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Connectivity within the primary motor cortex: a DTI tractography study

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Abstract

Purpose

Because of the motor function of the precentral area, the connections of the primary motor cortex by white matter fiber bundles have been widely studied in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Nevertheless, the connections within the primary motor cortex have yet to be explored. We have studied the connectivity between the different regions of the precentral gyrus in a population of subjects.

Methods

Based on T1 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and on individual sulco-gyral anatomy, we defined a parcellation of the right and the left precentral gyri in 20 healthy subjects (10 right-handers; 10 left-handers). This parcellation gave us the opportunity to study MRI tracks reconstructed by tractography within the precentral gyrus and to compare these connections across subjects. We also performed a classical dissection of post-mortem brain tissue to isolate this pattern of connectivity.

Results

We showed MRI tracks connecting the different parts of the same precentral gyrus. This result was reproducible and was found in the left and right hemispheres of the 20 subjects. A quantitative description of the bilateral distribution of the MRI tracks was performed, based on statistical analysis and asymmetry indices, to compare asymmetry and handedness.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this pattern of connectivity has never before been detailed in the literature. Its functional meaning remains to be determined, which requires further study.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to warmly thank Alexandre Abadie for his assistance in setting up the data processing chain, Camille Maumet for her assistance in the asymmetry study, Jean-Christophe Gentric for his review of the manuscript and the department of Anatomy of the University of Tours for his assistance in the classical dissection.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest in the realization of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Equipe MediCIS, INSERM U 1099, Faculté de Médecine, University Rennes 1, 35043, Rennes, France

    Tristan Moreau, Bernard Gibaud & Xavier Morandi

  2. Service de Neurochirurgie, CHRU Cavale Blanche, 29200, Brest, France

    Elsa Magro & Romuald Seizeur

  3. Service de Neurochirurgie, CHU Pontchaillou, 35000, Rennes, France

    Xavier Morandi

  4. LaTIM, INSERM UMR 1101, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, 29200, Brest, France

    Elsa Magro & Romuald Seizeur

  5. Service de Neurochirurgie, Laboratoire d’anatomie, CHU Bretonneau, 37032, Tours, France

    Ilyess Zemmoura

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  1. Elsa Magro
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Correspondence to Elsa Magro.

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Magro, E., Moreau, T., Seizeur, R. et al. Connectivity within the primary motor cortex: a DTI tractography study. Surg Radiol Anat 36, 125–135 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1160-y

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