Three distinct fiber pathways of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to the amygdala and prefrontal cortex
Three distinct fiber pathways of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to the amygdala and prefrontal cortex
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DOI：
10.1016/j.cortex.2015.02.007
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发表时间：
2015-05-01
期刊：
影响因子：
3.6
通讯作者：
Ethofer, Thomas
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Krueger, Oliver;Shiozawa, Thomas;Ethofer, Thomas
终纹床核（BNST）是涉及处理焦虑以及神经内分泌和自主神经对压力反应的多个皮质和皮质下区域的重要中继，并且它被认为在这些功能的失调以及成瘾行为中发挥着作用。虽然其结构和连接概况已在动物身上进行了彻底检查，但对人类的研究仅限于对 BNST 本身的死后组织学描述，而没有考虑其各种连接的分布。在当前的研究中，我们使用扩散加权磁共振成像 (DW-MRI) 来研究与人类 BNST 连接的纤维轨道的走向。我们将概率纤维跟踪的种子区域限制在 BNST 的背侧部分，因为使用磁共振成像无法区分腹侧 BNST 与周围的灰质结构。我们的结果显示了 BNST 通过终纹和脚袢到达杏仁核的两条不同途径，以及与下丘脑的连接。最后，我们区分了一条穿过尾状核（CN）和伏隔核（NAcc）头部通往眶额皮质（OFC）的路线。研究发现，通往脑干区域的通路显示出相当大的个体间差异，因此无法在参与者之间识别出共同的通路。总之，我们的研究结果揭示了涉及行为和神经内分泌调节的复杂大脑结构网络，其中 BNST 处于中心位置。 (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. 保留所有权利。
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is an important relay for multiple cortical and subcortical regions involved in processing anxiety as well as neuroendocrine and autonomic responses to stress, and it is thought to play a role in the dysregulation of these functions as well as in addictive behavior. While its architecture and connection profile have been thoroughly examined in animals, studies in humans have been limited to postmortem histological descriptions of the BNST itself, not accounting for the distribution of its various connections.In the current study, we used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) to investigate the courses of fiber tracks connected to the BNST in humans. We restricted our seed region for probabilistic fiber tracking to the dorsal part of the BNST, as the ventral BNST is not distinguishable from the surrounding grey matter structures using magnetic resonance imaging. Our results show two distinct pathways of the BNST to the amygdala via the stria terminalis and the ansa peduncularis, as well as connections to the hypothalamus. Finally, we distinguished a route to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) running through the head of the caudate nucleus (CN) and the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Pathways to brainstem regions were found to show a considerable inter-individual variability and thus no common pathway could be identified across participants. In summary, our findings reveal a complex network of brain structures involved in behavioral and neuroendocrine regulation, with the BNST in a central position. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.