Magnetic resonance imaging mapping of brain functions based on brain surface normalization analysis using functional information

我们开发了一种方法，通过这种方法可以将不同的个体大脑归一化为一个标准的模板大脑，从而获得更好的大脑激活灵敏度。该方法基于二维皮质表面图和功能磁共振成像（fMRI）获得的功能信息。我们首先利用功能磁共振成像，探索大脑皮层，尤其是前额叶皮层，是如何在功能上组织起来的。结果显示了三条线索，每条线索沿着立体定向图谱的三个轴之一。首先是关于左右半球轴，研究发现，支持抑制控制的额下回的大脑机制以传统的方式分布，即左半球实现语言功能，右半球实现非语言功能（Morimoto, et al., 2008）。第二个与上下轴有关，发现幼稚被试的抑制控制是由前额叶背侧机制支持的，而幼稚被试的抑制控制是由前额叶腹侧机制支持的（Konishi, et al., 2008）。第三个与前后轴有关，研究发现，抑制控制是在额下回（pIFG）的后部实施的，而处理不频繁的刺激是在额下回交界处实施的，位于pIFG后方约2厘米（Chikazoe等，2008）。这些结果所获得的关于大脑皮层功能组织的信息，为人类大脑功能的精确定位提供了必要的重要基础原则。

We developed the method by which different individual brain can be normalized into a standard template brain and better sensitivity to brain activation can be achieved. The method is based on two-dimensional cortical surface map and functional information obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We first explored, using fMRI, how the cerebral cortex, particularly the prefrontal cortex, is functionally organized. Three threads of results were revealed, each along one of the three axes in a stereotaxic atlas. The first concerns the left-right hemispheric axis, and it was found that the brain mechanism in the inferior frontal gyrus that supports inhibitory control is distributed in a traditional manner, such that the left hemisphere implements verbal functions and the right hemisphere implements nonverbal functions (Morimoto, et al., 2008). The second concerns the superior-inferior axis, and it was found that inhibitory control in naive subjects was supported by dorsal prefrontal mechanism whereas inhibitory control in naive subjects was supported by ventral prefrontal mechanism (Konishi, et al., 2008). The third one concerns the anterior-posterior axis, and it was found that the inhibitory control is implemented in the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus (pIFG) whereas processing of infrequent stimuli is implemented in the inferior frontal junction, located approximately 2 cm posterior to the pIFG (Chikazoe, et al., 2008). The information regarding functional organization of cerebral cortical functions obtained in these results provide the important fundamental principle necessary for precise mapping of the human brain functions.