A novel approach to the human connectome: Ultra-high resolution mapping of fiber tracts in the brain
A novel approach to the human connectome: Ultra-high resolution mapping of fiber tracts in the brain
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DOI：
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.08.075
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发表时间：
2011-01-15
期刊：
影响因子：
5.7
通讯作者：
Zilles, Karl
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Axer, Markus;Amunts, Katrin;Zilles, Karl
大脑不同区域之间的信号传输需要连接纤维束，这是人类连接组的结构基础。与动物大脑不同的是，在动物大脑中可以使用多种纤维束追踪方法，而基于磁共振（MR）的扩散成像是目前唯一有希望研究人类大脑特定区域之间纤维束的方法。然而，由于该方法的空间分辨率相对较低，因此存在各种固有的限制。在这里，我们引入了3d偏振光成像（3D-PLI）来绘制人脑纤维束的三维过程，其分辨率在亚毫米尺度上，基于100 pm各向同性或更小的体素尺寸。3D-PLI通过利用轴突周围髓鞘的固有双折射来展示神经纤维。这种光学方法能够在整个人类大脑的连续切片中展示3D纤维方向。文中给出了该方法可行性的实例。3D-PLI能够以前所未有的细节研究密集纤维交叉的大脑区域，并提供来自扩散成像数据的纤维束的独立评估。(C) 2010爱思唯尔公司版权所有。
Signal transmission between different brain regions requires connecting fiber tracts, the structural basis of the human connectome. In contrast to animal brains, where a multitude of tract tracing methods can be used, magnetic resonance (MR)-based diffusion imaging is presently the only promising approach to study fiber tracts between specific human brain regions. However, this procedure has various inherent restrictions caused by its relatively low spatial resolution. Here, we introduce 3D-polarized light imaging (3D-PLI) to map the three-dimensional course of fiber tracts in the human brain with a resolution at a submillimeter scale based on a voxel size of 100 pm isotropic or less. 3D-PLI demonstrates nerve fibers by utilizing their intrinsic birefringence of myelin sheaths surrounding axons. This optical method enables the demonstration of 3D fiber orientations in serial microtome sections of entire human brains. Examples for the feasibility of this novel approach are given here. 3D-PLI enables the study of brain regions of intense fiber crossing in unprecedented detail, and provides an independent evaluation of fiber tracts derived from diffusion imaging data. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.