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Corticospinal tract asymmetry and handedness in right- and left-handers by diffusion tensor tractography

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy volume 36, pages 111–124 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Cerebral hemispheres represent both structural and functional asymmetry, which differs among right- and left-handers. The left hemisphere is specialised for language and task execution of the right hand in right-handers. We studied the corticospinal tract in right- and left-handers by diffusion tensor imaging and tractography. The present study aimed at revealing a morphological difference resulting from a region of interest (ROI) obtained by functional MRI (fMRI).

Methods

Twenty-five healthy participants (right-handed: 15, left-handed: 10) were enrolled in our assessment of morphological, functional and diffusion tensor MRI. Assessment of brain fibre reconstruction (tractography) was done using a deterministic algorithm. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were studied on the tractography traces of the reference slices.

Results

We observed a significant difference in number of leftward fibres based on laterality. The significant difference in regard to FA and MD was based on the slices obtained at different levels and the laterality index. We found left-hand asymmetry and right-hand asymmetry, respectively, for the MD and FA.

Conclusions

Our study showed the presence of hemispheric asymmetry based on laterality index in right- and left-handers. These results are inconsistent with some studies and consistent with others. The reported difference in hemispheric asymmetry could be related to dexterity (manual skill).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to warmly thank Zarrin Alavi (MSc), INSERM CIC 0502, for her assistance to realize this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest in the realization of this study.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. INSERM UMR 1101, LaTIM, Université de Brest, Brest, 29200, France

    Romuald Seizeur

  2. Service de Neurochirurgie, Pôle Neurolocomoteur, CHRU Cavale Blanche, Boulevard Tanguy Prigent, 29200, Brest, France

    Romuald Seizeur & Elsa Magro

  3. IRISA, U746, Unité VisAGeS INSERM/INRIA/CNRS/Université. Rennes 1, Rennes, 35000, France

    Sylvain Prima, Nicolas Wiest-Daesslé & Camille Maumet

  4. INSERM U 1099, Equipe MediCIS, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, 35000, France

    Xavier Morandi

  5. Service de Neurochirurgie, CHU Pontchaillou, 35000, Rennes, France

    Xavier Morandi

Authors
  1. Romuald Seizeur
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  2. Elsa Magro
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  3. Sylvain Prima
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  4. Nicolas Wiest-Daesslé
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  5. Camille Maumet
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  6. Xavier Morandi
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Correspondence to Romuald Seizeur.

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Seizeur, R., Magro, E., Prima, S. et al. Corticospinal tract asymmetry and handedness in right- and left-handers by diffusion tensor tractography. Surg Radiol Anat 36, 111–124 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1156-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1156-7

Keywords

  • Corticospinal tract
  • Deterministic tractography
  • Diffusion tensor imaging
  • Anatomy
  • MRI