The Human Parahippocampal Region: I. Temporal Pole Cytoarchitectonic and MRI Correlation

Abstract

The temporal pole (TP) is the rostralmost portion of the human temporal lobe. Characteristically, it is only present in human and nonhuman primates. TP has been implicated in different cognitive functions such as emotion, attention, behavior, and memory, based on functional studies performed in healthy controls and patients with neurodegenerative diseases through its anatomical connections (amygdala, pulvinar, orbitofrontal cortex). TP was originally described as a single uniform area by Brodmann area 38, and von Economo (area TG of von Economo and Koskinas), and little information on its cytoarchitectonics is known in humans. We hypothesize that 1) TP is not a homogenous area and we aim first at fixating the precise extent and limits of temporopolar cortex (TPC) with adjacent fields and 2) its structure can be correlated with structural magnetic resonance images. We describe here the macroscopic characteristics and cytoarchitecture as two subfields, a medial and a lateral area, that constitute TPC also noticeable in 2D and 3D reconstructions. Our findings suggest that the human TP is a heterogeneous region formed exclusively by TPC for about 7 mm of the temporal tip, and that becomes progressively restricted to the medial and ventral sides of the TP. This cortical area presents topographical and structural features in common with nonhuman primates, which suggests an evolutionary development in human species.

Human amnesia and the medial temporal lobe illuminated by neuropsychological and neurohistological findings for patient E.P.

“…We noted an area of damage to the dorsomedial aspect of the temporopolar cortex (Fig. S3) in lateral temporopolar cortex (TPCl) and medial temporopolar cortex (TPCm) as defined by Blaizot et al (60). There was a rather abrupt boundary between the damaged temporopolar cortex and the preserved cortex located dorsally and laterally in the superior temporal gyrus (or A22 of ref.…”

“…A 2D unfolded map (80) of the whole temporal lobe of E.P. was created as described previously (60,81) to illustrate and estimate the extent of temporal lobe tissue loss. The control brain IML-16 was used to create an unfolded map of a normal brain for comparison.…”

A Comprehensive Protocol for Manual Segmentation of the Medial Temporal Lobe Structures

“…. Before the onset of the ERC, trace the PRC from the medial edge of the lateral bank of the CS to the lateral fundus of the gyrus of Schwalbe, or that of the medial one if two gyri of Schwalbe are present, or the midpoint of the dorsal temporopolar surface in the absence of this gyrus 25,34 . 2.…”

“…By drawing information from various separate tracing protocols for these structures [18][19][20][21][22]25,[28][29][30][31] , as well as from anatomical analyses and atlases 23,[32][33][34][35][36][37] , the present protocol presents a comprehensive set of guidelines that address inconsistencies in the extant literature.…”

Anatomia microcirúrgica da região do sulco limitante inferior da ínsula

“…Evidências clínicas e experimentais também correlacionaram lesões do polo temporal a diferentes doenças, como síndrome de Klüver-Bucy, demência frontotemporal e Alzheimer (Dupont, 2002;Blaizot et al, 2010).…”