A new parcellation of the human thalamus on the basis of histochemical staining

Hirai, Tatsuo; Jones, Edward G.

doi:10.1016/0165-0173(89)90007-6

Cited by 438 publications

(301 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…This angulation is commonly used in stereotaxy, and also by Hirai and Jones (3) and Morel et al (18). In this study, we adhere to the parcellation and nomenclature of Hirai and Jones (3). A template of the deep brain regions of 0.5-mm resolution was constructed from the T 1 -w brain template the provided with FSL 3.2 (avg152T1).…”

Section: Anatomical Assignmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimized high‐resolution mapping of magnetization transfer (MT) at 3 Tesla for direct visualization of substructures of the human thalamus in clinically feasible measurement time

Gringel

Schulz‐Schaeffer

Elolf

et al. 2009

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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Purpose:To optimize contrast-to-noise and spatial resolution of a FLASH-based magnetization transfer (MT) protocol for visualization of substructures in human thalamus. Materials and Methods:Healthy adults were examined at 3 Tesla with a three-dimensional (3D) spoiled gradient-echo sequence. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was increased by averaging eight bipolar echo acquisitions (mean echo time ϭ 12.3 ms; bandwidth ϭ 370 Hz/pixel). Three isotropic datasets with different weighting (proton density: flip angle/repetition time ϭ 7°/30 ms; T 1 : 20°/30 ms and MT: 10°/48 ms, Gaussian MT prepulse) yielded maps of T 1 , signal amplitude, MT ratio and MT saturation for comparison to MP-RAGE images. Measuring time was 23 min using partial k-space acquisition. First, the SNR of MT saturation maps in thalamus was optimized by means of the excitation flip angle. Then, noise and partial volume effects were traded off by means of the resolution. Finally, the contrast within the thalamus and to adjacent structures was compared between different maps. Results:The optimized MT saturation maps at 0.95 mm isotropic resolution provided the highest contrast. It was most prominent between structures of high axonal content (internal medullary lamina, ventral nuclei) and those containing predominantly neuronal somata (pulvinar, mediodorsal thalamus, geniculate bodies). Conclusion:Semiquantitative MT saturation maps provide an enhanced intra-thalamic contrast. The borders and nuclear groups of the thalamus are reliably delineated; individual assignment of singular nuclei seems feasible.

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Section: Anatomical Assignmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimized high‐resolution mapping of magnetization transfer (MT) at 3 Tesla for direct visualization of substructures of the human thalamus in clinically feasible measurement time

Gringel

Schulz‐Schaeffer

Elolf

et al. 2009

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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“…After establishing upper and lower z-axis buffer zones, neuronal nucleoli coming into focus in each 2-m step were counted. Nucleoli touching the left (y axis) and lower (x axis) borders of the counting box were excluded and those touching the opposite borders were included (17). Three hundred to 450 nucleoli were counted in each subnucleus.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subnucleus-specific loss of neurons in medial thalamus of schizophrenics

Popken

Bunney

Potkin

et al. 2000

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

239

162

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The hypoactivity of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenics is well known. One cause of this hypoactivity may be defective corticocortical or thalamocortical connections. Recent imaging studies of the thalamus suggest reductions in volume of the whole thalamus and reduced activity in the medial group of thalamic nuclei, which may indicate loss of functional input to the cortex. Using stereological techniques in six pairs of individually matched brains from schizophrenics and controls, we measured the volumes and obtained estimates of the number of neurons in the three subnuclei (parvocellular, pc; densocellular, dc; magnocellular, mc) of the mediodorsal nucleus (MD) and from the ventral posterior medial nucleus. There was a significant reduction in total neuron number in MD as a whole but this neuron loss was largely restricted to MDpc and MDdc [؊30.9 and ؊24.5%, respectively (P < 0.01)]. MDmc and the control ventral posterior medial nucleus showed no significant changes in cell number. Because the subnuclei of MD have different connections and project to different areas of the frontal cortex, the specific loss of neurons in MDpc and MDdc has implications for the functional defects observed in schizophrenia.mediodorsal nucleus ͉ prefrontal cortex ͉ hypoactivity ͉ stereology T he severe cognitive dysfunction of schizophrenia is associated with disturbances in activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) manifested by hypoactivity in imaging studies, deficiencies in tests of cognitive function, and putative, activity-dependent effects on gene expression for neurotransmitter-and receptor-related mRNAs. The causes of the functional disturbance frequently have been attributed to defective connectivity that could be both cortical and subcortical (1-4). The principal subcortical input to DLPFC arises in the mediodorsal nucleus (MD) of the thalamus, and recent imaging studies in schizophrenics have shown reductions in activity of the medial nuclei of the thalamus (5). Pakkenberg (6) had described earlier a reduction in the number of neurons in the MD of the thalamus in schizophrenics, but her figures for the control nuclei were only half of those reported for control nuclei in a later study (7), and Pakkenberg stated that her material was inadequate for accurately defining the borders of the large subnuclear divisions of the nucleus. Moreover, it was not stated whether neuronal loss was found in other thalamic nuclei as well.MD is composed of three major subnuclei: the magnocellular, parvocellular, and densocellular nuclei. The nuclei are delineated by cytoarchitecture and distinguished by major differences in cortical and subcortical connections (8-15). The magnocellular subnucleus (MDmc) occupies the anteromedial aspect of MD and is composed of relatively large, deeply stained neurons. MDmc is dominated by inputs from the olfactory and entorhinal cortices but also receives input from the amygdala; it projects to ventromedial and orbital cortex in the frontal lobe. The parvocellular nucleus (MDpc) oc...

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“…This patient also had limited diminution of tactile perception without tactile allodynia, which suggests that deep afferents may mediate movement-evoked dysesthesias. The lesion in this patient included dorsal ventral intermediate and anterodorsal Vc, which may receive muscle afferent input via the medial lemniscus (Jones et al, 1982) although the Schaltenbrand atlas does not show anterodorsal Vc (Hirai and Jones, 1989). In these regions, neurons respond to joint movement, and stimulation evokes deep and movement sensations (Lenz et al, 1988a;Ohara et al, 2004).…”

Section: Implications For Sensory Functions Mediated Through the Medimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some studies have identified lesions that may be limited to ventral caudal (Vc) (Hirai and Jones, 1989;Leijon et al, 1989;Vestergaard et al, 1995;Bowsher et al, 1998). One case report used atlas-based mapping of magnetic resonance images to locate a stroke involving a large part of Vc and sparing VMpo (Montes et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lesions Limited to the Human Thalamic Principal Somatosensory Nucleus (Ventral Caudal) Are Associated with Loss of Cold Sensations and Central Pain

et al. 2007

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Central pain is neuropathic pain resulting from a lesion of the CNS, such as a stroke [poststroke central pain (CPSP)]. Lesions involving the posterior thalamus lead to reduction or loss of sensation and to CPSP, although the responsible nuclei have not been identified. We now examine the hypotheses that thalamic lesions must extend posterior to the ventral caudal nucleus (Vc) and include ventral medial posterior nucleus (VMpo), to result in loss of cold sensibility and CPSP. Patients with small thalamic strokes associated with CPSP were evaluated by atlas-based mapping of magnetic resonance imaging scans, and by somatosensory testing. All lesions involved posterior Vc; two lesions also involved nuclei posterior to Vc, but not VMpo. All patients tested had alterations of cold pain sensation and tactile sensation, as measured by von Frey hairs. Three patients had altered cool sensation, and the patient with the least involvement of Vc had normal cool thresholds, suggesting that a critical volume of Vc must be involved before cool sensation is impaired. Perception of warm was impaired only in lesions involving nuclei posterior to Vc. Heat pain perception was never affected. In a subject with cold allodynia, a single-subject protocol PET study measured the responses to immersion of either hand in a 20°C waterbath. The scan during stimulation of the affected hand was characterized by intense activation of contralateral sensorimotor cortex. Therefore, there are modality-specific subnuclear structures in the posterior thalamus, but lesions of Vc not involving VMpo are sufficient to impair cold sensibility and to produce CPSP.

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A new parcellation of the human thalamus on the basis of histochemical staining

Cited by 438 publications

References 39 publications

Optimized high‐resolution mapping of magnetization transfer (MT) at 3 Tesla for direct visualization of substructures of the human thalamus in clinically feasible measurement time

Optimized high‐resolution mapping of magnetization transfer (MT) at 3 Tesla for direct visualization of substructures of the human thalamus in clinically feasible measurement time

Subnucleus-specific loss of neurons in medial thalamus of schizophrenics

Lesions Limited to the Human Thalamic Principal Somatosensory Nucleus (Ventral Caudal) Are Associated with Loss of Cold Sensations and Central Pain

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