PURPOSE: To identify the brain centers associated with visually evoked sexual arousal in the human brain, and to investigate the neural mechanism for sexual arousal using functional MRI (fMRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 sexually potent volunteers consisting of 10 males (mean age: 24) and 10 females (mean age: 23) underwent fMRI on a 1.5 T MR scanner (GE Signa Horizon). The fMRI data were obtained from 7 slices (10 mm slice thickness) parallel to the AC-PC (anterior commissure and posterior commissure) line, giving a total of 511 MR images. The sexual stimulation consisted of a 1-minute rest with black screen, followed by a 4-minute stimulation by an erotic video film, and concluded with a 2-minute rest. The brain activation maps and their quantification were analyzed by the statistical parametric mapping (SPM 99) program. RESULTS: The brain activation regions associated with visual sexual arousal in the limbic system are the posterior cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, hypothalamus, medial cingulate gyrus, thalamus, amygdala, anterior cingulate gyrus, insula, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus and putamen. Especially, the parahippocampal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, thalamus and hypothalamus were highly activated in comparison with other areas. The overall activities of the limbic lobe, diencephalon, and basal ganglia were 11.8%, 10.5%, and 3.4%, respectively. In the correlation test between brain activity and sexual arousal, the hypothalamus and thalamus showed positive correlation, but the other brain areas showed no correlation. CONCLUSION: The fMRI is useful to quantitatively evaluate the cerebral activation associated with visually evoked, sexual arousal in the human brain. This result may be helpful by providing clinically valuable information on sexual disorder in humans as well as by increasing the understanding of the neuroanatomical correlates of sexual arousal.
Amygdala ; Arousal* ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Caudate Nucleus ; Diencephalon ; Female ; Globus Pallidus ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; Hypothalamus, Middle ; Limbic System* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Parahippocampal Gyrus ; Putamen ; Thalamus ; Volunteers

The distributions and morphological characteristics of neurons displaying immunoreactivity to the catecholamine synthetic enzymes, tyrosine hydroxylase[TH], dopamine-beta-hydroxylase[DBH], and phenyletha-nolamine-N-methyltransferase[PNMT] were examined in the adjacent sections of the diencephalon of the striped field mouse [Apodemus agrarius coreae].Only TH-, and no DBH- or PNMT-immunoreactive neurons were found in the diencephalon. In the preoptic area, TH-immunoreactive neurons were found in the anterior preoptic nucleus of Loo[APN], periventricular preoptic nucleus, medial preoptic nucleus, lateral preoptic nucleus and suprachiasmatic nucleus. In the hypothalamus, TH-immunoreactive neurons were found in theparaventricular hypothalamic nucleus, periventricular gray, retrochiasmatic area,anterior hypothalamic nucleus of anterior hypothalamic area and retrochiasmatic region of the hypothalamus. In the rostral tuberal region of the hypothalamus, TH-immunoreactive neurons were found in the paraventricular nucleus, periventricular gray and arcuate nucleus. In the midtuberal region of the hypothalamus, TH-immunoreactive neurons were found in the paraventricular nucleus, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, zona incerta and arcuate nucleus. In the caudal tuberal region of the hypothalamus, dorsal hypothalamic nucleus, posterior hypothalamic complex and arcuate nucleus.
Animals ; Anterior Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Arcuate Nucleus ; Diencephalon* ; Dopaminergic Neurons* ; Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Hypothalamus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Preoptic Area ; Subthalamus ; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus ; Tyrosine

OBJECTIVE: To investigate association between lesion location on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed after an infarction and the duration of dysphagia in middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. METHODS: A videofluoroscopic swallowing study was performed for 59 patients with dysphagia who were diagnosed as cerebral infarction of the MCA territory confirmed by brain MRI. Lesions were divided into 11 regions of interest: primary somatosensory cortex, primary motor cortex, supplementary motor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, parieto-occipital cortex, insular cortex, posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), thalamus, basal ganglia (caudate nucleus), and basal ganglia (putamen). Recovery time was defined as the period from the first day of L-tube feeding to the day that rice porridge with thickening agent was prescribed. Recovery time and brain lesion patterns were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean recovery time of all patients was 26.71±16.39 days. The mean recovery time was 36.65±15.83 days in patients with PLIC lesions and 32.6±17.27 days in patients with caudate nucleus lesions. Only these two groups showed longer recovery time than the average recovery time for all patients. One-way analysis of variance for recovery time showed significant differences between patients with and without lesions in PLIC and caudate (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Injury to both PLIC and caudate nucleus is associated with longer recovery time from dysphagia.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Caudate Nucleus ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cerebral Infarction ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; Extremities ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Humans ; Infarction ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Internal Capsule ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Motor Cortex ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Somatosensory Cortex ; Thalamus

Bartha strain of pseudorabies virus[PRV-Ba] was utilized as a tracer to identify the neuronal axis of rat tongue muscles ; intrinsic muscles and extrinsic muscles, styloglossus, genioglossus, and hyoglossus muscle. After injection of 10 microliter of PRV-Ba into tongue muscles and 48-96 hours survivals, rats were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde lysine periodate and brains were removed. PRV-Ba were localized in neural circuits by immunohistochemistry employing rabbit anti PRV-Ba as a primary antibody and ABC method. Injection of PRV-Ba into the tongue muscles resulted in uptake and retrograde transport of PRV-Ba in the rat brain. The result showed a circuit specific connection of many nerve cell groups along the time sequence : PRV-Ba immunoreactive cells appeared in hypoglossal nucleus and motor trigeminal nucleus ipsilaterally as seen with conventional tracers. Raphe nucleus, prepositus hypoglossal nucleus, spinal trigeminal nucleus, Al, A5 and facial nucleus of rhombencephalon showed immunoreactivity bilaterally. There were positive neurons in parabrachial nucleus, locus ceruleus, mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus, periaqueductal gray and A7 of mesencephalon and paraventricular nucleus, suprachiasmatic nucleus, organum vasculosum of lamina terminalis of diencephalon. Also positive reactions were showed in amygdala, insular cortex, frontal cortex and subfornical organ in telencephalon. Early immunoreactivity was appeared in hypoglossal nucleus and motor trigeminal nucleus, and there were positive neurons in the nuclei of the medulla oblongate, midbrain, pons, hypothalamus, cerebellum and medial preoptic area at middle stage. Subsequently the viral antigens were found in forebrain cell groups, paraventricular nuclei, suprachiasmatic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area and primary motor cortex in frontal lobe bilaterally at 80-90hrs postinjection. These data demonstrate that the PRV-Ba can across synapses in the central nervous system with projection specific pattern, and this virus defines many elements of the neural network governing tongue. Therefore PRV-Ba are proved as a excellent neurotracer in the tract-tracing researches.
Amygdala ; Animals ; Antigens, Viral ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebellum ; Diencephalon ; Frontal Lobe ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Hypothalamus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Locus Coeruleus ; Lysine ; Mesencephalon ; Motor Cortex ; Muscles ; Neural Pathways* ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Periaqueductal Gray ; Pons ; Preoptic Area ; Prosencephalon ; Pseudorabies ; Raphe Nuclei ; Rats* ; Rhombencephalon ; Subfornical Organ ; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus ; Synapses ; Telencephalon ; Tongue* ; Trigeminal Nuclei ; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a neuropeptide, isolated from porcine brain that is homologous with atriopeptin. Magnocellular neurosecretory cells located in the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus synthesize and secrete neurohormones. The purpose of this study was to investigate distribution of BNP immunoreactivity throughout the rat hypothalamus from the day of birth to 30 days and adult using immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescent staining. The first BNP immunoreactive neurons appeared in the paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus at P10. In adult, BNP immunoreactivity was widely distributed throughout regions of the hypothalamus including dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, arcuate nucleus and internal layer of median eminence. The intensity of BNP immunoreactivity was weak in almost all hypothalamic nuclei except the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. BNP immunoreactivity was first observed in the lateral hypothalamic area at P15. In retrochiasmatic supraoptic nucleus, BNP immunoreactivity was first observed at P20 and remarkably distributed in adult. In the present study, distinct localization of BNP immunoreactivity was in the hypothalamic cell bodies and fibers. Although the role of BNP in the brain is yet to be determined, these results indicate that BNP in the neurons of hypothalamus play important role in the regulation of a variety of neurosecretory functions as a neuromodulator during postnatal development of the hypothalamus.
Adult ; Animals ; Arcuate Nucleus ; Brain* ; Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Humans ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Hypothalamus* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Median Eminence ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Neurons* ; Neuropeptides ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Parturition ; Rats* ; Supraoptic Nucleus ; Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a neuropeptide, isolated from porcine brain that is homologous with atriopeptin. Magnocellular neurosecretory cells located in the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus synthesize and secrete neurohormones. The purpose of this study was to investigate distribution of BNP immunoreactivity throughout the rat hypothalamus from the day of birth to 30 days and adult using immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescent staining. The first BNP immunoreactive neurons appeared in the paraventricular and supraoptic nucleus at P10. In adult, BNP immunoreactivity was widely distributed throughout regions of the hypothalamus including dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, arcuate nucleus and internal layer of median eminence. The intensity of BNP immunoreactivity was weak in almost all hypothalamic nuclei except the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. BNP immunoreactivity was first observed in the lateral hypothalamic area at P15. In retrochiasmatic supraoptic nucleus, BNP immunoreactivity was first observed at P20 and remarkably distributed in adult. In the present study, distinct localization of BNP immunoreactivity was in the hypothalamic cell bodies and fibers. Although the role of BNP in the brain is yet to be determined, these results indicate that BNP in the neurons of hypothalamus play important role in the regulation of a variety of neurosecretory functions as a neuromodulator during postnatal development of the hypothalamus.
Adult ; Animals ; Arcuate Nucleus ; Brain* ; Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Humans ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Hypothalamus* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Median Eminence ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Neurons* ; Neuropeptides ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Parturition ; Rats* ; Supraoptic Nucleus ; Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus

This experimental studies was to investigate the location of CNS labeled neurons following injection of pseudorabies virus (PRV), Bartha strain, into the rat thymus. After survival times of 96~120 hours following injection of PRV, the rats were perfused, and their spinal cord and brain were frozen sectioned(30micrometer). These sections were stained by PRV immunohistochemical staining method, and observed with light microscope The results were as follows: 1. The PRV labeled spinal cord segments projecting to the rat thymus were founded in cervical and thoracic segments. Densely labeled areas of each spinal cord segment were founded in lamina V, VII, X, intermediolateral nucleus and dorsal nucleus. 2. In the rhombencephalon, PRV labeled neurons projecting to the thymus were founded in the A1 noradrenalin cells/C1 adrenalin cells/caudoventrolateral reticular nucleus, rostroventro-lateral reticular nucleus, medullary reticular nucleus, area postrema, nucleus solitary tract, nucleus raphe obscurus, nucleus raphe pallidus, nucleus raphe magnus, gigantocellular reticular nucleus, lateral paragigantocellular nucleus and spinal trigeminal nucleus. 3. In the mesencephalon, PRV labeled neurons were founded in parabrachial nucleus, Kolliker-Fuse nucleus, central gray matter, substantia nigra, nucleus dorsal raphe, A8 dopamin cells of retrorubral field, Edinger-Westphal nucleus, locus coeruleus, subcoeruleus nucleus and A5 noradrenalin cells. 4. In the prosencephalon, PRV labeled neurons were founded in reuniens thalamic nucleus, paraventricular thalamic nucleus, precommissural nucleus, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, anterior hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic nucleus, preoptic hypothalamic nucleus, retrochiasmatic area, arcuate nucleus, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. These results suggest that PRV labeled neurons of the spinal cord projecting to the rat thymus might be the neurons related to the viscero-somatic sensory and sympathetic preganglionic neurons, and PRV labeled neurons of the brain may be the neurons response to the movement of smooth muscle in blood vessels. These PRV labeled neurons may be central autonomic center related to the integration and modulation of reflex control linked to the sensory system monitoring the internal environment. These observations provide evidence for previously unknown projections from spinal cord and brain to the thymus which may be play an important role in the regulation of thymic function.
Animals ; Anterior Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Arcuate Nucleus ; Area Postrema ; Blood Vessels ; Brain ; Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid* ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Immunohistochemistry ; Locus Coeruleus ; Mesencephalon ; Midline Thalamic Nuclei ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neurons* ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Prosencephalon ; Pseudorabies* ; Rats* ; Reflex ; Rhombencephalon ; Spinal Cord ; Substantia Nigra ; Thymus Gland* ; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal ; Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus

PURPOSE: Neonatal cranial sonongraphy performed through the mastoid fontanelle is more useful to evaluate the peripheral structures at the convexity of the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem rather than that performed through the anterior fontanelle. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the anatomy of the extracerebral CSF space and brainstem and to suggest appropriate scan planes for performing neonatal cranial sonography through the mastoid fontanelle using MRI and multiplanar reconstruction programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A neonate with normal features on ultrasonography and good image quality on MRI, including the 3D-SPGR axial scans, was selected. We made the reconstructed MR images corresponding to the sonongraphic planes and the anatomic models of the neonatal cranial sonographic images by using axial MRI as the standard reference on the same screen. We demonstrated the sonographic images at the levels of the body of the caudate nucleus and lentiform nucleus, the head of the caudate nucleus and thalamus, the third ventricle and midbrain, and the midbrain and cerebellar vermis on the oblique axial scans. Four oblique coronal images at the levels of the periventricular white matter, basal ganglia, thalamus and tentorium were also obtained. RESULTS: We illustrated the anatomic atlas with including four oblique axial scans and four oblique coronal scans that corresponded to the neonatal cranial sonographic images through the mastoid fontanelle. CONCLUSION: We objectively analyzed the anatomy of the extracerebral CSF space and brainstem by using MRI and multiplanar reconstruction programs and we provided the standardized sonographic scan planes through the mastoid fontanelle. This study will be very helpful for evaluating the abnormalities of the peripheral structures at the convexity of the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Caudate Nucleus ; Cerebrum ; Corpus Striatum ; Cranial Fontanelles ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; Head ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mastoid ; Mesencephalon ; Models, Anatomic ; Thalamus ; Third Ventricle

A current hypothesis of sleep-wake regulation proposes that the sleep process starts with the activation of sleep-promoting neurons located in the preoptic area of the anterior hypothalamus. This activation leads to the inhibition of wake-promoting neurons located in the posterior hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and mesopontine tegmentum, which, in turn removes inhibition from the sleep-promoting structures(i.e., disinhibition) to initiate the sleep process. Mutual inhibition between these wake- and sleep-promoting neurons results in switching properties that define discrete wakeful and sleep states with sharp transitions between them. Wake-promoting nuclei include the orexinergic lateral hypothalamic/perifornical area, the histaminergic tuberomammillary nucleus, the cholinergic pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, the noradrenergic locus coeruleus, the 5-hydroxytryptaminergic raphe nuclei, and possibly the dopaminergic ventral tegmental area. The major sleep-promoting nucleus is the GABAergic ventrolateral preoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus. The regulation of sleep is classically viewed as the dual interaction of circadian(SCN-based) and homeostatic processes, and the propensity to be asleep or awake at any given time is a consequence of a sleep debt and its interaction with signals from the SCN circadian clock. To better understand the mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness, the focus of pharmacotherapy is on targeting specific therapies to the particular defect in sleep-wake regulation.
Circadian Clocks ; Circadian Rhythm ; Drug Therapy* ; Hypothalamic Area, Lateral ; Hypothalamus ; Hypothalamus, Anterior ; Hypothalamus, Posterior ; Locus Coeruleus ; Neuroanatomy* ; Neurons ; Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus ; Preoptic Area ; Prosencephalon ; Raphe Nuclei ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Ventral Tegmental Area ; Wakefulness

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study are to identify the brain centers whose activity changes are related to sexually arousing visual stimuli and to identify the difference between young and middle-aged males by mapping the brain activity with using blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten young heterosexual, right handed males with normal sexual function (mean age: 27 years, age range: 24 to 31) and ten middle-aged heterosexual, right handed males with normal sexual function (mean age: 52 years, age range: 46 to 55) were enrolled into this study. Real-time visual stimulation was performed with the subjects alternatively viewing erotic and non-erotic films to identify the activated brain regions associated with sexual response. Assessments with using a five-point scale were determined after visual stimulation to evaluate the subjective sexual arousal. Brain activity was mapped by performing BOLD-fMRI on a 1.5T MR scanner. After functional scanning, the high-resolution data was analyzed with the SPM analyzing program; the significance of activation was set at p<0.01 or p<0.001. RESULTS: The parietal lobe, frontal lobe, cingulate gyrus, caudate nucleus, thalamus and hypothalamus were noted as the areas of activation specifically associated with viewing the erotic film segments by the young males. For the middle-aged males, these areas were the parietal lobe, frontal lobe, right temporal lobe, cingulate gyrus and caudate nucleus. The thalamus and hypothalamus were activated in only the young males. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the non-activation of the hypothalamus and thalamus in middle-aged males may be associated with the lesser physiological arousal in response to the erotic visual stimuli. The non-invasive visualization of the central nervous system by functional MRI in healthy males has shown the possibility for evaluating the neuroanatomy of the brain that is associated with sexual arousal and its clinical application by comparing young and middle-aged males.
Arousal ; Brain* ; Caudate Nucleus ; Central Nervous System ; Frontal Lobe ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Hand ; Heterosexuality ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male* ; Neuroanatomy ; Oxygen ; Parietal Lobe ; Photic Stimulation ; Temporal Lobe ; Thalamus