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The uncinate fasciculus as observed using diffusion spectrum imaging in the human brain

  • Functional Neuroradiology
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Abstract

Introduction

The definitive structure and comprehensive role of the uncinate fasciculus (UF) are still obscure. We aimed to map the human UF white matter tractography and investigate the asymmetry, connectivity, and segmentation of the UF.

Methods

Subcomponents of the UF were analyzed in 9 normal subjects and a 30-subject diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) template (CMU-30). DSI and microdissection were performed to explore the tractography of the UF.

Results

Both methods revealed that it connects the anterior part of the temporal lobe (superior temporal gyrus and temporal pole) with the inferior frontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. The UF starts at the temporal gyrus, runs inferiorly to the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus and splits into two branches, terminating in the ventrolateral frontal cortex and the rostral middle frontal cortex. Our study showed that the cortical areas of termination in the frontal lobe of the UF are the pars triangularis and pars orbitalis. The relative volume of the UF in both hemispheres was calculated. An independent t test was used to determine variances in the value of tract volume between the left and right hemispheres. The volume and the length showed a significant statistical difference in the total volume of the UF. We suggest the UF is leftward asymmetry.

Conclusions

The two parts of the UF were divided, but the conclusion is not consistent with the previous published articles which have shown that the UF is segmented into three parts. Our research facilitates a better understanding of the UF.

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Abbreviations

UF:

Uncinate fasciculus

BA:

Brodmann area

DSI:

Diffusion spectrum imaging

DTI:

Diffusion tensor imaging

GQI:

Generalized q-sampling imaging

IFOF:

Inferior frontal occipital fasciculus

STG:

Superior temporal gyrus

MTG:

Middle temporal gyrus

TP:

Temporal pole

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81070965 and No. 30700249 to Dr Wang) and the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation of Youth Science Foundation (No. 81000565 to Dr Wang).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, No.155, North Nanjing Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Bing Leng, Yijun Bao, Yong Wang, Yupeng Wu & Yibao Wang

  2. Department of Plastic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Siyuan Han

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Hongliang Zhang

Authors
  1. Bing Leng
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  2. Siyuan Han
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  3. Yijun Bao
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  4. Hongliang Zhang
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  5. Yong Wang
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  6. Yupeng Wu
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  7. Yibao Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yibao Wang.

Ethics declarations

We declare that all human studies have been approved by the ethics committee at the China Medical University and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. We declare that all patients gave informed consent prior to inclusion in this study.

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Leng, B., Han, S., Bao, Y. et al. The uncinate fasciculus as observed using diffusion spectrum imaging in the human brain. Neuroradiology 58, 595–606 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-016-1650-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-016-1650-9

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