Abstract
The structure and function of the arcuate fascicle is still controversial. The goal of this study was to investigate the asymmetry, connectivity, and segmentation patterns of the arcuate fascicle. We employed diffusion spectrum imaging reconstructed by generalized q-sampling and we applied both a subject-specific approach (10 subjects) and a template approach (q-space diffeomorphic reconstruction of 30 subjects). We complemented our imaging investigation with fiber microdissection of five post-mortem human brains. Our results confirmed the highly leftward asymmetry of the arcuate fascicle. In the template, the left arcuate had a volume twice as large as the right one, and the left superior temporal gyrus provided five times more volume of fibers than its counterpart. We identified four cortical frontal areas of termination: pars opercularis, pars triangularis, ventral precentral gyrus, and caudal middle frontal gyrus. We found clear asymmetry of the frontal terminations at pars opercularis and ventral precentral gyrus. The analysis of patterns of connectivity revealed the existence of a strong structural segmentation in the left arcuate, but not in the right one. The left arcuate fascicle is formed by an inner or ventral pathway, which interconnects pars opercularis with superior and rostral middle temporal gyri; and an outer or dorsal pathway, which interconnects ventral precentral and caudal middle frontal gyri with caudal middle and inferior temporal gyri. The fiber microdissection results provided further support to our tractography studies. We propose the existence of primary and supplementary language pathways within the dominant arcuate fascicle with potentially distinct functional and lesional features.
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Abbreviations
- AAL:
-
Automated anatomical labeling
- AF:
-
Arcuate fascicle
- BA:
-
Brodmann area
- CORID:
-
Committee for oversight research involving dead
- DSI:
-
Diffusion spectrum imaging
- DTI:
-
Diffusion tensor imaging
- EPI:
-
Echo planar imaging
- fMRI:
-
Functional MRI
- FoV:
-
Field of view
- GQI:
-
Generalized q-sampling imaging
- ITG:
-
Inferior temporal gyrus
- MdLF:
-
Middle longitudinal fascicle
- MTG:
-
Middle temporal gyrus
- ODF:
-
Orientation distribution function
- QA:
-
Quantitative anisotropy
- ROI:
-
Region of interest
- SLF:
-
Superior longitudinal fascicle
- STG:
-
Superior temporal gyrus
- TR:
-
Repetition time
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Acknowledgments
The first author would like to acknowledge Maria Jose, Blanca, Martin, Sol, and Alonso for their continuous support to complete this project. The Copeland Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation.
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Fernández-Miranda, J.C., Wang, Y., Pathak, S. et al. Asymmetry, connectivity, and segmentation of the arcuate fascicle in the human brain. Brain Struct Funct 220, 1665–1680 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0751-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0751-7