The Upper Ascending Reticular Activating System between Intralaminar Thalamic Nuclei and Cerebral Cortex in the Human Brain.
10.18857/jkpt.2017.29.3.109
- Author:
Sungho JANG
1
;
Soyoung KWAK
Author Information
1. Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea. soyoung.kwak@daum.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Ascending reticular activating system;
Diffusion tensor imaging;
Thalamus;
Intralaminar nuclei;
Consciousness
- MeSH:
Anisotropy;
Brain*;
Cerebral Cortex*;
Consciousness;
Diffusion Tensor Imaging;
Extremities;
Healthy Volunteers;
Humans*;
Internal Capsule;
Intralaminar Thalamic Nuclei*;
Motor Cortex;
Parietal Lobe;
Prefrontal Cortex;
Somatosensory Cortex;
Thalamus
- From:
Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
2017;29(3):109-114
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) is responsible for regulation of consciousness. In this study, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), we attempted to reconstruct the thalamocortical projections between the intralaminar thalamic nuclei and the frontoparietal cortex in normal subjects. METHODS: DTI data were acquired in 24 healthy subjects and eight kinds of thalamocortical projections were reconstructed: the seed region of interest (ROI) - the intralaminar thalamic nuclei and the eight target ROIs - the medial prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, premotor cortex, primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and posterior parietal cortex. RESULTS: The eight thalamocortical projections were reconstructed in each hemisphere and the pathways were visualized: projections to the prefrontal cortex ascended through the anterior limb and genu of the internal capsule and anterior corona radiata. Projections to the premotor cortex passed through the genu and posterior limb of the internal capsule and middle corona radiata; in contrast, projections to the primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and posterior parietal cortex ascended through the posterior limb of the internal capsule. No significant difference in fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and fiber volume of all reconstructed thalamocortical projections was observed between the right and left hemispheres (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We reconstructed the thalamocortical projections between the intralaminar thalamic nuclei and the frontoparietal cortex in normal subjects. We believe that our findings would be useful to clinicians involved in the care of patients with impaired consciousness and for researchers in studies of the ARAS.
