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A Practical Approach to Imaging of the Supplementary Motor Area and Its Subcortical Connections

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

First, an anatomical and functional review of these cortical areas and subcortical connections with T-fMRI and tractography techniques; second, to demonstrate the value of this approach in neurosurgical planning in a series of patients with tumors close to the SMA.

Recent Findings

Implications in language and cognitive networks with a clear hemispheric lateralization of these SMA/pre-SMA. The recommendation of the use of the advanced neuroimaging studies for surgical planning and preservation of these areas.

Summary

The SMA/pre-SMA and their subcortical connections are functional areas to be taken into consideration in neurosurgical planning. These areas would be involved in the control/inhibition of movement, in verbal expression and fluency and in tasks of cognitive control capacity. Its preservation is key to the patient’s postsurgical cognitive and functional evolution.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Caroline Coope for her support in proofreading this article and Pablo García-Polo and Juan Bachiller for their technical counselling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario QuironSalud Madrid, C/ Diego de Velázquez 1, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain

    Mar Jiménez de la Peña, Vicente Martínez de Vega & Manuel Recio Rodríguez

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitario QuironSalud Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain

    Santiago Gil-Robles & Cristina Aracil

  3. Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario QuironSalud Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain

    Agustín Acevedo

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  1. Mar Jiménez de la Peña
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  2. Santiago Gil-Robles
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  3. Vicente Martínez de Vega
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Correspondence to Mar Jiménez de la Peña.

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de la Peña, M.J., Gil-Robles, S., de Vega, V.M. et al. A Practical Approach to Imaging of the Supplementary Motor Area and Its Subcortical Connections. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 20, 50 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-020-01070-2

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