-brainstem areas. Furthermore, the decrease of post-heat resting-state CBF in fronto-parietal cortex was correlated with subsequent slower reaction time, suggesting prior disturbed resting-state CBF might be indicator of performance potential and fatigue level in following task. These findings may provide proof for such a view: heat stress has a potential fatigue-enhancing effect when individual is performing highly cognition-demanding attention task. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies of temporoparietal hypoperfusion in patients with Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ang Qiuqing; Jiang Kaida; Lin Xiangtong; Jin Shaojin; Zhang Mingyuan

2001-01-01

Objective: To understand the differences of brain perfusion changes in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy elders and to find out which is pathological and which is biological. To figure out the significance of low perfusion in temporal and parietal lobes to AD. Methods: Sixty AD patients were assigned to 3 age groups: 60-65 years old (adl), 66-70 (ad2) and over 70 (ad3). Seventy-three healthy elders were also assigned to 3 age groups as nor1, nor2 and nor3. Sixty AD patients and all control subjects were examined with SPECT. Results: Significant differences (P < 0.01) were found in perfusion at right parietal lobes between nor2 and nor1. Perfusions at bilateral temporal (P < 0.05), parietal (P < 0.01) and frontal (P < 0.01) lobes were significantly lower in AD patients than in controls. There were no significant difference in SPECT measures at all regions of interest among 3 AD age groups. In 60-65 group, perfusions at left temporal (P < 0.05), bilateral parietal (P < 0.01), left frontal (P < 0.01) and right frontal (P < 0.05) lobes were significantly lower in AD patients than in controls; in over 70 group, perfusions at bilateral parietal (P < 0.01) and frontal (P < 0.01) lobes were significantly lower in AD patients than in controls. All of the AD patients were categorized into 3 subgroups, in hierarchical cluster analysis through agglomeration, with bilateral parietal perfusion index as variate: sub-group I (subad1): 31 cases, MMSE scored from 20-24; sub-group II (subad 2): 22 cases, MMSE 13-19; sub-group III (subad3): 7 cases, MMSE 5-11. Conclusions: The extent and magnitude of cerebral blood hypoperfusion in AD patients were much more severe than in normal age-related changes in healthy controls. Bilateral parietal perfusion could be adopted as an effective categorical measure for AD patients at various severity

Dissociation between Conceptual and Perceptual Implicit Memory: Evidence from Patients with Frontal and Occipital Lobe Lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Liang; Wang, JiHua; Yang, XuDong; Feng, Lei; Li, Xiu; Gu, Cui; Wang, MeiHong; Hu, JiaYun; Cheng, Huaidong

2015-01-01

The latest neuroimaging studies about implicit memory (IM) have revealed that different IM types may be processed by different parts of the brain. However, studies have rarely examined what subtypes of IM processes are affected in patients with various brain injuries. Twenty patients with frontal lobe injury, 25 patients with occipital lobe injury, and 29 healthy controls (HC) were recruited for the study. Two subtypes of IM were investigated by using structurally parallel perceptual (picture identification task) and conceptual (category exemplar generation task) IM tests in the three groups, as well as explicit memory (EM) tests. The results indicated that the priming of conceptual IM and EM tasks in patients with frontal lobe injury was poorer than that observed in HC, while perceptual IM was identical between the two groups. By contrast, the priming of perceptual IM in patients with occipital lobe injury was poorer than that in HC, whereas the priming of conceptual IM and EM was similar to that in HC. This double dissociation between perceptual and conceptual IM across the brain areas implies that occipital lobes may participate in perceptual IM, while frontal lobes may be involved in processing conceptual memory.

Anterior Temporal Lobe Morphometry Predicts Categorization Ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcin, Béatrice; Urbanski, Marika; Thiebaut de Schotten, Michel; Levy, Richard; Volle, Emmanuelle

2018-01-01

Categorization is the mental operation by which the brain classifies objects and events. It is classically assessed using semantic and non-semantic matching or sorting tasks. These tasks show a high variability in performance across healthy controls and the cerebral bases supporting this variability remain unknown. In this study we performed a voxel-based morphometry study to explore the relationships between semantic and shape categorization tasks and brain morphometric differences in 50 controls. We found significant correlation between categorization performance and the volume of the gray matter in the right anterior middle and inferior temporal gyri. Semantic categorization tasks were associated with more rostral temporal regions than shape categorization tasks. A significant relationship was also shown between white matter volume in the right temporal lobe and performance in the semantic tasks. Tractography revealed that this white matter region involved several projection and association fibers, including the arcuate fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus. These results suggest that categorization abilities are supported by the anterior portion of the right temporal lobe and its interaction with other areas.

Attenuating illusory binding with TMS of the right parietal cortex

OpenAIRE

Esterman, Michael; Verstynen, Timothy; Robertson, Lynn C.

2007-01-01

A number of neuroimaging and neuropsychology studies have implicated various regions of parietal cortex as playing a critical role in the binding of color and form into conjunctions. The current study investigates the role of two such regions by examining how parietal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) influences binding errors known as ‘illusory conjunctions.’ Participants made fewer binding errors after 1 Hz rTMS of the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS), while basic perception of featur...

PET imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semah, F.

2006-01-01

The research projects on epilepsy addressed two main issues: the pathophysiology of the inter-ictal hypo-metabolism in temporal lobe epilepsy and the role of the basal ganglia in the control of seizure. Our research projects focused primarily on temporal lobe epilepsy: The pathophysiology of inter-ictal hypo-metabolism and its correlation with the epileptogenic network was investigated in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Inter-ictal hypo-metabolism is commonly found in mesio-temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) but its pathophysiology remains incompletely understood. We hypothesized that metabolic changes reflect the preferential networks involved in ictal discharges. We analyzed the topography of inter-ictal hypo-metabolism according to electro-clinical patterns in 50 patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and consistent features of MTLE. Based on electro-clinical correlations we identified 4 groups:1) mesial group characterized by mesial seizure onset without evidence of early spread beyond the temporal lobe; 2) anterior mesio-lateral group (AML) with early anterior spread, involving the anterior lateral temporal cortex and insulo-fronto-opercular areas; 3) widespread mesio-lateral group (WML) with widespread spread, involving both anterior and posterior lateral temporal and peri-sylvian areas; 4) bi-temporal group (BT) with early contralateral temporal spread. Results of FDG-PET imaging in each group were compared to control subjects using statistical parametric mapping software (SPM99). MRI data and surgical outcome in each group were compared to metabolic findings. Hypo-metabolism was limited to the hippocampal gyrus, the temporal pole and the insula in the mesial group. Gradual involvement of the lateral temporal cortex, the insula and the peri-sylvian areas was observed in the AML and WML groups. The BT group differed from the others by mild bi-temporal involvement, bilateral insular hypo-metabolism and longer epilepsy duration. MRI

PET imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Semah, F. [Service Hospitalier Frederic Joliot, DSV-CEA, 91 Orsay (France)

2006-07-01

The research projects on epilepsy addressed two main issues: the pathophysiology of the inter-ictal hypo-metabolism in temporal lobe epilepsy and the role of the basal ganglia in the control of seizure. Our research projects focused primarily on temporal lobe epilepsy: The pathophysiology of inter-ictal hypo-metabolism and its correlation with the epileptogenic network was investigated in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Inter-ictal hypo-metabolism is commonly found in mesio-temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) but its pathophysiology remains incompletely understood. We hypothesized that metabolic changes reflect the preferential networks involved in ictal discharges. We analyzed the topography of inter-ictal hypo-metabolism according to electro-clinical patterns in 50 patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and consistent features of MTLE. Based on electro-clinical correlations we identified 4 groups:1) mesial group characterized by mesial seizure onset without evidence of early spread beyond the temporal lobe; 2) anterior mesio-lateral group (AML) with early anterior spread, involving the anterior lateral temporal cortex and insulo-fronto-opercular areas; 3) widespread mesio-lateral group (WML) with widespread spread, involving both anterior and posterior lateral temporal and peri-sylvian areas; 4) bi-temporal group (BT) with early contralateral temporal spread. Results of FDG-PET imaging in each group were compared to control subjects using statistical parametric mapping software (SPM99). MRI data and surgical outcome in each group were compared to metabolic findings. Hypo-metabolism was limited to the hippocampal gyrus, the temporal pole and the insula in the mesial group. Gradual involvement of the lateral temporal cortex, the insula and the peri-sylvian areas was observed in the AML and WML groups. The BT group differed from the others by mild bi-temporal involvement, bilateral insular hypo-metabolism and longer epilepsy duration. MRI

Dysfunctional role of parietal lobe during self-face recognition in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Je-Yeon; Hur, Ji-Won; Jung, Wi Hoon; Jang, Joon Hwan; Youn, Tak; Kang, Do-Hyung; Park, Sohee; Kwon, Jun Soo

2014-01-01

Anomalous sense of self is central to schizophrenia yet difficult to demonstrate empirically. The present study examined the effective neural network connectivity underlying self-face recognition in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) using [15O]H2O Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Structural Equation Modeling. Eight SZ and eight age-matched healthy controls (CO) underwent six consecutive [15O]H2O PET scans during self-face (SF) and famous face (FF) recognition blocks, each of which was repeated three times. There were no behavioral performance differences between the SF and FF blocks in SZ. Moreover, voxel-based analyses of data from SZ revealed no significant differences in the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) levels between the SF and FF recognition conditions. Further effective connectivity analyses for SZ also showed a similar pattern of effective connectivity network across the SF and FF recognition. On the other hand, comparison of SF recognition effective connectivity network between SZ and CO demonstrated significantly attenuated effective connectivity strength not only between the right supramarginal gyrus and left inferior temporal gyrus, but also between the cuneus and right medial prefrontal cortex in SZ. These findings support a conceptual model that posits a causal relationship between disrupted self-other discrimination and attenuated effective connectivity among the right supramarginal gyrus, cuneus, and prefronto-temporal brain areas involved in the SF recognition network of SZ. © 2013.

SPECT image analysis using statistical parametric mapping in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiraki, Junko

2004-01-01

The author examined interictal 123 I-IMP SPECT images using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) in 19 temporal lobe epilepsy patients who revealed hippocampal sclerosis with MRI. Decreased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were shown for eight patients in the medial temporal lobe, six patients in the lateral temporal lobe and five patients in the both medial and lateral temporal lobe. These patients were classified into two types; medial type and lateral type, the former decreased rCBF only in medial and the latter decreased rCBF in the other temporal area. Correlation of rCBF and clinical parameters in the lateral type, age at seizure onset was significantly older (p=0.0098, t-test) than those of patients in the medial type. SPM analysis for interictal SPECT of temporal lobe epilepsy clarified location of decreased rCBF and find correlations with clinical characteristics. In addition, SPM analysis of SPECT was useful to understand pathophysiology of the epilepsy. (author)

Surgical Considerations of Intractable Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Science.gov (United States)

Boling, Warren W.

2018-01-01

Surgery of temporal lobe epilepsy is the best opportunity for seizure freedom in medically intractable patients. The surgical approach has evolved to recognize the paramount importance of the mesial temporal structures in the majority of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy who have a seizure origin in the mesial temporal structures. For those individuals with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, a selective amygdalohippocampectomy surgery can be done that provides an excellent opportunity for seizure freedom and limits the resection to temporal lobe structures primarily involved in seizure genesis. PMID:29461485

Surgical Considerations of Intractable Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Warren W. Boling

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Surgery of temporal lobe epilepsy is the best opportunity for seizure freedom in medically intractable patients. The surgical approach has evolved to recognize the paramount importance of the mesial temporal structures in the majority of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy who have a seizure origin in the mesial temporal structures. For those individuals with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, a selective amygdalohippocampectomy surgery can be done that provides an excellent opportunity for seizure freedom and limits the resection to temporal lobe structures primarily involved in seizure genesis.

Normal variation of focal T2 Hyperintensities in anterior parietal periventricular white matter: Another 'Terminal Zones of Myelination'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong Oag; Woo, Je Ho; Ki, Tae Sung; Lee, Jong Hwa; Chung, Jin Woo; Lee, Don Young

1994-01-01

It has been known that there are several areas of T2 hyperintensity in normal white matter of brain, such as terminal zones of myelination, ependymitis granularis, ones of posterior internal capsule, and perivascular space. The aim of our study is to demonstrate another region of T2 hyperintensities in normal pediatric age group. We have studied brain MR for 10 normal volunteers and 35 patients without having intracranial lesions in pediatric age group(3-19 years). In 5 among 45 cases, focal T2 hyperintensities were seen in the parietal periventricular white matter beneath the postcentral gyri. They were noted as poorly defined, 5-10 mm sized areas of increased signal intensities on T2-weighted axial images. They were also characterized by bilateral, posteromedially oriented, short band-like or oval areas. Interestingly, they were directly continuous with the T2 hyperintensity of posterior internal capsule. In spite of the relatively highly frequency in the pediatric population as in our study, this finding has not been reported in the asymptomatic adults. The results show that the bilateral anterior parietal hyperintense areas may be another terminal zones of delayed myelination affecting the parietopontine tract. They should be differentiated from pathologic T2 hyperintensities by their characteristic findings

Regional differences of relationships between atrophy and glucose metabolism of cerebral cortex in patients with Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toyama, H.; Uemura, K.; Kanekiyo, S.; Ishii, K.; Ishii, K.

2002-01-01

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to estimate a correlation between the extent of atrophy and the decline in the brain function measured with PET study among the patients with Alzheimer's disease by each brain lobe. Materials and Methods: Two groups, the normal controls (male: 8, female: 22 age: 62.4±4.9) and the patients with Alzheimer's disease (male: 6, female: 24, age: 65.9±7.2) participated in this study. The extent of atrophy was evaluated from the extracted gyrus on 2D-projection magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the cerebral cortical glucose metabolism was assessed on 2D-projection positron emission tomography (PET) image, and then a relationship between the cerebral atrophy and the function was evaluated by each brain lobe extracted automatically. 2D-projection of PET and MR images were made by means of the Mollweide method which keeps the area of the brain surface. In order to extract brain lobes from each subject automatically, the bitmap with different value by each brain lobe was made from a standard brain image and was automatically transformed to match each subject's brain image by using SPM99. A correlation image was generated between 2D-projection images of glucose metabolism and the area of the sulcus and the gyrus extracted from the correlation between MR and PET images clustered by K-means method. Results: The glucose metabolism of Alzheimer's disease was lower than that of normal control subjects at the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes with the same extent of atrophy as that of the normal. There was high correlation between the area of gyrus and the glucose metabolism, and the correlation tendency of the Alzheimer's disease was steeper than that of the normal control at the parietal lobe. Conclusions: Combined analysis of regional morphology and function may be useful to distinguish pathological process such as early stage of Alzheimer's disease from normal physiological aging

Alterations of whole-brain cortical area and thickness in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chuanming; Wang, Jian; Gui, Li; Zheng, Jian; Liu, Chen; Du, Hanjian

2011-01-01

Gray matter volume and density of several brain regions, determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are decreased in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Animal studies have indicated that changes in cortical area size is relevant to thinking and behavior, but alterations of cortical area and thickness in the brains of individuals with AD or its likely precursor, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), have not been reported. In this study, 25 MCI subjects, 30 AD subjects, and 30 age-matched normal controls were recruited for brain MRI scans and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) assessments. Based on the model using FreeSurfer software, two brain lobes were divided into various regions according to the Desikan-Killiany atlas and the cortical area and thickness of every region was compared and analyzed. We found a significant increase in cortical area of several regions in the frontal and temporal cortices, which correlated negatively with MMSE scores, and a significant decrease in cortical area of several regions in the parietal cortex and the cingulate gyrus in AD subjects. Increased cortical area was also seen in some regions of the frontal and temporal cortices in MCI subjects, whereas the cortical thickness of the same regions was decreased. Our observations suggest characteristic differences of the cortical area and thickness in MCI, AD, and normal control subjects, and these changes may help diagnose both MCI and AD.

The occipital lobe convexity sulci and gyri.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Raphael V; Ribas, Guilherme C; Párraga, Richard G; de Oliveira, Evandro

2012-05-01

The anatomy of the occipital lobe convexity is so intricate and variable that its precise description is not found in the classic anatomy textbooks, and the occipital sulci and gyri are described with different nomenclatures according to different authors. The aim of this study was to investigate and describe the anatomy of the occipital lobe convexity and clarify its nomenclature. The configurations of sulci and gyri on the lateral surface of the occipital lobe of 20 cerebral hemispheres were examined in order to identify the most characteristic and consistent patterns. The most characteristic and consistent occipital sulci identified in this study were the intraoccipital, transverse occipital, and lateral occipital sulci. The morphology of the transverse occipital sulcus and the intraoccipital sulcus connection was identified as the most important aspect to define the gyral pattern of the occipital lobe convexity. Knowledge of the main features of the occipital sulci and gyri permits the recognition of a basic configuration of the occipital lobe and the identification of its sulcal and gyral variations.

Study on memories of temporal lobes and the principles of lateralization using near infrared spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kamakura, Katsutoshi

2007-01-01

In this study we measured the variation of brain blood quantity (Oxy-Hb, Deoxy-Hb and Total-Hb) in the temporal lobes using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) when the tasks of the memories were presented to the subjects. The memories are classified into the short-term memory (STM) and the long-term memory (LTM) including the episodic and semantic memories. The subjects joined in this study are 11 persons who are university students including graduate students. We used the language task of letter-number sequencing, also reverse sequencing to measure STM and the task of the episodic memory to measure LTM. As a result of analysis, concerning the episodic memory, the variation of Oxy-Hb in the left temporal lobe was larger than that of Oxy-Hb in the right temporal lobe. The result might suggest that the episodic memory has a relationship with cerebral dominance concerning language area in the left temporal lobe. It seems that the episodic memory meditated with the function of language used in this study is much stored in the left temporal lobe than in the right temporal lobe. This result coincides with the principles of lateralization. The variation of Oxy-Hb in the language task of letter-number sequencing was smaller than that of Oxy-Hb in the language task of the episodic memory.

The contribution of the human posterior parietal cortex to episodic memory

OpenAIRE

Sestieri, Carlo; Shulman, Gordon L.; Corbetta, Maurizio

2017-01-01

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is traditionally associated with attention, perceptual decision making and sensorimotor transformations, but more recent human neuroimaging studies support an additional role in episodic memory retrieval. In this Opinion article, we present a functional–anatomical model of the involvement of the PPC in memory retrieval. Parietal regions involved in perceptual attention and episodic memory are largely segregated and often show a push–pull relationship, poten...

Optimized gamma synchronization enhances functional binding of fronto-parietal cortices in mathematically gifted adolescents during deductive reasoning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li eZhang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available As enhanced fronto-parietal network has been suggested to support reasoning ability of math-gifted adolescents, the main goal of this EEG source analysis is to investigate the temporal binding of the gamma-band (30-60Hz synchronization between frontal and parietal cortices in adolescents with exceptional mathematical ability, including the functional connectivity of gamma neurocognitive network, the temporal dynamics of fronto-parietal network (phase-locking durations and network lability in time domain, and the self-organized criticality of synchronizing oscillation. Compared with the average-ability subjects, the math-gifted adolescents show a highly integrated fronto-parietal network due to distant gamma phase-locking oscillations, which is indicated by lower modularity of the global network topology, more connector bridges between the frontal and parietal cortices and less connector hubs in the sensorimotor cortex. The time-domain analysis finds that, while maintaining more stable phase dynamics of the fronto-parietal coupling, the math-gifted adolescents are characterized by more extensive fronto-parietal connection reconfiguration. The results from sample fitting in the power-law model further find that the phase-locking durations in the math-gifted brain abides by a wider interval of the power-law distribution. This phase-lock distribution mechanism could represent a relatively optimized pattern for the functional binding of frontal-parietal network, which underlies stable fronto-parietal connectivity and increases flexibility of timely network reconfiguration.

Q-Ball of Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus and Beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Amirbekian, Bagrat; Berger, Mitchel S.; Henry, Roland G.

2014-01-01

The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) is historically described as the longest associative bundle in the human brain and it connects various parts of the occipital cortex, temporo-basal area and the superior parietal lobule to the frontal lobe through the external/extreme capsule complex. The exact functional role and the detailed anatomical definition of the IFOF are still under debate within the scientific community. In this study we present a fiber tracking dissection of the right and left IFOF by using a q-ball residual-bootstrap reconstruction of High-Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI) data sets in 20 healthy subjects. By defining a single seed region of interest on the coronal fractional anisotropy (FA) color map of each subject, we investigated all the pathways connecting the parietal, occipital and posterior temporal cortices to the frontal lobe through the external/extreme capsule. In line with recent post-mortem dissection studies we found more extended anterior-posterior association connections than the “classical” fronto-occipital representation of the IFOF. In particular the pathways we evidenced showed: a) diffuse projections in the frontal lobe, b) fronto-parietal lobes connections trough the external capsule in almost all the subjects and c) widespread connections in the posterior regions. Our study represents the first consistent in vivo demonstration across a large group of individuals of these novel anterior and posterior terminations of the IFOF detailed described only by post-mortem anatomical dissection. Furthermore our work establishes the feasibility of consistent in vivo mapping of this architecture with independent in vivo methodologies. In conclusion q-ball tractography dissection supports a more complex definition of IFOF, which includes several subcomponents likely underlying specific function. PMID:24945305

Q-ball of inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and beyond.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Caverzasi

Full Text Available The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF is historically described as the longest associative bundle in the human brain and it connects various parts of the occipital cortex, temporo-basal area and the superior parietal lobule to the frontal lobe through the external/extreme capsule complex. The exact functional role and the detailed anatomical definition of the IFOF are still under debate within the scientific community. In this study we present a fiber tracking dissection of the right and left IFOF by using a q-ball residual-bootstrap reconstruction of High-Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI data sets in 20 healthy subjects. By defining a single seed region of interest on the coronal fractional anisotropy (FA color map of each subject, we investigated all the pathways connecting the parietal, occipital and posterior temporal cortices to the frontal lobe through the external/extreme capsule. In line with recent post-mortem dissection studies we found more extended anterior-posterior association connections than the "classical" fronto-occipital representation of the IFOF. In particular the pathways we evidenced showed: a diffuse projections in the frontal lobe, b fronto-parietal lobes connections trough the external capsule in almost all the subjects and c widespread connections in the posterior regions. Our study represents the first consistent in vivo demonstration across a large group of individuals of these novel anterior and posterior terminations of the IFOF detailed described only by post-mortem anatomical dissection. Furthermore our work establishes the feasibility of consistent in vivo mapping of this architecture with independent in vivo methodologies. In conclusion q-ball tractography dissection supports a more complex definition of IFOF, which includes several subcomponents likely underlying specific function.

Dissociation between conceptual and perceptual implicit memory：Evidence from patients with frontal and occipital lobe lesions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang eGong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The latest neuroimaging studies about implicit memory have revealed that different implicit memory types may be processed by different parts of the brain. However, studies have rarely examined what subtypes of implicit memory processes are affected in patients with various brain-injuries. Twenty patients with frontal lobe injury, 25 patients with occipital lobe injury, and 29 healthy controls were recruited for the study. Two subtypes of implicit memory were investigated by using structurally parallel perceptual (picture identification task and conceptual (category exemplar generation task implicit memory tests in the three groups, as well as explicit memory tests. The results indicated that the priming of conceptual implicit memory and explicit memory tasks in patients with frontal lobe injury was poorer than that observed in healthy controls, while perceptual implicit memory was identical between the two groups. In contrast, the priming of perceptual implicit memory in patients with occipital lobe injury was poorer than that in healthy controls, while the priming of conceptual implicit memory and explicit memory was similar to that in healthy controls. This double dissociation between perceptual and conceptual implicit memory across the brain areas implies that occipital lobes may participate in perceptual implicit memory, while frontal lobes may be involved in processing conceptual memory.

The Oft-Neglected Role of Parietal EEG Asymmetry and Risk for Major Depressive Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Jennifer L.; Towers, David N.; Coan, James A.; Allen, John J.B.

2010-01-01

Relatively less right parietal activity may reflect reduced arousal and signify risk for major depressive disorder (MDD). Inconsistent findings with parietal electroencephalographic (EEG) asymmetry, however, suggest issues such as anxiety comorbidity and sex differences have yet to be resolved. Resting parietal EEG asymmetry was assessed in 306 individuals (31% male) with (n = 143) and without (n = 163) a DSM-IV diagnosis of lifetime MDD and no comorbid anxiety disorders. Past MDD+ women displayed relatively less right parietal activity than current MDD+ and MDD- women, replicating prior work. Recent caffeine intake, an index of arousal, moderated the relationship between depression and EEG asymmetry for women and men. Findings suggest that sex differences and arousal should be examined in studies of depression and regional brain activity. PMID:20525011

Influence of mental abacus calculation practice on mental arithmetic in children: a fMRI study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long Jinfeng; Zhao Kunyuan; Wang Bin; Li Lixin; Shen Xiaojun

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate the influence of mental abacus calculation practice on mental arithmetic in children with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods: Twelve children who had practiced mental abacus calculation for 3 years and 12 untrained children (The two groups were matched in terms of age, handedness and education) underwent fMRI during mental calculation tasks. The related behavior data were recorded at the same time. All data were analyzed with statistical parametric mapping 2. Results: The calculation accuracy was significantly higher [(95.00±7.16)% vs.(74.26±16.07)%. t=-4.084, P<0.01]; and the reaction time was significantly shorter [(597.91±124.05) ms vs. (770.07± 148.54) ms, t=3.082, P<0.01] in trained group than untrained group. The extent and magnitude of the activated areas were significantly increased in the untrained group compared with the trained group. The activated areas mainly localized in the frontal and parietal lobes in untrained group, while the brain activated areas were few and mainly localized in occipital and parietal lobes in the trained group. Conclusion: Mental abacus calculation can enhance the information processing m some brain areas, and improve the utilization efficiency of neural resources. (authors)

From reference to sense: how the brain encodes meaning for speaking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura eMenenti

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In speaking, semantic encoding is the conversion of a nonverbal mental representation (the reference into a semantic structure suitable for expression (the sense. In this fMRI study on sentence production we investigate how the speaking brain accomplishes this transition from nonverbal to verbal representations. In an overt picture description task, we manipulated repetition of sense (the semantic structure of the sentence and reference (the described situation separately. By investigating brain areas showing response adaptation to repetition of each of these sentence properties, we disentangle the neuronal infrastructure for these two components of semantic encoding. We also performed a control experiment with the same stimuli and design but without any linguistic task to identify areas involved in perception of the stimuli per se. The bilateral inferior parietal lobes were selectively sensitive to repetition of reference, while left inferior frontal gyrus showed selective suppression to repetition of sense. Strikingly, a widespread network of areas associated with language processing (left middle frontal gyrus, bilateral superior parietal lobes and bilateral posterior temporal gyri all showed repetition suppression to both sense and reference processing. These areas are probably involved in mapping reference onto sense, the crucial step in semantic encoding. These results enable us to track the transition from nonverbal to verbal representations in our brains.

Control of cerebral cortical blood flow by stimulation of basal forebrain cholinergic areas in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hotta, Harumi; Uchida, Sae; Kagitani, Fusako; Maruyama, Naoki

2011-05-01

We examined whether activity of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) regulates regional cerebral cortical blood flow (rCBF) in mice, using laser speckle and laser Doppler flowmetry. In anesthetized mice, unilateral focal stimulation, either electrical or chemical, of the NBM increased rCBF of the ipsilateral cerebral cortex in the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes, independent of changes in systemic blood pressure. Most of vasodilative responses to low intensity stimuli (2 times threshold intensity: 2T) were abolished by atropine (a muscarinic cholinergic blocker), whereas responses to higher intensity stimuli (3T) were abolished by atropine and mecamylamine (a nicotinic cholinergic blocker). Blood flow changes were largest when the tip of the electrode was located within the area containing cholinergic neurons shown by choline acetyltransferase-immunocytochemistry. These results suggest that cholinergic projections from basal forebrain neurons in mice cause vasodilation in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex by a combination of muscarinic and nicotinic mechanisms, as previously found in rats and cats.

Pressure balance between lobe and plasma sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumjohann, W.; Paschmann, G.; Luehr, H.

1990-01-01

Using eight months of AMPTE/IRM plasma and magnetic field data, the authors have done a statistical survey on the balance of total (thermal and magnetic) pressure in the Earth's plasma sheet and tail lobe. About 300,000 measurements obtained in the plasma sheet and the lobe were compared for different levels of magnetic activity as well as different distances from the Earth. The data show that lobe and plasma sheet pressure balance very well. Even in the worst case they do not deviate by more than half of the variance in the data itself. Approximately constant total pressure was also seen during a quiet time pass when IRM traversed nearly the whole magnetotail in the vertical direction, from the southern hemisphere lobe through the neutral sheet and into the northern plasma sheet boundary layer

Magnetic resonance imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy. Usefulness for the etiological diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, A.; Lueders, H.O.

2000-01-01

With improvement in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques, the ability to identify lesions responsible for temporal lobe epilepsy has increased. MR imaging has also enabled the in vivo diagnosis of hippocampal sclerosis. Brain tumors are responsible for 2-4% of epilepsies in adult population and 10-20% of medically intractable epilepsy. The sensitivity of MR imaging in the diagnosis of tumors and other lesions of the temporal lobe (vascular malformations, etc.) is around 90%. Both hippocampal sclerosis and other temporal lobe lesions are amenable to surgical therapy with excellent postsurgical seizure outcome. In this article, we characterize and underline distinguishing features of the different pathological entities. We also suggest an approach to reviewing the MR images of an epileptic patient. (author)

Are mirror neurons the basis of speech perception? Evidence from five cases with damage to the purported human mirror system

Science.gov (United States)

Rogalsky, Corianne; Love, Tracy; Driscoll, David; Anderson, Steven W.; Hickok, Gregory

2013-01-01

The discovery of mirror neurons in macaque has led to a resurrection of motor theories of speech perception. Although the majority of lesion and functional imaging studies have associated perception with the temporal lobes, it has also been proposed that the ‘human mirror system’, which prominently includes Broca’s area, is the neurophysiological substrate of speech perception. Although numerous studies have demonstrated a tight link between sensory and motor speech processes, few have directly assessed the critical prediction of mirror neuron theories of speech perception, namely that damage to the human mirror system should cause severe deficits in speech perception. The present study measured speech perception abilities of patients with lesions involving motor regions in the left posterior frontal lobe and/or inferior parietal lobule (i.e., the proposed human ‘mirror system’). Performance was at or near ceiling in patients with fronto-parietal lesions. It is only when the lesion encroaches on auditory regions in the temporal lobe that perceptual deficits are evident. This suggests that ‘mirror system’ damage does not disrupt speech perception, but rather that auditory systems are the primary substrate for speech perception. PMID:21207313

Obligatory and facultative brain regions for voice-identity recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Roswandowitz, Claudia; Kappes, Claudia; Obrig, Hellmuth; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2018-01-01

Abstract Recognizing the identity of others by their voice is an important skill for social interactions. To date, it remains controversial which parts of the brain are critical structures for this skill. Based on neuroimaging findings, standard models of person-identity recognition suggest that the right temporal lobe is the hub for voice-identity recognition. Neuropsychological case studies, however, reported selective deficits of voice-identity recognition in patients predominantly with right inferior parietal lobe lesions. Here, our aim was to work towards resolving the discrepancy between neuroimaging studies and neuropsychological case studies to find out which brain structures are critical for voice-identity recognition in humans. We performed a voxel-based lesion-behaviour mapping study in a cohort of patients (n = 58) with unilateral focal brain lesions. The study included a comprehensive behavioural test battery on voice-identity recognition of newly learned (voice-name, voice-face association learning) and familiar voices (famous voice recognition) as well as visual (face-identity recognition) and acoustic control tests (vocal-pitch and vocal-timbre discrimination). The study also comprised clinically established tests (neuropsychological assessment, audiometry) and high-resolution structural brain images. The three key findings were: (i) a strong association between voice-identity recognition performance and right posterior/mid temporal and right inferior parietal lobe lesions; (ii) a selective association between right posterior/mid temporal lobe lesions and voice-identity recognition performance when face-identity recognition performance was factored out; and (iii) an association of right inferior parietal lobe lesions with tasks requiring the association between voices and faces but not voices and names. The results imply that the right posterior/mid temporal lobe is an obligatory structure for voice-identity recognition, while the inferior parietal

Tracing short connections of the temporo-parieto-occipital region in the human brain using diffusion spectrum imaging and fiber dissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yupeng; Sun, Dandan; Wang, Yong; Wang, Yunjie; Wang, Yibao

2016-09-01

The temporo-parieto-occipital (TPO) junction plays a unique role in human high-level neurological functions. Long-range fibers from and to this area have been described in detail but little is known about short TPO tracts mediating local connectivity. In this study, we performed high angular diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) analyses to visualize the short TPO connections in the human brain. Fiber tracking was conducted on a subject-specific approach (10 subjects) and a template of 90 subjects (NTU-90 Atlas). Three tracts were identified: posterior segment of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF-V), connecting the posterior part of the middle and inferior temporal gyri with the angular gyrus and supramarginal gyrus, vertical occipital fasciculus (VOF), connecting the inferior parietal with the lower temporal and occipital lobe, and a novel temporo-parietal (TP) connection, interconnecting the inferior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus and fusiform gyrus, and inferior occipital lobe with the superior parietal lobe. These studies were complemented by fiber dissection techniques. It is the first study that demonstrated the trajectory and connectivity of the VOF using fiber dissection, as well as displayed the spatial relationship of the SLF-V with the cortex and the adjacent fiber bundles on one dissecting hemisphere. By providing a more accurate and detailed description of the local connectivity of the TPO junction, our findings help to develop new insights into its functional role in the human brain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parietal cells-new perspectives in glomerular disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miesen, L.; Steenbergen, E.; Smeets, B.

2017-01-01

In normal glomeruli, parietal epithelial cells (PECs) line the inside of Bowman's capsule and form an inconspicuous sheet of flat epithelial cells in continuity with the proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) at the urinary pole and with the podocytes at the vascular pole. PECs, PTECs and

Acupuncture for ischemic stroke: cerebellar activation may be a central mechanism following Deqi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miao-keng Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The needling sensation of Deqi during acupuncture is a key factor of influencing acupuncture outcome. Recent studies have mainly focused on the brain function effects of Deqi in a physiological state. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI on the effects of acupuncture at Waiguan (SJ5 in pathological and physiological states is controversial. In this study, 12 patients with ischemic stroke received acupuncture at Waiguan (SJ5 and simultaneously underwent fMRI scanning of the brain, with imaging data of the activated areas obtained. Based on the patient′s sensation, imaging data were allocated to either the Deqi group or non-Deqi group. In the Deqi group, the activated/deactivated areas were the left superior temporal gyrus (BA39/right anterior lobe of the cerebellum and left thalamus. In the non-Deqi group, the activated areas included the medial frontal gyrus of the right frontal lobe (BA11, right limbic lobe (BA30, 35, and left frontal lobe (BA47, while the only deactivated area was the right parietal lobe (BA40. Compared with the non-Deqi group, the Deqi group exhibited marked activation of the right anterior lobe of the cerebellum and right limbic lobe (BA30. These findings confirm that the clinical effect of Deqi during acupuncture is based on brain functional changes. Cerebellar activation may be one of the central mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Visual perception is dependent on visuospatial working memory and thus on the posterior parietal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Pisella, Laure

2017-06-01

Visual perception involves complex and active processes. We will start by explaining why visual perception is dependent on visuospatial working memory, especially the spatiotemporal integration of the perceived elements through the ocular exploration of visual scenes. Then we will present neuropsychology, transcranial magnetic stimulation and neuroimaging data yielding information on the specific role of the posterior parietal cortex of the right hemisphere in visuospatial working memory. Within the posterior parietal cortex, neuropsychology data also suggest that there might be dissociated neural substrates for deployment of attention (superior parietal lobules) and spatiotemporal integration (right inferior parietal lobule). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Segmentation of the Cingulum Bundle in the Human Brain: A New Perspective Based on DSI Tractography and Fiber Dissection Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yupeng; Sun, Dandan; Wang, Yong; Wang, Yibao; Ou, Shaowu

2016-01-01

The cingulum bundle (CB) is a critical white matter fiber tract in the brain, which forms connections between the frontal lobe, parietal lobe and temporal lobe. In non-human primates, the CB is actually divided into distinct subcomponents on the basis of corticocortical connections. However, at present, no study has verified similar distinct subdivisions in the human brain. In this study, we reconstructed these distinct subdivisions in the human brain, and determined their exact cortical connections using high definition fiber tracking (HDFT) technique on 10 healthy adults and a 488-subject template from the Human Connectome Project (HCP-488). Fiber dissections were performed to verify tractography results. Five CB segments were identified. CB-I ran from the subrostral areas to the precuneus and splenium, encircling the corpus callosum (CC). CB-II arched around the splenium and extended anteriorly above the CC to the medial aspect of the superior frontal gyrus (SFG). CB-III connected the superior parietal lobule (SPL) and precuneus with the medial aspect of the SFG. CB-IV was a relatively minor subcomponent from the SPL and precuneus to the frontal region. CB-V, the para-hippocampal cingulum, stemmed from the medial temporal lobe and fanned out to the occipital lobes. Our findings not only provide a more accurate and detailed description on the associated architecture of the subcomponents within the CB, but also offer new insights into the functional role of the CB in the human brain.

Enhanced Neuroactivation during Working Memory Task in Postmenopausal Women Receiving Hormone Therapy: A Coordinate-Based Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ke; Huang, Xiaoyan; Han, Yingping; Zhang, Jun; Lai, Yuhan; Yuan, Li; Lu, Jiaojiao; Zeng, Dong

2015-01-01

Hormone therapy (HT) has long been thought beneficial for controlling menopausal symptoms and human cognition. Studies have suggested that HT has a positive association with working memory, but no consistent relationship between HT and neural activity has been shown in any cognitive domain. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the convergence of findings from published randomized control trials studies that examined brain activation changes in postmenopausal women. A systematic search for fMRI studies of neural responses during working memory tasks in postmenopausal women was performed. Studies were excluded if they were not treatment studies and did not contain placebo or blank controls. For the purpose of the meta-analysis, 8 studies were identified, with 103 postmenopausal women taking HT and 109 controls. Compared with controls, postmenopausal women who took HT increased activation in the left frontal lobe, including superior frontal gyrus (BA 8), right middle frontal gyrus (BA 9), anterior lobe, paracentral lobule (BA 7), limbic lobe, and anterior cingulate (BA 32). Additionally, decreased activation is noted in the right limbic lobe, including parahippocampal gyrus (BA 28), left parietal lobe, and superior parietal lobule (BA 7). All regions were significant at p ≤ 0.05 with correction for multiple comparisons. Hormone treatment is associated with BOLD signal activation in key anatomical areas during fMRI working memory tasks in healthy hormone-treated postmenopausal women. A positive correlation between activation and task performance suggests that hormone use may benefit working memory.

Integration of Visual and Proprioceptive Limb Position Information in Human Posterior Parietal, Premotor, and Extrastriate Cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Limanowski, Jakub; Blankenburg, Felix

2016-03-02

The brain constructs a flexible representation of the body from multisensory information. Previous work on monkeys suggests that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and ventral premotor cortex (PMv) represent the position of the upper limbs based on visual and proprioceptive information. Human experiments on the rubber hand illusion implicate similar regions, but since such experiments rely on additional visuo-tactile interactions, they cannot isolate visuo-proprioceptive integration. Here, we independently manipulated the position (palm or back facing) of passive human participants' unseen arm and of a photorealistic virtual 3D arm. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed that matching visual and proprioceptive information about arm position engaged the PPC, PMv, and the body-selective extrastriate body area (EBA); activity in the PMv moreover reflected interindividual differences in congruent arm ownership. Further, the PPC, PMv, and EBA increased their coupling with the primary visual cortex during congruent visuo-proprioceptive position information. These results suggest that human PPC, PMv, and EBA evaluate visual and proprioceptive position information and, under sufficient cross-modal congruence, integrate it into a multisensory representation of the upper limb in space. The position of our limbs in space constantly changes, yet the brain manages to represent limb position accurately by combining information from vision and proprioception. Electrophysiological recordings in monkeys have revealed neurons in the posterior parietal and premotor cortices that seem to implement and update such a multisensory limb representation, but this has been difficult to demonstrate in humans. Our fMRI experiment shows that human posterior parietal, premotor, and body-selective visual brain areas respond preferentially to a virtual arm seen in a position corresponding to one's unseen hidden arm, while increasing their communication with regions conveying visual

A comparison of occipital and temporal lobe epilepsies.

Science.gov (United States)

Appel, S; Sharan, A D; Tracy, J I; Evans, J; Sperling, M R

2015-10-01

Differentiating between occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is often challenging. This retrospective case-control study compares OLE to TLE and explores markers that suggest the diagnosis of OLE. We queried the Jefferson Epilepsy Center surgery database for patients who underwent a resection that involved the occipital lobe. For each patient with OLE, three sequential case-control patients with TLE were matched. Demographic characteristics, symptoms, electrophysiological findings, imaging findings, and surgical outcome were compared. Nineteen patients with OLE and 57 patients with TLE were included in the study. Visual symptoms were unique to patients with OLE (8/19) and were not reported by patients with TLE (P Occipital interictal spikes (IIS) were found only in one-third of the patients with OLE (6/19) and in no patients with TLE (P lobe were found in five of 19 patients with OLE vs one of 57 patients with TLE (P = 0.003). IIS involved more than one lobe of the brain in most patients with OLE (11/19) but only in nine of 57 the TLE group. (P = 0.0003) Multilobar resection was needed in most patients with OLE (15/19), typically including the temporal lobe, but in only one of the patients with TLE (P Occipital lobe epilepsy is difficult to identify and may masquerade as temporal lobe epilepsy. Visual symptoms and occipital findings in the EEG suggest the diagnosis of OLE, but absence of these features, does not exclude the diagnosis. When posterior temporal EEG findings or multilobar involvement occurs, the diagnosis of OLE should be considered. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cerebral metabolism in HIV infected patients with non-cognitive disorder using single voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Qi

2015-09-01

Conclusion: HIV infection induces inflammation in basal ganglia region, frontal lobe and parietal lobe before non-cognitive disorder occurs after HIV infection. However, the basal ganga region sees more neurons loss.

Novelty enhances visual salience independently of reward in the parietal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, Nicholas C; Jangraw, David C; Peck, Christopher; Gottlieb, Jacqueline

2014-06-04

Novelty modulates sensory and reward processes, but it remains unknown how these effects interact, i.e., how the visual effects of novelty are related to its motivational effects. A widespread hypothesis, based on findings that novelty activates reward-related structures, is that all the effects of novelty are explained in terms of reward. According to this idea, a novel stimulus is by default assigned high reward value and hence high salience, but this salience rapidly decreases if the stimulus signals a negative outcome. Here we show that, contrary to this idea, novelty affects visual salience in the monkey lateral intraparietal area (LIP) in ways that are independent of expected reward. Monkeys viewed peripheral visual cues that were novel or familiar (received few or many exposures) and predicted whether the trial will have a positive or a negative outcome--i.e., end in a reward or a lack of reward. We used a saccade-based assay to detect whether the cues automatically attracted or repelled attention from their visual field location. We show that salience--measured in saccades and LIP responses--was enhanced by both novelty and positive reward associations, but these factors were dissociable and habituated on different timescales. The monkeys rapidly recognized that a novel stimulus signaled a negative outcome (and withheld anticipatory licking within the first few presentations), but the salience of that stimulus remained high for multiple subsequent presentations. Therefore, novelty can provide an intrinsic bonus for attention that extends beyond the first presentation and is independent of physical rewards. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/347947-11$15.00/0.

Evolution of posterior parietal cortex and parietal-frontal networks for specific actions in primates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaas, Jon H; Stepniewska, Iwona

2016-02-15

Posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is an extensive region of the human brain that develops relatively late and is proportionally large compared with that of monkeys and prosimian primates. Our ongoing comparative studies have led to several conclusions about the evolution of this posterior parietal region. In early placental mammals, PPC likely was a small multisensory region much like PPC of extant rodents and tree shrews. In early primates, PPC likely resembled that of prosimian galagos, in which caudal PPC (PPCc) is visual and rostral PPC (PPCr) has eight or more multisensory domains where electrical stimulation evokes different complex motor behaviors, including reaching, hand-to-mouth, looking, protecting the face or body, and grasping. These evoked behaviors depend on connections with functionally matched domains in premotor cortex (PMC) and motor cortex (M1). Domains in each region compete with each other, and a serial arrangement of domains allows different factors to influence motor outcomes successively. Similar arrangements of domains have been retained in New and Old World monkeys, and humans appear to have at least some of these domains. The great expansion and prolonged development of PPC in humans suggest the addition of functionally distinct territories. We propose that, across primates, PMC and M1 domains are second and third levels in a number of parallel, interacting networks for mediating and selecting one type of action over others. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Afasias e áreas cerebrais: argumentos prós e contras à perspectiva localizacionista Aphasias and brain areas: positive and negative aspects of the localization argument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Cláudia C. Vieira

2011-01-01

investigate how cortex areas compromised by Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA are related to the classification of aphasia, since there are controversies about the location of the lesion in the brain and the characteristics related to variations in speech patterns. Through the Montreal-Toulose protocol, 26 right-handed persons who were affected by left cerebral-vascular lesion and have been showing aphasic symptoms have been evaluated. The Montreal-Toulose protocol, initial standard module - version alpha, includes nomination, repetition, oral comprehension, reading and writing comprehension tests as well as an interview, which allows an evaluation of the discourse fluency. The subjects were allocated into four sub-groups, according to the lesion sites: frontal, temporal, temporo-parietal and parieto-occipital. For the analysis of the data, a Multidimensional Similarity Structure Analysis (SSA was carried out along with an external variable method. The results show a high positive correlation between the lesion in the brain's frontal lobe and difficulties in the discourse fluency as well as a high positive correlation between the lesion in the brain's temporal lobe and hindrances in all abilities tested: nomination, repetition, oral comprehension, reading and writing comprehension. It is in accordance with localizational studies, since it highlights the fundamental role of the temporal lobe for the language and the importance of the frontal lobe for the speech praxis. However, in the remaining sub-groups (temporo-parietal and parieto-occipital there have been positive correlations only between oral comprehension and repetition, with the latter showing correlation only with the second group and presenting a low score. High negative correlations with the discourse fluency were observed. It suggests that this ability has remained preserved in those groups, which in turns weakens the localization argument.

Anterior Temporal Lobe Morphometry Predicts Categorization Ability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Béatrice Garcin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Categorization is the mental operation by which the brain classifies objects and events. It is classically assessed using semantic and non-semantic matching or sorting tasks. These tasks show a high variability in performance across healthy controls and the cerebral bases supporting this variability remain unknown. In this study we performed a voxel-based morphometry study to explore the relationships between semantic and shape categorization tasks and brain morphometric differences in 50 controls. We found significant correlation between categorization performance and the volume of the gray matter in the right anterior middle and inferior temporal gyri. Semantic categorization tasks were associated with more rostral temporal regions than shape categorization tasks. A significant relationship was also shown between white matter volume in the right temporal lobe and performance in the semantic tasks. Tractography revealed that this white matter region involved several projection and association fibers, including the arcuate fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus. These results suggest that categorization abilities are supported by the anterior portion of the right temporal lobe and its interaction with other areas.

Neuronal oscillations form parietal/frontal networks during contour integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Castellano, Marta; Plöchl, Michael; Vicente, Raul; Pipa, Gordon

2014-01-01

The ability to integrate visual features into a global coherent percept that can be further categorized and manipulated are fundamental abilities of the neural system. While the processing of visual information involves activation of early visual cortices, the recruitment of parietal and frontal cortices has been shown to be crucial for perceptual processes. Yet is it not clear how both cortical and long-range oscillatory activity leads to the integration of visual features into a coherent percept. Here, we will investigate perceptual grouping through the analysis of a contour categorization task, where the local elements that form contour must be linked into a coherent structure, which is then further processed and manipulated to perform the categorization task. The contour formation in our visual stimulus is a dynamic process where, for the first time, visual perception of contours is disentangled from the onset of visual stimulation or from motor preparation, cognitive processes that until now have been behaviorally attached to perceptual processes. Our main finding is that, while local and long-range synchronization at several frequencies seem to be an ongoing phenomena, categorization of a contour could only be predicted through local oscillatory activity within parietal/frontal sources, which in turn, would synchronize at gamma (>30 Hz) frequency. Simultaneously, fronto-parietal beta (13-30 Hz) phase locking forms a network spanning across neural sources that are not category specific. Both long range networks, i.e., the gamma network that is category specific, and the beta network that is not category specific, are functionally distinct but spatially overlapping. Altogether, we show that a critical mechanism underlying contour categorization involves oscillatory activity within parietal/frontal cortices, as well as its synchronization across distal cortical sites.

Temporal Lobe Seizure

Science.gov (United States)

... functions, including having odd feelings — such as euphoria, deja vu or fear. Temporal lobe seizures are sometimes called ... sudden sense of unprovoked fear or joy A deja vu experience — a feeling that what's happening has happened ...

Counteracting fatigue in multiple sclerosis with right parietal anodal transcranial direct current stimulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin Hanken

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS patients appears to correlate with vigilance decrement as reflected in an increase in reaction time and errors with prolonged time-on-task. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS over the right parietal or frontal cortex counteracts fatigue-associated vigilance decrement and subjective fatigue. Methods: In study I, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, anodal tDCS (1,5mA was delivered to the right parietal cortex or the right frontal cortex of 52 healthy participants during the first 20min of a 40min lasting visual vigilance task. Study II, also a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, investigated the effect of anodal tDCS (1.5mA over the right parietal cortex in 46 MS patients experiencing cognitive fatigue. TDCS was delivered for 20min before patients performed a 20min lasting visual vigilance task.Results: Study I showed that right parietal stimulation, but not right frontal stimulation, counteracts the increase in reaction time associated with vigilance decrement. Hence, only right parietal stimulation was applied to the MS patients in study II. Stimulation had a significant effect on vigilance decrement in mildly to moderately cognitively fatigued MS patients. Vigilance testing significantly increased the feeling of fatigue independent of stimulation.Conclusions: Anodal tDCS over the right parietal cortex can counteract the increase in reaction times during vigilance performance but not the increase in subjective fatigue. This finding is compatible with our model of fatigue in MS, suggesting a dissociation between the feeling and the behavioral characteristics of fatigue.

Counteracting Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis with Right Parietal Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanken, Katrin; Bosse, Mona; Möhrke, Kim; Eling, Paul; Kastrup, Andreas; Antal, Andrea; Hildebrandt, Helmut

2016-01-01

Fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients appears to correlate with vigilance decrement as reflected in an increase in reaction time (RT) and errors with prolonged time-on-task. The aim of this study was to investigate whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the right parietal or frontal cortex counteracts fatigue-associated vigilance decrement and subjective fatigue. In study I, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, anodal tDCS (1.5 mA) was delivered to the right parietal cortex or the right frontal cortex of 52 healthy participants during the first 20 min of a 40-min lasting visual vigilance task. Study II, also a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, investigated the effect of anodal tDCS (1.5 mA) over the right parietal cortex in 46 MS patients experiencing cognitive fatigue. tDCS was delivered for 20 min before patients performed a 20-min lasting visual vigilance task. Study I showed that right parietal stimulation, but not right frontal stimulation, counteracts the increase in RT associated with vigilance decrement. Hence, only right parietal stimulation was applied to the MS patients in study II. Stimulation had a significant effect on vigilance decrement in mildly to moderately cognitively fatigued MS patients. Vigilance testing significantly increased the feeling of fatigue independent of stimulation. Anodal tDCS over the right parietal cortex can counteract the increase in RTs during vigilance performance, but not the increase in subjective fatigue. This finding is compatible with our model of fatigue in MS, suggesting a dissociation between the feeling and the behavioral characteristics of fatigue.

Muscarinic responses of gastric parietal cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkes, J.M.; Kajimura, M.; Scott, D.R.; Hersey, S.J.; Sachs, G.

1991-01-01

Isolated rabbit gastric glands were used to study the nature of the muscarinic cholinergic responses of parietal cells. Carbachol stimulation of acid secretion, as measured by the accumulation of aminopyrine, was inhibited by the M1 antagonist, pirenzepine, with an IC50 of 13 microM; by the M2 antagonist, 11,2-(diethylamino)methyl-1 piperidinyl acetyl-5,11-dihydro-6H-pyrido 2,3-b 1,4 benzodiazepin-6-one (AF-DX 116), with an IC50 of 110 microM; and by the M1/M3 antagonist, diphenyl-acetoxy-4-methylpiperidinemethiodide, with an IC50 of 35 nM. The three antagonists displayed equivalent IC50 values for the inhibition of carbachol-stimulated production of 14CO2 from radiolabeled glucose, which is a measure of the turnover of the H,K-ATPase, the final step of acid secretion. Intracellular calcium levels were measured in gastric glands loaded with FURA 2. Carbachol was shown to both release calcium from an intracellular pool and to promote calcium entry across the plasma membrane. The calcium entry was inhibitable by 20 microM La3+. The relative potency of the three muscarinic antagonists for inhibition of calcium entry was essentially the same as for inhibition of acid secretion or pump related glucose oxidation. Image analysis of the glands showed the effects of carbachol, and of the antagonists, on intracellular calcium were occurring largely in the parietal cell. The rise in cell calcium due to release of calcium from intracellular stores was inhibited by 4-DAMP with an IC50 of 1.7 nM, suggesting that the release pathway was regulated by a low affinity M3 muscarinic receptor or state; Ca entry and acid secretion are regulated by a high affinity M3 muscarinic receptor or state, inhibited by higher 4-DAMP concentrations, suggesting that it is the steady-state elevation of Ca that is related to parietal cell function rather than the [Ca]i transient

Differential frontal-parietal phase synchrony during hypnosis as a function of hypnotic suggestibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Terhune, Devin Blair; Cardeña, Etzel; Lindgren, Magnus

2011-10-01

Spontaneous dissociative alterations in awareness and perception among highly suggestible individuals following a hypnotic induction may result from disruptions in the functional coordination of the frontal-parietal network. We recorded EEG and self-reported state dissociation in control and hypnosis conditions in two sessions with low and highly suggestible participants. Highly suggestible participants reliably experienced greater state dissociation and exhibited lower frontal-parietal phase synchrony in the alpha2 frequency band during hypnosis than low suggestible participants. These findings suggest that highly suggestible individuals exhibit a disruption of the frontal-parietal network that is only observable following a hypnotic induction. Copyright © 2011 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Alterations of the occipital lobe in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tohid, Hassaan; Faizan, Muhammad; Faizan, Uzma

2015-07-01

The relationship of the occipital lobe of the brain with schizophrenia is not commonly studied; however, this topic is considered an essential subject matter among clinicians and scientists. We conducted this systematic review to elaborate the relationship in depth. We found that most schizophrenic patients show normal occipital anatomy and physiology, a minority showed dwindled values, and some demonstrated augmented function and structure. The findings are laborious to incorporate within single disease models that present the involvement of the occipital lobe in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia progresses clinically in the mid-twenties and thirties and its prognosis is inadequate. Changes in the volume, the gray matter, and the white matter in the occipital lobe are quite evident; however, the mechanism behind this involvement is not yet fully understood. Therefore, we recommend further research to explore the occipital lobe functions and volumes across the different stages of schizophrenia.

Alterations of the occipital lobe in schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

Tohid, Hassaan; Faizan, Muhammad; Faizan, Uzma

2015-01-01

The relationship of the occipital lobe of the brain with schizophrenia is not commonly studied; however, this topic is considered an essential subject matter among clinicians and scientists. We conducted this systematic review to elaborate the relationship in depth. We found that most schizophrenic patients show normal occipital anatomy and physiology, a minority showed dwindled values, and some demonstrated augmented function and structure. The findings are laborious to incorporate within single disease models that present the involvement of the occipital lobe in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia progresses clinically in the mid-twenties and thirties and its prognosis is inadequate. Changes in the volume, the gray matter, and the white matter in the occipital lobe are quite evident; however, the mechanism behind this involvement is not yet fully understood. Therefore, we recommend further research to explore the occipital lobe functions and volumes across the different stages of schizophrenia. PMID:26166588

Characteristics of Brain Perfusion in Patients of Parkinson's Disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Young Jin; Park, Min Jung; Kim, Jae Woo; Kang, Young Kang [Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2008-02-15

It was well known that cerebral blood perfusion is normal or diffusely decreased in the majority of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Actually we interpreted brain perfusion SPECT images of PD patients in the clinical situation, we observed various cerebral perfusion patterns in patients with PD. So we performed brain perfusion SPECT to know the brain perfusion patterns of PD patients and the difference of perfusion patterns according to the sex and the age. Also we classified PD patients into small groups based on the brain perfusion pattern. Two hundred nineteen patients (M: 70, F: 149, mean age: 62.9{+-}6.9 y/o) who were diagnosed as PD without dementia clinically and 55 patients (M: 15, F: 40, mean age: 61.4{+-}9.2 y/o) as normal controls who had no past illness history were performed {sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT and neuropsychological test. At first, we compared all patients with PD and normal controls. Brain perfusion in left inferior frontal gyrus, left insula, left transverse temporal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left superior parietal lobule, right precuneus, right caudate tail were lower in patients with PD than normal controls. Secondly, we compared male and female patients with PD and normal controls, respectively. Brain perfusion SPECT showed more decreased cerebral perfusion in left hemisphere than right side in both male and female patients compared to normal controls. And there was larger hypoperfusion area in female patients compared with male. Thirdly, we classified patients with PD and normal controls into 4 groups according to the age and compared brain perfusion respectively. In patient below fifties, brain perfusion in both occipitoparietal and left temporal lobe were lower in PD group. As the patients with PD grew older, hypoperfusion area were shown in both frontal, temporal and limbic lobes. Fourthly, We were able to divide patients into small groups based on cerebral perfusion pattern. There was normal

Characteristics of Brain Perfusion in Patients of Parkinson's Disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Young Jin; Park, Min Jung; Kim, Jae Woo; Kang, Young Kang

2008-01-01

It was well known that cerebral blood perfusion is normal or diffusely decreased in the majority of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Actually we interpreted brain perfusion SPECT images of PD patients in the clinical situation, we observed various cerebral perfusion patterns in patients with PD. So we performed brain perfusion SPECT to know the brain perfusion patterns of PD patients and the difference of perfusion patterns according to the sex and the age. Also we classified PD patients into small groups based on the brain perfusion pattern. Two hundred nineteen patients (M: 70, F: 149, mean age: 62.9±6.9 y/o) who were diagnosed as PD without dementia clinically and 55 patients (M: 15, F: 40, mean age: 61.4±9.2 y/o) as normal controls who had no past illness history were performed 99m Tc-HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT and neuropsychological test. At first, we compared all patients with PD and normal controls. Brain perfusion in left inferior frontal gyrus, left insula, left transverse temporal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left superior parietal lobule, right precuneus, right caudate tail were lower in patients with PD than normal controls. Secondly, we compared male and female patients with PD and normal controls, respectively. Brain perfusion SPECT showed more decreased cerebral perfusion in left hemisphere than right side in both male and female patients compared to normal controls. And there was larger hypoperfusion area in female patients compared with male. Thirdly, we classified patients with PD and normal controls into 4 groups according to the age and compared brain perfusion respectively. In patient below fifties, brain perfusion in both occipitoparietal and left temporal lobe were lower in PD group. As the patients with PD grew older, hypoperfusion area were shown in both frontal, temporal and limbic lobes. Fourthly, We were able to divide patients into small groups based on cerebral perfusion pattern. There was normal cerebral blood

The inferior parietal lobule and recognition memory : expectancy violation or successful retrieval?

OpenAIRE

O'Connor, Akira R.; Han, Sanghoon; Dobbins, Ian G.

2010-01-01

Functional neuroimaging studies of episodic recognition demonstrate an increased lateral parietal response for studied versus new materials, often termed a retrieval success effect. Using a novel memory analog of attentional cueing, we manipulated the correspondence between anticipated and actual recognition evidence by presenting valid or invalid anticipatory cues (e. g., "likely old") before recognition judgments. Although a superior parietal region demonstrated the retrieval success patter...

The right hemisphere's contribution to discourse processing: A study in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lomlomdjian, Carolina; Múnera, Claudia P; Low, Daniel M; Terpiluk, Verónica; Solís, Patricia; Abusamra, Valeria; Kochen, Silvia

2017-08-01

Discourse skills - in which the right hemisphere has an important role - enables verbal communication by selecting contextually relevant information and integrating it coherently to infer the correct meaning. However, language research in epilepsy has focused on single word analysis related mainly to left hemisphere processing. The purpose of this study was to investigate discourse abilities in patients with right lateralized medial temporal lobe epilepsy (RTLE) by comparing their performance to that of patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy (LTLE). 74 pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients were evaluated: 34 with RTLE and 40 with LTLE. Subjects underwent a battery of tests that measure comprehension and production of conversational and narrative discourse. Disease related variables and general neuropsychological data were evaluated. The RTLE group presented deficits in interictal conversational and narrative discourse, with a disintegrated speech, lack of categorization and misinterpretation of social meaning. LTLE group, on the other hand, showed a tendency to lower performance in logical-temporal sequencing. RTLE patients showed discourse deficits which have been described in right hemisphere damaged patients due to other etiologies. Medial and anterior temporal lobe structures appear to link semantic, world knowledge, and social cognition associated areas to construct a contextually related coherent meaning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlling factors of turf-banked solifluction lobe evolution in the Turtmann glacier forefield (Switzerland)

Science.gov (United States)

Draebing, Daniel; Eichel, Jana

2016-04-01

Soil structure and moisture, thermal conditions and vegetation control solifluction movement, however, the spatial distribution of controlling factors and resultant spatial variability of movement are poorly understood. We use a (1) geomorphological and vegetation mapping of solifluction lobe properties, (2) temperature loggers to quantify thermal conditions, (3) 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Puerkhauer drilling and TDR measurements to evaluate material properties as well as (4) 3D Time-Lapse ERT to quantify spatial variability of material properties. Our results are used to (5) evaluate the influence of potential controlling factors on solifluction movement. Investigations took place on three turf-banked lobes (TBL) located at proximal and distal slopes of Little Ice Age and 1920s lateral moraines in the Turtmann glacier forefield, Swiss Alps. (1) Vegetation is spatially differentiated at TBLs. The treads are mostly covered by the ecosystem engineer Dryas octopetala, while other dwarf shrubs, shrubs and pioneer species were found at the high lobe risers (0.8-1.8 m). In contrast, less vegetated ridge-like features at the upper part of the treads are colonized by frost-tolerant species. Large blocks are located at the lobe fronts, probably impeding the lobe movement. (2) Temperature loggers show a lack of ground cooling due to snow isolation at the vegetated lower tread between 2014 and 2015. Thus, significant ground cooling in winter is reduced to the wind-exposed upper parts (ridges). (3) TBL material consists of sandy silt, thus, lobe material is much finer than subjacent moraine till and indicates former colluviation. As a consequence, 2D ERT demonstrates low-resistant areas until depths equal to riser height, thus, the finer TBL body is higher saturated than the coarser surrounding parent slope and more susceptible to gelifluction. On the contrary, risers show high resistivities indicating dry conditions which are supported by TDR results

Leaf area estimation of cassava from linear dimensions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SAMARA ZANETTI

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine predictor models of leaf area of cassava from linear leaf measurements. The experiment was carried out in greenhouse in the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo state, Brazil. The stem cuttings with 5-7 nodes of the cultivar IAC 576-70 were planted in boxes filled with about 320 liters of soil, keeping soil moisture at field capacity, monitored by puncturing tensiometers. At 80 days after planting, 140 leaves were randomly collected from the top, middle third and base of cassava plants. We evaluated the length and width of the central lobe of leaves, number of lobes and leaf area. The measurements of leaf areas were correlated with the length and width of the central lobe and the number of lobes of the leaves, and adjusted to polynomial and multiple regression models. The linear function that used the length of the central lobe LA = -69.91114 + 15.06462L and linear multiple functions LA = -69.9188 + 15.5102L + 0.0197726K - 0.0768998J or LA = -69.9346 + 15.0106L + 0.188931K - 0.0264323H are suitable models to estimate leaf area of cassava cultivar IAC 576-70.

Intra- and interhemispheric variations of diffusivity in subcortical white matter in normal human brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshiura, Takashi; Noguchi, Tomoyuki; Hiwatashi, Akio; Togao, Osamu; Yamashita, Koji; Nagao, Eiki; Kamano, Hironori; Honda, Hiroshi

2010-01-01

Our purpose was to reveal potential regional variations in water molecular diffusivity within each cerebral hemisphere and across the right and left hemispheres. Diffusion-weighted images of 44 healthy right-handed adult male subjects were obtained using a diffusion tensor imaging sequence. Mean diffusivity (MD) values in subcortical white matter (WM) within 39 regions in each hemisphere were measured using an automated method. Intrahemispheric comparisons of MDs in subcortical WM were performed among six brain regions (frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes and pre- and postcentral gyri). Interhemispheric comparisons of MDs were performed between the right and left counterparts of the 39 regions. In both hemispheres, diffusivity in the precentral gyrus was lower than those in other regions, while diffusivity in the parietal lobe was higher than others. MD asymmetry in which the left was lower than the right was found in the parietal lobe, middle occipital gyrus, and medial and orbital aspects of the frontal lobe. The converse asymmetry was revealed in the frontal operculum, supplementary motor cortex, temporal lobe, limbic cortices, precuneus and cuneus. Our results revealed significant intra- and interhemispheric regional variations in MD in subcortical WM, which may be related to different densities of axons and myelin sheaths. (orig.)

Intra- and interhemispheric variations of diffusivity in subcortical white matter in normal human brain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshiura, Takashi; Noguchi, Tomoyuki; Hiwatashi, Akio; Togao, Osamu; Yamashita, Koji; Nagao, Eiki; Kamano, Hironori; Honda, Hiroshi [Kyushu University, Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka (Japan)

2010-01-15

Our purpose was to reveal potential regional variations in water molecular diffusivity within each cerebral hemisphere and across the right and left hemispheres. Diffusion-weighted images of 44 healthy right-handed adult male subjects were obtained using a diffusion tensor imaging sequence. Mean diffusivity (MD) values in subcortical white matter (WM) within 39 regions in each hemisphere were measured using an automated method. Intrahemispheric comparisons of MDs in subcortical WM were performed among six brain regions (frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes and pre- and postcentral gyri). Interhemispheric comparisons of MDs were performed between the right and left counterparts of the 39 regions. In both hemispheres, diffusivity in the precentral gyrus was lower than those in other regions, while diffusivity in the parietal lobe was higher than others. MD asymmetry in which the left was lower than the right was found in the parietal lobe, middle occipital gyrus, and medial and orbital aspects of the frontal lobe. The converse asymmetry was revealed in the frontal operculum, supplementary motor cortex, temporal lobe, limbic cortices, precuneus and cuneus. Our results revealed significant intra- and interhemispheric regional variations in MD in subcortical WM, which may be related to different densities of axons and myelin sheaths. (orig.)

Mapping brain development during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiaojuan; Jin, Zhen; Chen, Kewei; Peng, Danling; Li, Yao

2009-02-01

Using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM), this study systematically investigated the differences and similarities of brain structural changes during the early three developmental periods of human lives: childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. These brain changes were discussed in relationship to the corresponding cognitive function development during these three periods. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data from 158 Chinese healthy children, adolescents and young adults, aged 7.26 to 22.80 years old, were included in this study. Using the customized brain template together with the gray matter/white matter/cerebrospinal fluid prior probability maps, we found that there were more age-related positive changes in the frontal lobe, less in hippocampus and amygdala during childhood, but more in bilateral hippocampus and amygdala and left fusiform gyrus during adolescence and young adulthood. There were more age-related negative changes near to central sulcus during childhood, but these changes extended to the frontal and parietal lobes, mainly in the parietal lobe, during adolescence and young adulthood, and more in the prefrontal lobe during young adulthood. So gray matter volume in the parietal lobe significantly decreased from childhood and continued to decrease till young adulthood. These findings may aid in understanding the age-related differences in cognitive function.

Functional Clustering of the Human Inferior Parietal Lobule by Whole-Brain Connectivity Mapping of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signals

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chiang-Shan R.

2014-01-01

Abstract The human inferior parietal lobule (IPL) comprised the lateral bank of the intraparietal sulcus, angular gyrus, and supramarginal gyrus, defined on the basis of anatomical landmarks and cytoarchitectural organization of neurons. However, it is not clear as to whether the three areas represent functional subregions within the IPL. For instance, imaging studies frequently identified clusters of activities that cut across areal boundaries. Here, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to examine how individual voxels within the IPL are best clustered according to their connectivity to the whole brain. The results identified a best estimate of seven clusters that are hierarchically arranged as the anterior, middle, and posterior subregions. The anterior, middle, and posterior IPL are each significantly connected to the somatomotor areas, superior/middle/inferior frontal gyri, and regions of the default mode network. This functional segregation is supported by recent cytoarchitechtonics and tractography studies. IPL showed hemispheric differences in connectivity that accord with a predominantly left parietal role in tool use and language processing and a right parietal role in spatial attention and mathematical cognition. The functional clusters may also provide a more parsimonious and perhaps even accurate account of regional activations of the IPL during a variety of cognitive challenges, as reported in earlier fMRI studies. PMID:24308753

Bilateral optical nerve atrophy secondary to lateral occipital lobe infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Junfeng; Wei, Shihui

2013-06-01

To report a phenomenon of optical nerve atrophy secondary to lateral occipital lobe infarction. Two successive patients with unilateral occipital lobe infarction who experienced bilateral optical nerve atrophy during the follow-up underwent cranial imaging, fundus photography, and campimetry. Each patient was diagnosed with occipital lobe infarction by cranial MRI. During the follow-up, a bilateral optic atrophy was revealed, and campimetry showed a right homonymous hemianopia of both eyes with concomitant macular division. Bilateral optic atrophy was related to occipital lobe infarction, and a possible explanation for the atrophy was transneuronal degeneration caused by occipital lobe infarction.

Radiologic evaluation of right middle lobe collapse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwun, Dae Young; Kim, Jong Deok; Kim, Jong Chul

1989-01-01

There are many pathogenetic factors for collapse of right middle lobe; profuse peribronchial clustering of lymph nodes about the right middle lobe bronchus, poor drainage of the bronchus because of its acute angle of take-off from the intermediate bronchus, and the isolation of this small lobe from the right upper and lower lobes, and thus from the aerating effects of collateral ventilation. Retrospectively we reviewed 36 cases of right of right middle lobe collapse of which causes were confirmed by histopathologic or bronchographic findings during the recent 6 years from March 1983 to February 1988 at Inje College Pusan Paik Hospital, and obtained the following results: 1. Male to female ratio was 1:1:4,and peak incidence (64%) was in the fifth and sixth decades with the mean age of 51.1 years. 2. Bronchiectasis was the most common cause (30.6%), and the others were chronic bronchitis (25.0%), pulmonary tuberculosis (19.4%), lung cancer (16.7%), and non-specific inflammatory disease (8.3%). This suggests benign disease is 5 times more common cause of right middle lobe collapse than lung cancer. 3. Among the plain chest radiolograph findings, obliteration of right cardiac border and triangular radiopaque density were the most frequent findings(77.8% in each) and the next was downward and anterior displacement of minor and major fissures (55.6%) 4. Bronchography was done in 11 cases; bronchiectasis was found in 8 cases and chronic bronchitis in 3 cases. Right middle lobe bronchus was obstructed in 2 cases of chronic bronchitis. 5. Chest CT scan was performed in 4 cases of lung cancer, 2 of non-specific inflammatory disease, and 1 of pulmonary tuberculosis: all of lung cancer revealed hilar mass, budged or lobulated fissures, in homogenous density, and mediastinal lymph node enlargement, and all benign disease showed homogenous density and flat to concave fissures. Right middle lobar bronchus narrowing was seen in 5 cases and its obstruction in 2 cases

Kinesthetic working memory and action control within the dorsal stream.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiehler, Katja; Burke, Michael; Engel, Annerose; Bien, Siegfried; Rösler, Frank

2008-02-01

There is wide agreement that the "dorsal (action) stream" processes visual information for movement control. However, movements depend not only on vision but also on tactile and kinesthetic information (=haptics). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the present study investigates to what extent networks within the dorsal stream are also utilized for kinesthetic action control and whether they are also involved in kinesthetic working memory. Fourteen blindfolded participants performed a delayed-recognition task in which right-handed movements had to be encoded, maintained, and later recognized without any visual feedback. Encoding of hand movements activated somatosensory areas, superior parietal lobe (dorsodorsal stream), anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS) and adjoining areas (ventrodorsal stream), premotor cortex, and occipitotemporal cortex (ventral stream). Short-term maintenance of kinesthetic information elicited load-dependent activity in the aIPS and adjacent anterior portion of the superior parietal lobe (ventrodorsal stream) of the left hemisphere. We propose that the action representation system of the dorsodorsal and ventrodorsal stream is utilized not only for visual but also for kinesthetic action control. Moreover, the present findings demonstrate that networks within the ventrodorsal stream, in particular the left aIPS and closely adjacent areas, are also engaged in working memory maintenance of kinesthetic information.

Inactivation of Parietal Reach Region Affects Reaching But Not Saccade Choices in Internally Guided Decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Christopoulos, Vassilios N; Bonaiuto, James; Kagan, Igor; Andersen, Richard A

2015-08-19

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) has traditionally been considered important for awareness, spatial perception, and attention. However, recent findings provide evidence that the PPC also encodes information important for making decisions. These findings have initiated a running argument of whether the PPC is critically involved in decision making. To examine this issue, we reversibly inactivated the parietal reach region (PRR), the area of the PPC that is specialized for reaching movements, while two monkeys performed a memory-guided reaching or saccade task. The task included choices between two equally rewarded targets presented simultaneously in opposite visual fields. Free-choice trials were interleaved with instructed trials, in which a single cue presented in the peripheral visual field defined the reach and saccade target unequivocally. We found that PRR inactivation led to a strong reduction of contralesional choices, but only for reaches. On the other hand, saccade choices were not affected by PRR inactivation. Importantly, reaching and saccade movements to single instructed targets remained largely intact. These results cannot be explained as an effector-nonspecific deficit in spatial attention or awareness, since the temporary "lesion" had an impact only on reach choices. Hence, the PPR is a part of a network for reach decisions and not just reach planning. There has been an ongoing debate on whether the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) represents only spatial awareness, perception, and attention or whether it is also involved in decision making for actions. In this study we explore whether the parietal reach region (PRR), the region of the PPC that is specialized for reaches, is involved in the decision process. We inactivated the PRR while two monkeys performed reach and saccade choices between two targets presented simultaneously in both hemifields. We found that inactivation affected only the reach choices, while leaving saccade choices intact

Comparison of rCBF between patients with medial temporal lobe epilepsy and normal controls using H215O PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Eun Joo; Lee, Jae Sung; Nam, Hyun Woo; Lee, Sang Kun; Lee, Dong Soo; Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul

2002-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the brain areas whose regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was changed in medial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) using H 2 15 O-PET. 12 patients with mTLE (6 left, 6 right mTLE) and 6 normal controls were scanned during a fixation baseline period and a sensory-motor condition where subjects pressed a button to an upward arrow. A voxel-based analysis using SPM99 software was performed to compare the patient groups with the normal controls for the rCBF during fixation baseline period and for relative changes of rCBF during the sensory-motor task relative to fixation. Duirng the fixation baseline, a significant reduction of rCBF was found posterior insula bilaterally and right frontopolar regions in right mTLE patients compared to the normal controls. In left mTLE patients, the reduction was found in left frontopolar and temporal regions. During the sensory-motor task, rCBF increase over the fixation period, was reduced in left frontal and superior temporal regions in the right mTLE patients whereas in various areas of right hemisphere in left mTLE patients, relative to normal controls. However, the increased rCBF was also found in the left inferior parietal and anterior thalamic/fornix regions in both right and left mTLE patients compared to normal controls. Epilepsy induced changes were found not only in relative increase/ decrease of rCBF during a simple sensory-motor control condition relative to a fixation rest condition but also in the relative rCBF distribution during the rest period

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression is enhanced in renal parietal epithelial cells of zucker diabetic Fatty rats and is induced by albumin in in vitro primary parietal cell culture.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuanyuan Zhang

Full Text Available As a subfamily of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs, gelatinases including MMP-2 and MMP-9 play an important role in remodeling and homeostasis of the extracellular matrix. However, conflicting results have been reported regarding their expression level and activity in the diabetic kidney. This study investigated whether and how MMP-9 expression and activity were changed in glomerular epithelial cells upon albumin overload. In situ zymography, immunostaining and Western blot for renal MMP gelatinolytic activity and MMP-9 protein expression were performed in Zucker lean and Zucker diabetic rats. Confocal microscopy revealed a focal increase in gelatinase activity and MMP-9 protein in the glomeruli of diabetic rats. Increased glomerular MMP-9 staining was mainly observed in hyperplastic parietal epithelial cells (PECs expressing claudin-1 in the diabetic kidneys. Interestingly, increased parietal MMP-9 was often accompanied by decreased staining for podocyte markers (nephrin and podocalyxin in the sclerotic area of affected glomeruli in diabetic rats. Additionally, urinary excretion of podocyte marker proteins was significantly increased in association with the levels of MMP-9 and albumin in the urine of diabetic animals. To evaluate the direct effect of albumin on expression and activity of MMP-9, primary cultured rat glomerular PECs were incubated with rat serum albumin (0.25 - 1 mg/ml for 24 - 48 hrs. MMP-9 mRNA levels were significantly increased following albumin treatment. Meanwhile, albumin administration resulted in a dose-dependent increase in MMP-9 protein and activity in culture supernatants of PECs. Moreover, albumin activated p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK in PECs. Inhibition of p44/42 MAPK suppressed albumin-induced MMP-9 secretion from glomerular PECs. Taken together, we have demonstrated that an up-regulation of MMP-9 in activated parietal epithelium is associated with a loss of adjacent podocytes in progressive

Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression Is Enhanced in Renal Parietal Epithelial Cells of Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats and Is Induced by Albumin in In Vitro Primary Parietal Cell Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuanyuan; George, Jasmine; Li, Yun; Olufade, Rebecca; Zhao, Xueying

2015-01-01

As a subfamily of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), gelatinases including MMP-2 and MMP-9 play an important role in remodeling and homeostasis of the extracellular matrix. However, conflicting results have been reported regarding their expression level and activity in the diabetic kidney. This study investigated whether and how MMP-9 expression and activity were changed in glomerular epithelial cells upon albumin overload. In situ zymography, immunostaining and Western blot for renal MMP gelatinolytic activity and MMP-9 protein expression were performed in Zucker lean and Zucker diabetic rats. Confocal microscopy revealed a focal increase in gelatinase activity and MMP-9 protein in the glomeruli of diabetic rats. Increased glomerular MMP-9 staining was mainly observed in hyperplastic parietal epithelial cells (PECs) expressing claudin-1 in the diabetic kidneys. Interestingly, increased parietal MMP-9 was often accompanied by decreased staining for podocyte markers (nephrin and podocalyxin) in the sclerotic area of affected glomeruli in diabetic rats. Additionally, urinary excretion of podocyte marker proteins was significantly increased in association with the levels of MMP-9 and albumin in the urine of diabetic animals. To evaluate the direct effect of albumin on expression and activity of MMP-9, primary cultured rat glomerular PECs were incubated with rat serum albumin (0.25 - 1 mg/ml) for 24 - 48 hrs. MMP-9 mRNA levels were significantly increased following albumin treatment. Meanwhile, albumin administration resulted in a dose-dependent increase in MMP-9 protein and activity in culture supernatants of PECs. Moreover, albumin activated p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in PECs. Inhibition of p44/42 MAPK suppressed albumin-induced MMP-9 secretion from glomerular PECs. Taken together, we have demonstrated that an up-regulation of MMP-9 in activated parietal epithelium is associated with a loss of adjacent podocytes in progressive diabetic nephropathy

Magnetic resonance imaging of functional connectivity in Parkinson disease in the resting brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xian; Liu Bo; Luo Xiaodong; Li Ningna; Chen Zhiguang; Chen Jun

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate functional connectivity changes in Parkinson disease in the resting brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Methods: Nine patients with Parkinson disease and eight age-matched healthy volunteers were entered into the study. The bilateral globus pallidus were chosen as seed points, the functional MR data acquired in the resting state were processed to investigate functional connectivity in PD patients and the results were compared with those of the controls. Results: In age-matched healthy controls, there are regions which had functional connectivity with bilateral globus pallidus, including bilateral temporal poles, bilateral hippocampus, bilateral thalami, posterior cingulate cortex, right middle occipital gyms and right superior parietal gyms. In PD patients, brain regions including bilateral cerebellum, left hippocampus, bilateral superior temporal gyri, left inferior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, left precentral gyrus, left inferior parietal gyrus and left superior parietal gyrus, had functional connectivity with bilateral globus pallidus. Compared to healthy controls, increased functional connectivity in bilateral cerebellum, bilateral temporal lobes, left frontal lobe and left parietal lobe, and decreased functional connectivity in bilateral thalami were observed in PD patients. Conclusion: Abnormal changes of brain functional connectivity exists in Parkinson's disease in the resting state. (authors)

A Rare Case of Craniopharyngioma in the Temporal Lobe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sasan Razmjoo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Herein, we report on a rare case of craniopharyngioma arising in the left temporal lobe with no prior history of head trauma or surgery. There was a solid-cystic mass in the left temporal lobe on MR images. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case of a craniopharyngioma occurring in the temporal lobe.

Formation of Bipolar Lobes by Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Soker, Noam

2002-04-01

I conduct an analytical study of the interaction of jets, or a collimated fast wind (CFW), with a previously blown asymptotic giant branch (AGB) slow wind. Such jets (or CFWs) are supposedly formed when a compact companion, a main-sequence star, or a white dwarf accretes mass from the AGB star, forms an accretion disk, and blows two jets. This type of flow, which I think shapes bipolar planetary nebulae (PNs), requires three-dimensional gasdynamical simulations, which are limited in the parameter space they can cover. By imposing several simplifying assumptions, I derive simple expressions which reproduce some basic properties of lobes in bipolar PNs and which can be used to guide future numerical simulations. I quantitatively apply the results to two proto-PNs. I show that the jet interaction with the slow wind can form lobes which are narrow close to, and far away from, the central binary system, and which are wider somewhere in between. Jets that are recollimated and have constant cross section can form cylindrical lobes with constant diameter, as observed in several bipolar PNs. Close to their source, jets blown by main-sequence companions are radiative; only further out they become adiabatic, i.e., they form high-temperature, low-density bubbles that inflate the lobes.

Concordance between (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT and 18F-FDG PET interpretations in patients with cognitive disorders diagnosed according to NIA-AA criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Kimiteru; Shimano, Yasumasa; Imabayashi, Etsuko; Nakata, Yasuhiro; Omachi, Yoshie; Sato, Noriko; Arima, Kunimasa; Matsuda, Hiroshi

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to clarify the concordance of diagnostic abilities and interobserver agreement between 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and brain perfusion single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who were diagnosed according to the research criteria of the National Institute of Aging-Alzheimer's Association Workshop. Fifty-five patients with "AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)" (n = 40) and "non-AD" (n = 15) were evaluated with 18F-FDG PET and (99m)Tc-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) SPECT during an 8-week period. Three radiologists independently graded the regional uptake in the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes as well as the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex in both images. Kappa values were used to determine the interobserver reliability regarding regional uptake. The regions with better interobserver reliability between 18F-FDG PET and (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT were the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. The (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT agreement in the occipital lobes was not significant. The frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes showed good correlations between 18F-FDG PET and (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT in the degree of uptake, but the occipital lobe and precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex did not show good correlations. The diagnostic accuracy rates of "AD and MCI" ranged from 60% to 70% in both of the techniques. The degree of uptake on 18F-FDG PET and (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT showed significant correlations in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. The diagnostic abilities of 18F-FDG PET and (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT for "AD and MCI," when diagnosed according to the National Institute of Aging-Alzheimer's Association Workshop criteria, were nearly identical. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT in MELAS syndrome: comparison with MR finding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sang Joon; Ryu, Young Hoon; Yoon, Pyeong Ho; Jeon, Tae Joo; Kim, Jai Keun; Nam, Ji Eun; Lee, Jong Doo; Lee, Byung Hee; Shin, Hyung Cheol

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate SPECT findings of MELAS syndrome and mitochondrial myopathy and correlate them with MR findings in search of specific imaging features and to assess the role of SPECT in MELAS syndrome. Five patients (four females and one male; age range, 1 to 25 years) who presented with repeated stroke-like episodes or seizures or developmental delay or were asymptomatic but had elevated lactic acid in CSF and serum were evaluated with conventional noncontrast MR imaging and SPECT. MRI demonstrated increased T2 signal intensities in the affected areas of gray and white matters mainly on the parietal (4/5) and occipital lobes (4/5) and in the basal ganglias (1/5), which were not restricted to a specific vascular territory. SPECT demonstrated decreased uptake of Tc-99m ECD on parietal (5/5) and occipital (4/5) and temporal (2/5) and frontal (1/5) lobe and basal ganglia (2/5) and thalami (2/5). In a patient with mitochondrial myopathy who had normal MRI, decreased perfusion is noted on left parietal area and bilateral thalami. Comparison of the numbers of abnormal findings revealed that decreased perfusion seen on SPECT were more numerous than anatomical abnormalities seen on MRI. SPECT may be a sensitive method for pathophysiological study of metabolic disturbances in MELAS. Moreover, in patients with mitochondrial myopathy without clinical encephalopathy, SPECT may play a role in evaluating subclinical encephalopathy even with normal conventional MR findings

Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT in MELAS syndrome and mitochondrial myopathy: comparison with MR findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sang Joon; Ryu, Young Hoon; Jeon, Tae Joo; Kim, Jai Keun; Nam, Ji Eun; Yoon, Pyeong Ho; Yoon, Choon Sik; Lee, Jong Doo

1998-01-01

We evaluated brain perfusion SPECT findings of MELAS syndrome and mitochondrial myopathy in correlation with MR imaging in search of specific imaging features. Subjects were five patients (four females and one male; age range, 1 to 25 year) who presented with repeated stroke like episodes, seizures or developmental delay or asymptomatic but had elevated lactic acid in CSF and serum. Conventional non-contrast MR imaging and Tc-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) brain perfusion SPECT were performed and imaging features were analyzed. MRI demonstrated increased T2 signal intensities in the affected areas of gray and white matters mainly in the parietal (4/5) and occipital lobes (4/5) and in the basal ganglia (1/5), which were not restricted to a specific vascular territory. SPECT demonstrated decreased perfusion in the corresponding regions of MRI lesions. In addition, there were perfusion defects in parietal (1 patient), temporal (2), and frontal (1) lobes and basal ganglia (1) and thalami (2). In a patient with mitochondrial myopathy who had normal MRI, decreased perfusion was noted in left parietal area and bilateral thalami. Tc-99m ECD SPECT imaging in patients with MELAS syndrome and mitochondrial myopathy showed hypoperfusion of parieto-occipital cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus and temporal cortex, which were not restricted to a specific vascular territory. There were no specific imaging features on SPECT. The significance of abnormal perfusion on SPECT without corresponding MR abnormalities needs to be evaluated further in larger number of patients

Dissociable Changes of Frontal and Parietal Cortices in Inherent Functional Flexibility across the Human Life Span.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Dazhi; Liu, Wenjing; Zeljic, Kristina; Wang, Zhiwei; Lv, Qian; Fan, Mingxia; Cheng, Wenhong; Wang, Zheng

2016-09-28

Extensive evidence suggests that frontoparietal regions can dynamically update their pattern of functional connectivity, supporting cognitive control and adaptive implementation of task demands. However, it is largely unknown whether this flexibly functional reconfiguration is intrinsic and occurs even in the absence of overt tasks. Based on recent advances in dynamics of resting-state functional resonance imaging (fMRI), we propose a probabilistic framework in which dynamic reconfiguration of intrinsic functional connectivity between each brain region and others can be represented as a probability distribution. A complexity measurement (i.e., entropy) was used to quantify functional flexibility, which characterizes heterogeneous connectivity between a particular region and others over time. Following this framework, we identified both functionally flexible and specialized regions over the human life span (112 healthy subjects from 13 to 76 years old). Across brainwide regions, we found regions showing high flexibility mainly in the higher-order association cortex, such as the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), lateral parietal cortex, and lateral temporal lobules. In contrast, visual, auditory, and sensory areas exhibited low flexibility. Furthermore, we observed that flexibility of the right LPFC improved during maturation and reduced due to normal aging, with the opposite occurring for the left lateral parietal cortex. Our findings reveal dissociable changes of frontal and parietal cortices over the life span in terms of inherent functional flexibility. This study not only provides a new framework to quantify the spatiotemporal behavior of spontaneous brain activity, but also sheds light on the organizational principle behind changes in brain function across the human life span. Recent neuroscientific research has demonstrated that the human capability of adaptive task control is primarily the result of the flexible operation of frontal brain networks. However

Functional and structural brain correlates of theory of mind and empathy deficits in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Benedetti, Francesco; Bernasconi, Alessandro; Bosia, Marta; Cavallaro, Roberto; Dallaspezia, Sara; Falini, Andrea; Poletti, Sara; Radaelli, Daniele; Riccaboni, Roberta; Scotti, Giuseppe; Smeraldi, Enrico

2009-10-01

Patients affected by schizophrenia show deficits in social cognition, with abnormal performance on tasks targeting theory of mind (ToM) and empathy (Emp). Brain imaging studies suggested that ToM and Emp depend on the activation of brain networks mainly localized at the superior temporal lobe and temporo-parietal junction. Participants included 24 schizophrenia patients and 20 control subjects. We used brain blood oxygen level dependent fMRI to study the neural responses to tasks targeting ToM and Emp. We then studied voxel-based morphometry of grey matter in areas where diagnosis influenced functional activation to both tasks. Outcomes were analyzed in the context of the general linear model, with global grey matter volume as nuisance covariate for structural MRI. Patients showed worse performance on both tasks. We found significant effects of diagnosis on neural responses to the tasks in a wide cluster in right posterior superior temporal lobe (encompassing BA 22-42), in smaller clusters in left temporo-parietal junction and temporal pole (BA 38 and 39), and in a white matter region adjacent to medial prefrontal cortex (BA 10). A pattern of double dissociation of the effects of diagnosis and task on neural responses emerged. Among these areas, grey matter volume was found to be reduced in right superior temporal lobe regions of patients. Functional and structural abnormalities were observed in areas affected by the schizophrenic process early in the illness course, and known to be crucial for social cognition, suggesting a biological basis for social cognition deficits in schizophrenia.

Channel systems and lobe construction in the Mississippi Fan

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, L. E.; Kenyon, Neil H.; Bouma, A.H.

1982-01-01

Morphological features on the Mississippi Fan in the eastern Gulf of Mexico were mapped using GLORIA II, a long-range side-scan sonar system. Prominent is a sinuous channel flanked by well-developed levees and occasional crevasse splays. The channel follows the axis and thickest part of the youngest fan lobe; seismic-reflection profiles offer evidence that its course has remained essentially constant throughout lobe development. Local modification and possible erosion of levees by currents indicates a present state of inactivity. Superficial sliding has affected part of the fan lobe, but does not appear to have been a factor in lobe construction. ?? 1982 A. M. Dowden, Inc.

Syntactic Structure Building in the Anterior Temporal Lobe during Natural Story Listening

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, Jonathan; Nir, Yuval; Hasson, Uri; Malach, Rafael; Heeger, David J.; Pylkkanen, Liina

2012-01-01

The neural basis of syntax is a matter of substantial debate. In particular, the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), or Broca's area, has been prominently linked to syntactic processing, but the anterior temporal lobe has been reported to be activated instead of IFG when manipulating the presence of syntactic structure. These findings are difficult to…

Decreased occipital lobe metabolism by FDG-PET/CT

Science.gov (United States)

Solnes, Lilja; Nalluri, Abhinav; Cohen, Jesse; Jones, Krystyna M.; Zan, Elcin; Javadi, Mehrbod S.; Venkatesan, Arun

2017-01-01

Objective: To compare brain metabolism patterns on fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/CT in anti–NMDA receptor and other definite autoimmune encephalitis (AE) and to assess how these patterns differ between anti–NMDA receptor neurologic disability groups. Methods: Retrospective review of clinical data and initial dedicated brain FDG-PET/CT studies for neurology inpatients with definite AE, per published consensus criteria, treated at a single academic medical center over a 10-year period. Z-score maps of FDG-PET/CT were made using 3-dimensional stereotactic surface projections in comparison to age group–matched controls. Brain region mean Z scores with magnitudes ≥2.00 were interpreted as significant. Comparisons were made between anti–NMDA receptor and other definite AE patients as well as among patients with anti–NMDA receptor based on modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at the time of FDG-PET/CT. Results: The medial occipital lobes were markedly hypometabolic in 6 of 8 patients with anti–NMDA receptor encephalitis and as a group (Z = −4.02, interquartile range [IQR] 2.14) relative to those with definite AE (Z = −2.32, 1.46; p = 0.004). Among patients with anti–NMDA receptor encephalitis, the lateral and medial occipital lobes were markedly hypometabolic for patients with mRS 4–5 (lateral occipital lobe Z = −3.69, IQR 1; medial occipital lobe Z = −4.08, 1) compared with those with mRS 0–3 (lateral occipital lobe Z = −0.83, 2; p occipital lobe Z = −1.07, 2; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Marked medial occipital lobe hypometabolism by dedicated brain FDG-PET/CT may serve as an early biomarker for discriminating anti–NMDA receptor encephalitis from other AE. Resolution of lateral and medial occipital hypometabolism may correlate with improved neurologic status in anti–NMDA receptor encephalitis. PMID:29159205

Intracranial meningiomas: magnetic resonance imaging findings in 78 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gasparetto, Emerson L.; Leite, Claudia da Costa; Lucato, Leandro T.; Barros, Cristiano Ventorin de; Marie, Sueli K.N.; Santana, Pedro; Aguiar, Paulo Henrique Pires de; Rosemberg, Sergio

2007-01-01

Objective: To present the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of 78 patients with meningiomas diagnosed in a single institution. Method: 78 patients with histological proven intracranial meningioma were studied. There were 52 female and 26 male patients (median=56 years). All MR imaging examinations were performed with 1.5-T MR imaging unit with standard protocol. The images were studied by two neuroradiologists, who reached the decisions regarding the findings by consensus. Results: Most of the tumors showed low signal on T1- (60%) and high signal on T2- (68%) and FLAIR (69%) weighted images. Also, the lesions showed heterogeneous signal on T1 (60%), T2 (68%) and FLAIR (64%) sequences. After contrast administration, 83% (n=65) of the tumors presented accentuated and 17% (n=13) showed moderate enhancement. The tumors were located in the frontal lobe in 44% of the cases, in the parietal lobe in 35%, the occipital lobe in 19% and the temporal lobe in 12% of the patients. Areas of vasogenic edema around the tumors were seen in 90% of the cases. Twenty six per cent of the cases showed bone infiltration, and the dural tail sign was seen in 59% of the tumors. Conclusion: Intracranial meningiomas usually show heterogeneous low signal on T1- and high signal on T2-weighted and FLAIR images, with intense enhancement after contrast administration. The frontal and parietal lobes are commonly affected. In addition, brain edema, dural tail sign and bone infiltration are the most frequent associated findings. (author)

Intracranial meningiomas: magnetic resonance imaging findings in 78 cases; Meningiomas intracranianos: achados de ressonancia magnetica em 78 casos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gasparetto, Emerson L.; Leite, Claudia da Costa; Lucato, Leandro T.; Barros, Cristiano Ventorin de [University of Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). School of Medicine. Dept. of Radiology]. E-mail: egasparetto@gmail.com; Marie, Sueli K.N.; Santana, Pedro; Aguiar, Paulo Henrique Pires de [University of Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). School of Medicine. Dept. of Neurology; Rosemberg, Sergio [University of Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). School of Medicine. Dept. of Pathology

2007-09-15

Objective: To present the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of 78 patients with meningiomas diagnosed in a single institution. Method: 78 patients with histological proven intracranial meningioma were studied. There were 52 female and 26 male patients (median=56 years). All MR imaging examinations were performed with 1.5-T MR imaging unit with standard protocol. The images were studied by two neuroradiologists, who reached the decisions regarding the findings by consensus. Results: Most of the tumors showed low signal on T1- (60%) and high signal on T2- (68%) and FLAIR (69%) weighted images. Also, the lesions showed heterogeneous signal on T1 (60%), T2 (68%) and FLAIR (64%) sequences. After contrast administration, 83% (n=65) of the tumors presented accentuated and 17% (n=13) showed moderate enhancement. The tumors were located in the frontal lobe in 44% of the cases, in the parietal lobe in 35%, the occipital lobe in 19% and the temporal lobe in 12% of the patients. Areas of vasogenic edema around the tumors were seen in 90% of the cases. Twenty six per cent of the cases showed bone infiltration, and the dural tail sign was seen in 59% of the tumors. Conclusion: Intracranial meningiomas usually show heterogeneous low signal on T1- and high signal on T2-weighted and FLAIR images, with intense enhancement after contrast administration. The frontal and parietal lobes are commonly affected. In addition, brain edema, dural tail sign and bone infiltration are the most frequent associated findings. (author)

Patterns of longitudinal neural activity linked to different cognitive profiles in Parkinson’s disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsuko Nagano-Saito

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD has been linked with functional brain changes. Previously, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, we reported reduced cortico-striatal activity in patients with PD who also had mild cognitive impairment (MCI versus those who did not (non-MCI. We followed up these patients to investigate the longitudinal effect on the neural activity. Twenty-four non-demented patients with Parkinson’s disease (non-MCI: 12, MCI; 12 were included in the study. Each participant underwent two fMRIs while performing the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task 20 months apart. The non-MCI patients recruited the usual cognitive corticostriatal loop at the first and second sessions (Time 1 and Time 2, respectively. However, decreased activity was observed in the cerebellum and occipital area and increased activity was observed in the medial prefrontal cortex and parietal lobe during planning set-shift at Time 2. Increased activity in the precuneus was also demonstrated while executing set-shifts at Time 2. The MCI patients revealed more activity in the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes during planning set-shifts, and in the parietal and occipital lobes, precuneus, and cerebellum, during executing set-shift at Time 2. Analysis regrouping of both groups of PD patients revealed that hippocampal and thalamic activity at Time 1 was associated with less cognitive decline over time. Our results reveal that functional alteration along the time-points differed between the non-MCI and MCI patients. They also underline the importance of preserving thalamic and hippocampal function with respect to cognitive decline over time.

[Three cases of acute interhemispheric subdural hematoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, N; Kurihara, E; Matsuoka, H; Kose, S; Tamaki, N; Matsumoto, S

1988-01-01

Traumatic acute subdural hematomas over the convexity of the cerebral hemispheres are often encountered, but acute interhemispheric subdural hematomas are rare. Fourty-eight cases of acute subdural hematomas was admitted to our hospital between 1977 and 1986, and three cases of them (6%) were located in the interhemispheric subdural space. In this paper, these three cases are reported with 20 documented cases. Case 1: an 81-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of headache, nausea and vomiting. She hit her occiput a week ago. CT scan demonstrated contusion in the right frontal lobe and a high density in the interhemispheric space of the right frontal region. Her complaints disappeared gradually by conservative therapy and she returned to her social life. Case 2: a 50-year-old male fell downstairs and hit his vertex. As he lost consciousness, he was admitted to our hospital. He was stuporous and had left-hemiparesis. Skull X-ray film showed fracture line extending from the right temporal bone to the left parietal bone across the midline. CT scan revealed intracerebral hematoma in both frontal lobe and right parietal lobe and subarachnoid hemorrhage in the basal cistern and Sylvian fissure of the right side. And interhemispheric subdural hematoma in the right parietal region was visualized. Angiography demonstrated a lateral displacement of the right callosomarginal artery and an avascular area between the falx and the callosomarginal artery. After admission his consciousness recovered and convulsion was controlled by drug. Left-hemiparesis was improved by conservative therapy and he was discharged on foot.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Parietal epithelial cells and podocytes in glomerular diseases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smeets, B.; Moeller, M.J.

2012-01-01

In recent years, it has become apparent that parietal epithelial cells (PECs) play an important role within the renal glomerulus, in particular in diseased conditions. In this review, we examine current knowledge about the role of PECs and their interactions with podocytes in development and under

Evaluation of regional cerebral blood flow changes in normal aging using 99mTc-ECD SPECT and Patlak method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizuno, Shinji; Nandate, Yuka; Enya, Mayumi; Manabe, Tomoko; Goto, Hiroo; Hoshi, Hiroaki; Takahashi, Yukitoshi; Kato, Zenichiro; Kondo, Naomi

1998-01-01

Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were studied using 99m Tc-ECD SPECT and Patlak method in 47 subjects, aged 1 to 79 years (mean 28.5 years). No abnormal finding was found on MR imaging in the subjects. We obtained mean cerebral blood flow (mCBF) by means of Patlak method. rCBF was measured by positioning regions of interest (ROIs) in frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe, cerebellum and thalamus. The correlation coefficient between ages and mCBF was r=-0.897 (p<0.0001). mCBF of children was significantly higher (p<0.05), compared with adults. By dispersion analysis according to the groups of ages, significantly higher rCBF values were available in the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes during childhood than adulthood (p<0.05), but there were almost no significant differences of rCBF during childhood than adulthood in cerebellum and thalamus. (author)

[Two cases of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy associated with old intracerebral hemorrhage in the lateral temporal lobe without "dual pathology"].

Science.gov (United States)

Morioka, T; Nishio, S; Hisada, K; Muraishi, M; Ishibashi, H; Mamiya, K; Ohfu, M; Fukui, M

1998-05-01

Two cases of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy associated with old intracerebral hemorrhage in the lateral temporal lobe were reported. Although preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) failed to reveal hippocampal atrophy with T2 hyperintensity, electrocorticographic (ECoG) recording with chronic invasive subdural electrodes indicated the mesial temporal lobe to be an ictal onset zone. After anterior temporal lobectomy involving the lesion and hippocampectomy, the patients became seizure-free. Hippocampal sclerosis, namely "dual pathology", was not noted on histological examination. Careful ECoG recording with chronic subdural electrodes is mandatory even when the preoperative MRI does not demonstrate the radiological hippocampal sclerosis.

Custom-made different designs of pressure clips for the management of ear lobe keloids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anshul Chugh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction : Keloids are frequent finding after physical trauma. Keloids of ear lobe are common complication of ear piercing, although its incidence remains unknown. The use of intrakeloid resection and a form pressure device to treat pinna keloids. The recommendation of this therapy is to maintain constant pressure and duration of pressure therapy was about 25 weeks. Clinical innovation : This article will present inexpensive custom made pressure clips of various designs. The dimensions of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA plates in ear lobe clip presented by us though they esthetically not so good, but colored PMMA has been used to make it decorative and acceptable by most of the patients. This has been an encouraging experience to use the different designs. Discussion : Ear clip prosthesis has been developed for maintaining pressure on ear lobe keloids before and after surgical removal. The prosthesis includes an ear clip to which heat-polymerized acrylic resin is attached, which covers the keloid area. Pressure therapy is widely used to help in the early maturation of scar tissue and to prevent the recurrence of keloid. The preliminary report by Brent revealed that constant light pressure was an effective means of preventing post excision recurrence of ear lobe keloids using a decorative, spring-pressure earring.

Uncinate fasciculus fiber tracking in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Initial findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigo, S.; Oppenheim, C.; Meder, J.F.; Chassoux, F.; Golestani, N.; Cointepas, Y.; Poupon, C.; Semah, F.; Mangin, J.F.; Le Bihan, D.

2007-01-01

In temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) due to hippocampal sclerosis (HS), ictal discharge spread to the frontal and insulo-perisylvian cortex is commonly observed. The implication of white matter pathways in this propagation has not been investigated. We compared diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measurements along the uncinate fasciculus (UF), a major tract connecting the frontal and temporal lobes, in patients and controls. Ten right-handed patients referred for intractable TLE due to a right HS were investigated on a 1.5-T MR scanner including a DTI sequence. All patients had interictal fluorodeoxyglucose PET showing an ipsilateral temporal hypometabolism associated with insular and frontal or perisylvian hypometabolism. The controls consisted of ten right-handed healthy subjects. UF fiber tracking was performed, and its fractional anisotropy (FA) values were compared between patients and controls, separately for the right and left UF. The left-minus-right FA UF asymmetry index was computed to test for intergroup differences. Asymmetries were found in the control group with right-greater-than-left FA. This asymmetrical pattern was lost in the patient group. Right FA values were lower in patients with right HS versus controls. Although preliminary, these findings may be related to the preferential pathway of seizure spread from the mesial temporal lobe to frontal and insulo-perisylvian areas. (orig.)

Uncinate fasciculus fiber tracking in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Initial findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigo, S.; Oppenheim, C.; Meder, J.F. [Universite Paris-Descartes, Faculte de Medecine, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Departement d' Imagerie Morphologique et Fonctionnelle, Paris (France); Chassoux, F. [Universite Paris-Descartes, Faculte de Medecine, Service de Neurochirurgie, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris (France); Golestani, N.; Cointepas, Y.; Poupon, C.; Semah, F.; Mangin, J.F.; Le Bihan, D. [Service Hospitalier Frederic Joliot, CEA, Orsay (France)

2007-07-15

In temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) due to hippocampal sclerosis (HS), ictal discharge spread to the frontal and insulo-perisylvian cortex is commonly observed. The implication of white matter pathways in this propagation has not been investigated. We compared diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measurements along the uncinate fasciculus (UF), a major tract connecting the frontal and temporal lobes, in patients and controls. Ten right-handed patients referred for intractable TLE due to a right HS were investigated on a 1.5-T MR scanner including a DTI sequence. All patients had interictal fluorodeoxyglucose PET showing an ipsilateral temporal hypometabolism associated with insular and frontal or perisylvian hypometabolism. The controls consisted of ten right-handed healthy subjects. UF fiber tracking was performed, and its fractional anisotropy (FA) values were compared between patients and controls, separately for the right and left UF. The left-minus-right FA UF asymmetry index was computed to test for intergroup differences. Asymmetries were found in the control group with right-greater-than-left FA. This asymmetrical pattern was lost in the patient group. Right FA values were lower in patients with right HS versus controls. Although preliminary, these findings may be related to the preferential pathway of seizure spread from the mesial temporal lobe to frontal and insulo-perisylvian areas. (orig.)

Observational learning of new movement sequences is reflected in fronto-parietal coherence.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jurjen van der Helden

Full Text Available Mankind is unique in her ability for observational learning, i.e. the transmission of acquired knowledge and behavioral repertoire through observation of others' actions. In the present study we used electrophysiological measures to investigate brain mechanisms of observational learning. Analysis investigated the possible functional coupling between occipital (alpha and motor (mu rhythms operating in the 10 Hz frequency range for translating "seeing" into "doing". Subjects observed movement sequences consisting of six consecutive left or right hand button presses directed at one of two target-buttons for subsequent imitation. Each movement sequence was presented four times, intervened by short pause intervals for sequence rehearsal. During a control task subjects observed the same movement sequences without a requirement for subsequent reproduction. Although both alpha and mu rhythms desynchronized during the imitation task relative to the control task, modulations in alpha and mu power were found to be largely independent from each other over time, arguing against a functional coupling of alpha and mu generators during observational learning. This independence was furthermore reflected in the absence of coherence between occipital and motor electrodes overlaying alpha and mu generators. Instead, coherence analysis revealed a pair of symmetric fronto-parietal networks, one over the left and one over the right hemisphere, reflecting stronger coherence during observation of movements than during pauses. Individual differences in fronto-parietal coherence were furthermore found to predict imitation accuracy. The properties of these networks, i.e. their fronto-parietal distribution, their ipsilateral organization and their sensitivity to the observation of movements, match closely with the known properties of the mirror neuron system (MNS as studied in the macaque brain. These results indicate a functional dissociation between higher order areas for

Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow in Presymptomatic Mutation Carriers of Familial Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD-3), Measured with MRI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lunau, Line Andersen; Mouridsen, Kim; Rodell, Anders

, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, hippocampus, basal ganglia and cerebellum. Data were normalized to white matter in order to smooth inter-individual differences. Results: We included 8 carriers and 7 first-degree related family non-carriers. Comparing carriers with non-carriers, the former showed...... with statistically significant differences in the occipital- and parietal lobes. Alterations in CBF possibly affect the whole brain. Data indicate that FTD-3 pathology might involve brain capillaries. This may impact the understanding of the pathogenesis involving endosomal dysfunction and implicates involvement...

Network Analysis of Foramen Ovale Electrode Recordings in Drug-resistant Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Sanz-García, Ancor; Vega-Zelaya, Lorena; Pastor, Jesús; Torres, Cristina V.; Sola, Rafael G.; Ortega, Guillermo J.

2016-01-01

Approximately 30% of epilepsy patients are refractory to antiepileptic drugs. In these cases, surgery is the only alternative to eliminate/control seizures. However, a significant minority of patients continues to exhibit post-operative seizures, even in those cases in which the suspected source of seizures has been correctly localized and resected. The protocol presented here combines a clinical procedure routinely employed during the pre-operative evaluation of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with a novel technique for network analysis. The method allows for the evaluation of the temporal evolution of mesial network parameters. The bilateral insertion of foramen ovale electrodes (FOE) into the ambient cistern simultaneously records electrocortical activity at several mesial areas in the temporal lobe. Furthermore, network methodology applied to the recorded time series tracks the temporal evolution of the mesial networks both interictally and during the seizures. In this way, the presented protocol offers a unique way to visualize and quantify measures that considers the relationships between several mesial areas instead of a single area. PMID:28060326

Enhanced Working Memory Binding by Direct Electrical Stimulation of the Parietal Cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agustina Birba

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Recent works evince the critical role of visual short-term memory (STM binding deficits as a clinical and preclinical marker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD. These studies suggest a potential role of posterior brain regions in both the neurocognitive deficits of Alzheimer’s patients and STM binding in general. Thereupon, we surmised that stimulation of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC might be a successful approach to tackle working memory deficits in this condition, especially at early stages. To date, no causal evidence exists of the role of the parietal cortex in STM binding. A unique approach to assess this issue is afforded by single-subject direct intracranial electrical stimulation of specific brain regions during a relevant cognitive task. Electrical stimulation has been used both for clinical purposes and to causally probe brain mechanisms. Previous evidence of electrical currents spreading through white matter along well defined functional circuits indicates that visual working memory mechanisms are subserved by a specific widely distributed network. Here, we stimulated the parietal cortex of a subject with intracranial electrodes as he performed the visual STM task. We compared the ensuing results to those from a non-stimulated condition and to the performance of a matched control group. In brief, direct stimulation of the parietal cortex induced a selective improvement in STM. These results, together with previous studies, provide very preliminary but promising ground to examine behavioral changes upon parietal stimulation in AD. We discuss our results regarding: (a the usefulness of the task to target prodromal stages of AD; (b the role of a posterior network in STM binding and in AD; and (c the potential opportunity to improve STM binding through brain stimulation.

Alterations of cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular reserve in patients with chronic traumatic brain injury accompanying deteriorated intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Ho Chun; Bom, Hee Seung

2000-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate alterations of regional cerbral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular reserve (CVR), and correlation between these alternations and cognitive dysfunctin in patients with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) and normal brain MRI findings. Thirty TBI patients and 19 healthy volunteers underwent rest/acetazolaminde brain SPECT using Tc-99m HMPAO. Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence scale test was also performed in the patient group. Statistical analysis was performed with statistical parametric mapping software (SPM '97). CBF was diminished in the left hemisphere including Wernicke's area in all patients with lower verbal scale scores. In addition, a reduction in CBF in the right frontal, temporal and parietal cortices was related with depressed scores in information, digital span, arithmetic and similarities. In patients with lower performance scale scores, CBF was mainly diminished in the right hemisphere including superior temporal and supramarginal gyri, premotor, primary somatomotor and a part of prefrontal cortices, left frontal lobe and supramarginal gyrus. CVR was diminished in sixty-four Brodmann's areas compared to control. A reduction in CVR was demonstrated bilaterally in the frontal and temporal lobes in patients with lower scores in both verbal and performance tests, and in addition, both inferior parietal and occipital lobes in information subset. Alterations of CBF and CVR were demonstrated in the symptomatic TBI patients with normal MRI finding. These alterations were correlated with the change of intelligence, of which the complex functions are subserved by multiple interconnected cortical structures.=20

Supplementary CT temporal lobe cuts confer no worthwhile benefit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Straiton, J.A.; Macpherson, P.; Teasdale, E.M.

1991-01-01

The value of angled temporal lobe cuts as a supplement to conventional head computed tomography (CT) has been assessed by comparing the diagnostic yield of standard axial and specific temporal lobe images (TLCT) in 62 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and 87 with Alzheimer-type senile dementia. Fewer than one patient in six had structural abnormality in the temporal lobe most readily demonstrated by axial CT. Five patients with epilepsy and ten with dementia had changes demonstrated only by TLCT, reported on by one or other of a pair of observers. However such changes were of dubious clinical relevance, or arose as a result of artefact. In one patient with epilepsy and underlying neoplasm, axial CT was positive and TLCT false-negative. The routine addition of temporal lobe cuts to a conventional axial examination confers no added benefit to justify the prolonged examination time and increased radiation dose to the lens of the eye. (orig.)

Supplementary CT temporal lobe cuts confer no worthwhile benefit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Straiton, J A; Macpherson, P; Teasdale, E M [Institute of Neurological Sciences, Glasgow (UK). Dept. of Neuroradiology

1991-02-01

The value of angled temporal lobe cuts as a supplement to conventional head computed tomography (CT) has been assessed by comparing the diagnostic yield of standard axial and specific temporal lobe images (TLCT) in 62 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and 87 with Alzheimer-type senile dementia. Fewer than one patient in six had structural abnormality in the temporal lobe most readily demonstrated by axial CT. Five patients with epilepsy and ten with dementia had changes demonstrated only by TLCT, reported on by one or other of a pair of observers. However such changes were of dubious clinical relevance, or arose as a result of artefact. In one patient with epilepsy and underlying neoplasm, axial CT was positive and TLCT false-negative. The routine addition of temporal lobe cuts to a conventional axial examination confers no added benefit to justify the prolonged examination time and increased radiation dose to the lens of the eye. (orig.).

Widespread temporo-occipital lobe dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Loewe, Kristian; Machts, Judith; Kaufmann, Jörn; Petri, Susanne; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Borgelt, Christian; Harris, Joseph Allen; Vielhaber, Stefan; Schoenfeld, Mircea Ariel

2017-01-09

Recent studies suggest that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) lie on a single clinical continuum. However, previous neuroimaging studies have found only limited involvement of temporal lobe regions in ALS. To better delineate possible temporal lobe involvement in ALS, the present study aimed to examine changes in functional connectivity across the whole brain, particularly with regard to extra-motor regions, in a group of 64 non-demented ALS patients and 38 healthy controls. To assess between-group differences in connectivity, we computed edge-level statistics across subject-specific graphs derived from resting-state functional MRI data. In addition to expected ALS-related decreases in functional connectivity in motor-related areas, we observed extensive changes in connectivity across the temporo-occipital cortex. Although ALS patients with comorbid FTD were deliberately excluded from this study, the pattern of connectivity alterations closely resembles patterns of cerebral degeneration typically seen in FTD. This evidence for subclinical temporal dysfunction supports the idea of a common pathology in ALS and FTD.

Declarative long-term memory and the mesial temporal lobe: Insights from a 5-year postsurgery follow-up study on refractory temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvato, Gerardo; Scarpa, Pina; Francione, Stefano; Mai, Roberto; Tassi, Laura; Scarano, Elisa; Lo Russo, Giorgio; Bottini, Gabriella

2016-11-01

It is largely recognized that the mesial temporal lobe and its substructure support declarative long-term memory (LTM). So far, different theories have been suggested, and the organization of declarative verbal LTM in the brain is still a matter of debate. In the current study, we retrospectively selected 151 right-handed patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with and without hippocampal sclerosis, with a homogeneous (seizure-free) clinical outcome. We analyzed verbal memory performance within a normalized scores context, by means of prose recall and word paired-associate learning tasks. Patients were tested at presurgical baseline, 6months, 2 and 5years after anteromesial temporal lobe surgery, using parallel versions of the neuropsychological tests. Our main finding revealed a key involvement of the left temporal lobe and, in particular, of the left hippocampus in prose recall rather than word paired-associate task. We also confirmed that shorter duration of epilepsy, younger age, and withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs would predict a better memory outcome. When individual memory performance was taken into account, data showed that females affected by left temporal lobe epilepsy for longer duration were more at risk of presenting a clinically pathologic LTM at 5years after surgery. Taken together, these findings shed new light on verbal declarative memory in the mesial temporal lobe and on the behavioral signature of the functional reorganization after the surgical treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Obligatory and facultative brain regions for voice-identity recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Roswandowitz, Claudia; Kappes, Claudia; Obrig, Hellmuth; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2018-01-01

Recognizing the identity of others by their voice is an important skill for social interactions. To date, it remains controversial which parts of the brain are critical structures for this skill. Based on neuroimaging findings, standard models of person-identity recognition suggest that the right temporal lobe is the hub for voice-identity recognition. Neuropsychological case studies, however, reported selective deficits of voice-identity recognition in patients predominantly with right inferior parietal lobe lesions. Here, our aim was to work towards resolving the discrepancy between neuroimaging studies and neuropsychological case studies to find out which brain structures are critical for voice-identity recognition in humans. We performed a voxel-based lesion-behaviour mapping study in a cohort of patients (n = 58) with unilateral focal brain lesions. The study included a comprehensive behavioural test battery on voice-identity recognition of newly learned (voice-name, voice-face association learning) and familiar voices (famous voice recognition) as well as visual (face-identity recognition) and acoustic control tests (vocal-pitch and vocal-timbre discrimination). The study also comprised clinically established tests (neuropsychological assessment, audiometry) and high-resolution structural brain images. The three key findings were: (i) a strong association between voice-identity recognition performance and right posterior/mid temporal and right inferior parietal lobe lesions; (ii) a selective association between right posterior/mid temporal lobe lesions and voice-identity recognition performance when face-identity recognition performance was factored out; and (iii) an association of right inferior parietal lobe lesions with tasks requiring the association between voices and faces but not voices and names. The results imply that the right posterior/mid temporal lobe is an obligatory structure for voice-identity recognition, while the inferior parietal lobe is

Recurrent diarrhea as a manifestation of temporal lobe epilepsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomohiko Murai

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A woman with temporal lobe epilepsy manifesting with repeated episodes of sudden diarrhea and loss of consciousness is reported. A 63-year-old, right-handed female presented with chief complaints of sudden diarrhea and loss of consciousness for almost three decades. The first attack occurred in her 30s, and similar attacks repeated several times in a year. Her attacks comprised abrupt abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, sudden emergence of old memories relating to when she had played with her brother in her childhood, and loss of consciousness during defecation. She had no convulsion or automatism and fully recovered in a few minutes. Every time she was transferred to emergency hospital by ambulance, she had examinations such as blood test, head computed tomography, electrocardiogram, abdominal ultrasound, and electroencephalography (EEG, but no specific diagnosis was made. On admission to our hospital, vital signs, neurological examination, and blood tests did not show abnormal findings. During long-term video-EEG monitoring for 40 h, she had no habitual event. Interictal EEG showed intermittent irregular delta waves and sharp regional transients in the left anterio-midtemporal area. Sharp transients were not as outstanding from background activities as to be defined as epileptiform discharges, but they were reproducible in morphology and distribution and appeared not only in sleep but also in wakefulness. Brain magnetic resonance imaging was unremarkable. Single-photon emission computed tomography showed a decrease of blood flow in the left frontal and temporal lobes. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—III showed a decline of verbal comprehension. We concluded that the patient was suffering from partial epilepsy originating from the left temporal lobe. Carbamazepine markedly improved her seizures. Temporal lobe epilepsy can manifest with diverse autonomic symptoms and signs. Abdominal sensations often herald the onset of epileptic seizures

Functional anatomy of top-down visuospatial processing in the human brain : evidence from rTMS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aleman, A; Schutter, DJLG; Ramsey, NF; van Honk, J; Kessels, RPC; Hoogduin, JM; Postma, A; Kahn, RS; de Haan, EHF

The hypothesis was tested that visuospatial mental imagery relies on processing in the posterior parietal lobe. Using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in a cross-over, sham-controlled design, we compared involvement of right posterior parietal cortex with primary visual cortex.

A comparative perspective on the human temporal lobe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bryant, K.L.; Preuss, T.M.; Bruner, E.; Ogihara, N.; Tanabe, H.

2018-01-01

The temporal lobe is a morphological specialization of primates resulting from an expansion of higher-order visual cortex that is a hallmark of the primate brain. Among primates, humans possess a temporal lobe that has significantly expanded. Several uniquely human cognitive abilities, including

Gray, White Matter Concentration Changes and Their Correlation with Heterotopic Neurons in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tae, Woo Suk; Joo, Eun Yun; Kim, Sung Tae; Hong, Seung Bong [Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2010-02-15

To identify changes in gray and white matter concentrations (GMC, WMC), and their relation to heterotopic neuron numbers in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). The gray matter or white matter concentrations of 16 left and 15 right mTLE patients who achieved an excellent surgical outcome were compared with those of 24 healthy volunteers for the left group and with 23 healthy volunteers for the right group, by optimized voxel-based morphometry using unmodulated and modulated images. A histologic count of heterotopic neurons was obtained in the white matter of the anterior temporal lobe originating from the patients' surgical specimens. In addition, the number of heterotopic neurons were tested to determine if there was a correlation with the GMC or WMC. The GMCs of the left and right mTLE groups were reduced in the ipsilateral hippocampi, bilateral thalami, precentral gyri, and in the cerebellum. The WMCs were reduced in the ipsilateral white matter of the anterior temporal lobe, bilateral parahippocampal gyri, and internal capsules, but increased in the pons and bilateral precentral gyri. The heterotopic neuron counts in the left mTLE group showed a positive correlation (r = 0.819, p < 0.0001) with GMCs and a negative correlation (r = - 0.839, p < 0.0001) with WMCs in the white matter of the anterior temporal lobe. The present study shows the abnormalities of the cortico-thalamo- hippocampal network including a gray matter volume reduction in the anterior frontal lobes and an abnormality of brain tissue concentration in the pontine area. Furthermore, heterotopic neuron numbers were significantly correlated with GMC or WMC in the left white matter of anterior temporal lobe.