The Lateral Temporal Lobe in Early Human Life

Abstract

Abnormalities of lateral temporal lobe development are associated with a spectrum of genetic and environmental pathologic processes, but more normative data are needed for a better understanding of gyrification in this brain region. Here, we begin to establish guidelines for the analysis of the lateral temporal lobe in humans in early life. We present quantitative methods for measuring gyrification at autopsy using photographs of the gross brain and simple computer-based quantitative tools in a cohort of 28 brains ranging in age from 27 to 70 postconceptional weeks (end of infancy). We provide normative ranges for different indices of gyrification and identify a constellation of qualitative features that should also be considered in these analyses. The ratio of the temporal area to the whole brain area increased dramatically in the second half of gestation, but then decelerated after birth before increasing linearly around 50 postconceptional weeks. Tertiary gyrification continued beyond birth in a linear process through infancy with considerable variation in patterns. Analysis of 2 brains with gyral disorders of the lateral temporal lobe demonstrated proof-of-principle that the proposed methods are of diagnostic value. These guidelines are proposed for assessments of temporal lobe pathology in pediatric brains in early life.

Cholinergic muscarinic M1/M4 receptor networks in dementia with Lewy bodies

“…This disease pattern consisted of concomitant decreased and preserved/increased M 1 /M 4 binding in several brain regions. The decreased M 1 /M 4 uptake pattern largely converged on the lateral temporal cortex and insula, where studies have shown their roles in language comprehension and episodic memory ( Xie et al , 2012 ; Goldstein et al , 2017 ). Thus, the pattern suggests a lateral temporal and insula network of M 1 /M 4 receptor dysfunction.…”

Structural covariance networks in the fetal brain reveal altered neurodevelopment for specific subtypes of congenital heart disease

“…Our analysis also highlighted the insula network as significantly different for fetuses with ToF or TGA compared to controls, in accordance with previous work noting delayed opercular development in term infants with complex CHD (Glauser et al, 1990, Masoller et al, 2016, Ortinau et al, 2019, Peng et al, 2016). Operculation of the insula is usually complete at term (Goldstein et al, 2017), however an open operculum and exposed insular cortex have been associated with neurodevelopmental delays in CHD and more broadly in other patient populations (Mahle et al, 2000, Licht et al, 2009, Tatum et al, 1989, Chen et al, 1996). Interestingly, TGA was not significantly different from controls for any of the networks except the insula.…”

Mitochondrial Genetics Reinforces Multiple Layers of Interaction in Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Here, we found DE mitochondrial genes when analyzing RNA-seq data from AD lateral temporal lobe and fusiform gyrus tissues. The lateral temporal lobe (or the lateral surface of the temporal lobe), delimited by superior and inferior temporal sulci and composed of three gyri (superior, middle and inferior temporal gyrus), is responsible for different visual and auditory functions, such as facial recognition, language comprehension and hearing [44,45]. The fusiform gyrus (or occipitotemporal gyrus) is located in the inferior region of the temporal and occipital lobes, being associated with high-level vision functions such as the recognition of faces, bodies and objects, as well as reading [46,47].…”