Thalamocortical connectivity in healthy children: asymmetries and robust developmental changes between ages 8 and 17 years.
Thalamocortical connectivity in healthy children: asymmetries and robust developmental changes between ages 8 and 17 years.
复制标题
健康儿童的丘脑皮质连通性：8至17岁之间的不对称和稳健的发育变化。
DOI：
10.3174/ajnr.a2417
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发表时间：
2011-05
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Chugani HT
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Alkonyi B;Juhász C;Muzik O;Behen ME;Jeong JW;Chugani HT
丘脑皮质连接在复杂的认知功能中起着至关重要的作用，一些神经精神疾病可能涉及异常的丘脑皮质回路。在本研究中，我们量化的皮质模式和年龄相关的变化，丘脑皮质连接概率纤维束成像在儿童和青少年。我们假设，可检测到的不对称性（左>右）存在于丘脑皮质纤维连接和连接随着年龄的增长，在成熟过程中。在15名正常发育的儿童（年龄范围：8.3-17.3岁; 11名男性）中获得弥散张量成像（DTI），并从丘脑开始纤维追踪。同侧丘脑皮质纤维的皮质分布使用地标约束的保角映射技术进行量化。此外，半球的不对称性和潜在的年龄相关的变化，区域丘脑皮质连接也进行了评估。左侧丘脑的整体皮质连通性显著高于右侧（p<0.001）。无论应用的参数如何，与右半球的同伦区域相比，左前额叶皮质区显示出显著更高的丘脑连通性（p<0.001）。随着年龄的增长，整体丘脑皮质连接性增加，双侧前额区的年龄相关性增加最明显（p<0.002）。然而，丘脑连接的其他一些皮质区域（右感觉运动，左下颞）显示出随着年龄的增长而减少。我们的研究结果表明，特定区域的左>右不对称性和强大的发育变化，丘脑皮质（特别是丘脑-前额叶）连接在儿童后期和青春期。这些数据进一步增加了我们对结构侧化及其在成熟大脑中发展的认识。
Thalamocortical connections play a crucial role in complex cognitive functioning, and several neuro-psychiatric disorders may involve aberrant thalamocortical circuitry. In the present study, we quantified the cortical pattern and age-related changes of thalamocortical connections using probabilistic tractography in children and adolescents. We hypothesized that detectable asymmetry (left>right) exists in thalamocortical fiber connections and the connectivity increases with age during maturation. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was acquired in 15 normally developing children (age range: 8.3-17.3 years; 11 males), and fiber tracking was initiated from the thalami. The cortical distribution of ipsilateral thalamocortical fibers was quantified using a landmark-constrained conformal mapping technique. Furthermore, hemispheric asymmetries and potential age-related changes in regional thalamocortical connections were also assessed. The left thalamus had significantly higher overall cortical connectivity than the right (p<0.001). Left prefrontal cortical areas showed significantly higher thalamic connectivity as compared to homotopic regions of the right hemisphere (p<0.001), regardless of the applied parameters. There was an increase of overall thalamocortical connectivity with age, with the most pronounced age-related increases in bilateral prefrontal areas (p<0.002). However, thalamic connectivity of some other cortical regions (right sensorimotor, left inferior temporal) showed a decrease with age. Our results indicate a region-specific left>right asymmetry and robust developmental changes in thalamocortical (particularly thalamo-prefrontal) connectivity during late childhood and adolescence. These data further add to our knowledge about structural lateralizations and their development in the maturing brain.