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Gao C, Wu X, Wang Y, Li G, Ma L, Wang C, Xie S, Chu C, Madsen KH, Hou Z, Fan L. Prior-guided individualized thalamic parcellation based on local diffusion characteristics. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26646. [PMID: 38433705 PMCID: PMC10910286 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Comprising numerous subnuclei, the thalamus intricately interconnects the cortex and subcortex, orchestrating various facets of brain functions. Extracting personalized parcellation patterns for these subnuclei is crucial, as different thalamic nuclei play varying roles in cognition and serve as therapeutic targets for neuromodulation. However, accurately delineating the thalamic nuclei boundary at the individual level is challenging due to intersubject variability. In this study, we proposed a prior-guided parcellation (PG-par) method to achieve robust individualized thalamic parcellation based on a central-boundary prior. We first constructed probabilistic atlas of thalamic nuclei using high-quality diffusion MRI datasets based on the local diffusion characteristics. Subsequently, high-probability voxels in the probabilistic atlas were utilized as prior guidance to train unique multiple classification models for each subject based on a multilayer perceptron. Finally, we employed the trained model to predict the parcellation labels for thalamic voxels and construct individualized thalamic parcellation. Through a test-retest assessment, the proposed prior-guided individualized thalamic parcellation exhibited excellent reproducibility and the capacity to detect individual variability. Compared with group atlas registration and individual clustering parcellation, the proposed PG-par demonstrated superior parcellation performance under different scanning protocols and clinic settings. Furthermore, the prior-guided individualized parcellation exhibited better correspondence with the histological staining atlas. The proposed prior-guided individualized thalamic parcellation method contributes to the personalized modeling of brain parcellation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaohong Gao
- Sino‐Danish CollegeSino‐Danish Center for Education and ResearchUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer ScienceTechnical University of DenmarkKongens LyngbyDenmark
| | - Xia Wu
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yaping Wang
- Sino‐Danish CollegeSino‐Danish Center for Education and ResearchUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer ScienceTechnical University of DenmarkKongens LyngbyDenmark
| | - Gang Li
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Liang Ma
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Changshuo Wang
- Sino‐Danish CollegeSino‐Danish Center for Education and ResearchUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Sangma Xie
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation, School of AutomationHangzhou Dianzi UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Congying Chu
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Kristoffer Hougaard Madsen
- Sino‐Danish CollegeSino‐Danish Center for Education and ResearchUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer ScienceTechnical University of DenmarkKongens LyngbyDenmark
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and ResearchCopenhagen University Hospital—Amager and HvidovreHvidovreDenmark
| | - Zhongyu Hou
- Department of Medical ImagingShandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical UniversityJinanChina
| | - Lingzhong Fan
- Sino‐Danish CollegeSino‐Danish Center for Education and ResearchUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of AutomationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- School of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of Health and Rehabilitation SciencesQingdaoShandongChina
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Patriat R, Palnitkar T, Chandrasekaran J, Sretavan K, Braun H, Yacoub E, McGovern RA, Aman J, Cooper SE, Vitek JL, Harel N. DiMANI: diffusion MRI for anatomical nuclei imaging-Application for the direct visualization of thalamic subnuclei. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1324710. [PMID: 38439939 PMCID: PMC10910100 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1324710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The thalamus is a centrally located and heterogeneous brain structure that plays a critical role in various sensory, motor, and cognitive processes. However, visualizing the individual subnuclei of the thalamus using conventional MRI techniques is challenging. This difficulty has posed obstacles in targeting specific subnuclei for clinical interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). In this paper, we present DiMANI, a novel method for directly visualizing the thalamic subnuclei using diffusion MRI (dMRI). The DiMANI contrast is computed by averaging, voxelwise, diffusion-weighted volumes enabling the direct distinction of thalamic subnuclei in individuals. We evaluated the reproducibility of DiMANI through multiple approaches. First, we utilized a unique dataset comprising 8 scans of a single participant collected over a 3-year period. Secondly, we quantitatively assessed manual segmentations of thalamic subnuclei for both intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. Thirdly, we qualitatively correlated DiMANI imaging data from several patients with Essential Tremor with the localization of implanted DBS electrodes and clinical observations. Lastly, we demonstrated that DiMANI can provide similar features at 3T and 7T MRI, using varying numbers of diffusion directions. Our results establish that DiMANI is a reproducible and clinically relevant method to directly visualize thalamic subnuclei. This has significant implications for the development of new DBS targets and the optimization of DBS therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Patriat
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Tara Palnitkar
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jayashree Chandrasekaran
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Karianne Sretavan
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Henry Braun
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Essa Yacoub
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Robert A. McGovern
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Joshua Aman
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Scott E. Cooper
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jerrold L. Vitek
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Noam Harel
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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Vidal JP, Danet L, Péran P, Pariente J, Cuadra MB, Zahr NM, Barbeau EJ, Saranathan M. Robust thalamic nuclei segmentation from T1-weighted MRI using polynomial intensity transformation. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.01.30.24301606. [PMID: 38352493 PMCID: PMC10862991 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.24301606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Accurate segmentation of thalamic nuclei, crucial for understanding their role in healthy cognition and in pathologies, is challenging to achieve on standard T1-weighted (T1w) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to poor image contrast. White-matter-nulled (WMn) MRI sequences improve intrathalamic contrast but are not part of clinical protocols or extant databases. In this study, we introduce histogram-based polynomial synthesis (HIPS), a fast preprocessing transform step that synthesizes WMn-like image contrast from standard T1w MRI using a polynomial approximation for intensity transformation. HIPS was incorporated into THalamus Optimized Multi-Atlas Segmentation (THOMAS) pipeline, a method developed and optimized for WMn MRI. HIPS-THOMAS was compared to a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based segmentation method and THOMAS modified for T1w images (T1w-THOMAS). The robustness and accuracy of the three methods were tested across different image contrasts (MPRAGE, SPGR, and MP2RAGE), scanner manufacturers (PHILIPS, GE, and Siemens), and field strengths (3T and 7T). HIPS-transformed images improved intra-thalamic contrast and thalamic boundaries, and HIPS-THOMAS yielded significantly higher mean Dice coefficients and reduced volume errors compared to both the CNN method and T1w-THOMAS. Finally, all three methods were compared using the frequently travelling human phantom MRI dataset for inter- and intra-scanner variability, with HIPS displaying the least inter-scanner variability and performing comparably with T1w-THOMAS for intra-scanner variability. In conclusion, our findings highlight the efficacy and robustness of HIPS in enhancing thalamic nuclei segmentation from standard T1w MRI.
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Yang W, Niu H, Jin Y, Cui J, Li M, Qiu Y, Lu D, Li G, Li J. Altered dynamic functional connectivity of the thalamus subregions in patients with schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 167:86-92. [PMID: 37862908 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous neuroimaging studies indicated that patients with schizophrenia showed impaired thalamus and thalamo-cortical circuits. However, the dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) patterns of the thalamus remain unclear. In this study, we explored the dFC of the thalamus in SZ patients and whether clinical features are correlated with altered dFC. METHODS Forty-three patients with schizophrenia and 31 healthy controls underwent 3.0 T rs-fMRI. Based on the human Brainnetome atlas, the thalamus is divided into 8 subregions. Subsequently, we performed flexible least squares method to calculate the dFC of each thalamus subregions. RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, patients with schizophrenia exhibited increased dFC between the thalamus and cerebellar, visual-related cortex, sensorimotor-related cortex, and frontal lobe. In addition, we found that the dFC of the thalamus and the right fusiform gyrus was negatively associated with age of onset. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrated that the dFC of specific thalamus sub-regions is altered in patients with schizophrenia. Our results further suggested the dysconnectivity of thalamus plays an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiliang Yang
- Tianjin Anding Hospital, Mental Health Center of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300222, China
| | - Huiming Niu
- The Third People's Hospital of Tianshui, Tianshui, 741000, China
| | - Yiqiong Jin
- The Third People's Hospital of Tianshui, Tianshui, 741000, China
| | - Jie Cui
- The Third People's Hospital of Tianshui, Tianshui, 741000, China
| | - Meijuan Li
- Tianjin Anding Hospital, Mental Health Center of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300222, China
| | - Yuying Qiu
- Tianjin Anding Hospital, Mental Health Center of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300222, China
| | - Duihong Lu
- The Third People's Hospital of Tianshui, Tianshui, 741000, China
| | - Gang Li
- The Third People's Hospital of Tianshui, Tianshui, 741000, China
| | - Jie Li
- Tianjin Anding Hospital, Mental Health Center of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300222, China.
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Boeken OJ, Cieslik EC, Langner R, Markett S. Characterizing functional modules in the human thalamus: coactivation-based parcellation and systems-level functional decoding. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:1811-1834. [PMID: 36547707 PMCID: PMC10516793 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02603-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The human thalamus relays sensory signals to the cortex and facilitates brain-wide communication. The thalamus is also more directly involved in sensorimotor and various cognitive functions but a full characterization of its functional repertoire, particularly in regard to its internal anatomical structure, is still outstanding. As a putative hub in the human connectome, the thalamus might reveal its functional profile only in conjunction with interconnected brain areas. We therefore developed a novel systems-level Bayesian reverse inference decoding that complements the traditional neuroinformatics approach towards a network account of thalamic function. The systems-level decoding considers the functional repertoire (i.e., the terms associated with a brain region) of all regions showing co-activations with a predefined seed region in a brain-wide fashion. Here, we used task-constrained meta-analytic connectivity-based parcellation (MACM-CBP) to identify thalamic subregions as seed regions and applied the systems-level decoding to these subregions in conjunction with functionally connected cortical regions. Our results confirm thalamic structure-function relationships known from animal and clinical studies and revealed further associations with language, memory, and locomotion that have not been detailed in the cognitive neuroscience literature before. The systems-level decoding further uncovered large systems engaged in autobiographical memory and nociception. We propose this novel decoding approach as a useful tool to detect previously unknown structure-function relationships at the brain network level, and to build viable starting points for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ole J Boeken
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Molecular Psychology, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 18, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Edna C Cieslik
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Langner
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Markett
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Molecular Psychology, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 18, 12489, Berlin, Germany
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Funk AT, Hassan AAO, Brüggemann N, Sharma N, Breiter HC, Blood AJ, Waugh JL. In humans, striato-pallido-thalamic projections are largely segregated by their origin in either the striosome-like or matrix-like compartments. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1178473. [PMID: 37954873 PMCID: PMC10634229 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1178473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) loops are fundamental organizing units in mammalian brains. CSTCs process limbic, associative, and sensorimotor information in largely separated but interacting networks. CTSC loops pass through paired striatal compartments, striosome (aka patch) and matrix, segregated pools of medium spiny projection neurons with distinct embryologic origins, cortical/subcortical structural connectivity, susceptibility to injury, and roles in behaviors and diseases. Similarly, striatal dopamine modulates activity in striosome and matrix in opposite directions. Routing CSTCs through one compartment may be an anatomical basis for regulating discrete functions. We used differential structural connectivity, identified through probabilistic diffusion tractography, to distinguish the striatal compartments (striosome-like and matrix-like voxels) in living humans. We then mapped compartment-specific projections and quantified structural connectivity between each striatal compartment, the globus pallidus interna (GPi), and 20 thalamic nuclei in 221 healthy adults. We found that striosome-originating and matrix-originating streamlines were segregated within the GPi: striosome-like connectivity was significantly more rostral, ventral, and medial. Striato-pallido-thalamic streamline bundles that were seeded from striosome-like and matrix-like voxels transited spatially distinct portions of the white matter. Matrix-like streamlines were 5.7-fold more likely to reach the GPi, replicating animal tract-tracing studies. Striosome-like connectivity dominated in six thalamic nuclei (anteroventral, central lateral, laterodorsal, lateral posterior, mediodorsal-medial, and medial geniculate). Matrix-like connectivity dominated in seven thalamic nuclei (centromedian, parafascicular, pulvinar-anterior, pulvinar-lateral, ventral lateral-anterior, ventral lateral-posterior, ventral posterolateral). Though we mapped all thalamic nuclei independently, functionally-related nuclei were matched for compartment-level bias. We validated these results with prior thalamostriate tract tracing studies in non-human primates and other species; where reliable data was available, all agreed with our measures of structural connectivity. Matrix-like connectivity was lateralized (left > right hemisphere) in 18 thalamic nuclei, independent of handedness, diffusion protocol, sex, or whether the nucleus was striosome-dominated or matrix-dominated. Compartment-specific biases in striato-pallido-thalamic structural connectivity suggest that routing CSTC loops through striosome-like or matrix-like voxels is a fundamental mechanism for organizing and regulating brain networks. Our MRI-based assessments of striato-thalamic connectivity in humans match and extend the results of prior tract tracing studies in animals. Compartment-level characterization may improve localization of human neuropathologies and improve neurosurgical targeting in the GPi and thalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian T. Funk
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Asim A. O. Hassan
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Norbert Brüggemann
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Nutan Sharma
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Hans C. Breiter
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Genetics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Warren Wright Adolescent Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anne J. Blood
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Genetics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Mood and Motor Control Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Jeff L. Waugh
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, United States
- Mood and Motor Control Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Oldham S, Ball G. A phylogenetically-conserved axis of thalamocortical connectivity in the human brain. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6032. [PMID: 37758726 PMCID: PMC10533558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41722-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The thalamus enables key sensory, motor, emotive, and cognitive processes via connections to the cortex. These projection patterns are traditionally considered to originate from discrete thalamic nuclei, however recent work showing gradients of molecular and connectivity features in the thalamus suggests the organisation of thalamocortical connections occurs along a continuous dimension. By performing a joint decomposition of densely sampled gene expression and non-invasive diffusion tractography in the adult human thalamus, we define a principal axis of genetic and connectomic variation along a medial-lateral thalamic gradient. Projections along this axis correspond to an anterior-posterior cortical pattern and are aligned with electrophysiological properties of the cortex. The medial-lateral axis demonstrates phylogenetic conservation, reflects transitions in neuronal subtypes, and shows associations with neurodevelopment and common brain disorders. This study provides evidence for a supra-nuclear axis of thalamocortical organisation characterised by a graded transition in molecular properties and anatomical connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Oldham
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Gareth Ball
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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8
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Gaddis A, Lidstone DE, Nebel MB, Griffiths RR, Mostofsky SH, Mejia AF, Barrett FS. Psilocybin induces spatially constrained alterations in thalamic functional organizaton and connectivity. Neuroimage 2022; 260:119434. [PMID: 35792293 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, and other serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists evoke acute alterations in perception and cognition. Altered thalamocortical connectivity has been hypothesized to underlie these effects, which is supported by some functional MRI (fMRI) studies. These studies have treated the thalamus as a unitary structure, despite known differential 5-HT2AR expression and functional specificity of different intrathalamic nuclei. Independent Component Analysis (ICA) has been previously used to identify reliable group-level functional subdivisions of the thalamus from resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) data. We build on these efforts with a novel data-maximizing ICA-based approach to examine psilocybin-induced changes in intrathalamic functional organization and thalamocortical connectivity in individual participants. METHODS Baseline rsfMRI data (n=38) from healthy individuals with a long-term meditation practice was utilized to generate a statistical template of thalamic functional subdivisions. This template was then applied in a novel ICA-based analysis of the acute effects of psilocybin on intra- and extra-thalamic functional organization and connectivity in follow-up scans from a subset of the same individuals (n=18). We examined correlations with subjective reports of drug effect and compared with a previously reported analytic approach (treating the thalamus as a single functional unit). RESULTS Several intrathalamic components showed significant psilocybin-induced alterations in spatial organization, with effects of psilocybin largely localized to the mediodorsal and pulvinar nuclei. The magnitude of changes in individual participants correlated with reported subjective effects. These components demonstrated predominant decreases in thalamocortical connectivity, largely with visual and default mode networks. Analysis in which the thalamus is treated as a singular unitary structure showed an overall numerical increase in thalamocortical connectivity, consistent with previous literature using this approach, but this increase did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS We utilized a novel analytic approach to discover psilocybin-induced changes in intra- and extra-thalamic functional organization and connectivity of intrathalamic nuclei and cortical networks known to express the 5-HT2AR. These changes were not observed using whole-thalamus analyses, suggesting that psilocybin may cause widespread but modest increases in thalamocortical connectivity that are offset by strong focal decreases in functionally relevant intrathalamic nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Gaddis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Daniel E Lidstone
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mary Beth Nebel
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Roland R Griffiths
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Stewart H Mostofsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Amanda F Mejia
- Department of Statistics, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Frederick S Barrett
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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9
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Pfefferbaum A, Sullivan EV, Zahr NM, Pohl KM, Saranathan M. Multi-atlas thalamic nuclei segmentation on standard T1-weighed MRI with application to normal aging. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 44:612-628. [PMID: 36181510 PMCID: PMC9842912 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Specific thalamic nuclei are implicated in healthy aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. However, few methods are available for robust automated segmentation of thalamic nuclei. The threefold aims of this study were to validate the use of a modified thalamic nuclei segmentation method on standard T1 MRI data, to apply this method to quantify age-related volume declines, and to test functional meaningfulness by predicting performance on motor testing. A modified version of THalamus Optimized Multi-Atlas Segmentation (THOMAS) generated 22 unilateral thalamic nuclei. For validation, we compared nuclear volumes obtained from THOMAS parcellation of white-matter-nulled (WMn) MRI data to T1 MRI data in 45 participants. To examine the effects of age/sex on thalamic nuclear volumes, T1 MRI available from a second data set of 121 men and 117 women, ages 20-86 years, were segmented using THOMAS. To test for functional ramifications, composite regions and constituent nuclei were correlated with Grooved Pegboard test scores. THOMAS on standard T1 data showed significant quantitative agreement with THOMAS from WMn data, especially for larger nuclei. Sex differences revealing larger volumes in men than women were accounted for by adjustment with supratentorial intracranial volume (sICV). Significant sICV-adjusted correlations between age and thalamic nuclear volumes were detected in 20 of the 22 unilateral nuclei and whole thalamus. Composite Posterior and Ventral regions and Ventral Anterior/Pulvinar nuclei correlated selectively with higher scores from the eye-hand coordination task. These results support the use of THOMAS for standard T1-weighted data as adequately robust for thalamic nuclear parcellation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Center for Health SciencesSRI InternationalMenlo ParkCaliforniaUSA,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Edith V. Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Natalie M. Zahr
- Center for Health SciencesSRI InternationalMenlo ParkCaliforniaUSA,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Kilian M. Pohl
- Center for Health SciencesSRI InternationalMenlo ParkCaliforniaUSA,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Manojkumar Saranathan
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
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10
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In-vivo data-driven parcellation of Heschl's gyrus using structural connectivity. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11292. [PMID: 35788143 PMCID: PMC9253310 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15083-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The human auditory cortex around Heschl’s gyrus (HG) exhibits diverging patterns across individuals owing to the heterogeneity of its substructures. In this study, we investigated the subregions of the human auditory cortex using data-driven machine-learning techniques at the individual level and assessed their structural and functional profiles. We studied an openly accessible large dataset of the Human Connectome Project and identified the subregions of the HG in humans using data-driven clustering techniques with individually calculated imaging features of cortical folding and structural connectivity information obtained via diffusion magnetic resonance imaging tractography. We characterized the structural and functional profiles of each HG subregion according to the cortical morphology, microstructure, and functional connectivity at rest. We found three subregions. The first subregion (HG1) occupied the central portion of HG, the second subregion (HG2) occupied the medial-posterior-superior part of HG, and the third subregion (HG3) occupied the lateral-anterior-inferior part of HG. The HG3 exhibited strong structural and functional connectivity to the association and paralimbic areas, and the HG1 exhibited a higher myelin density and larger cortical thickness than other subregions. A functional gradient analysis revealed a gradual axis expanding from the HG2 to the HG3. Our findings clarify the individually varying structural and functional organization of human HG subregions and provide insights into the substructures of the human auditory cortex.
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Convolutional Neural Network Based Frameworks for Fast Automatic Segmentation of Thalamic Nuclei from Native and Synthesized Contrast Structural MRI. Neuroinformatics 2022; 20:651-664. [PMID: 34626333 PMCID: PMC8993941 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-021-09544-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Thalamic nuclei have been implicated in several neurological diseases. Thalamic nuclei parcellation from structural MRI is challenging due to poor intra-thalamic nuclear contrast while methods based on diffusion and functional MRI are affected by limited spatial resolution and image distortion. Existing multi-atlas based techniques are often computationally intensive and time-consuming. In this work, we propose a 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) based framework for thalamic nuclei parcellation using T1-weighted Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo (MPRAGE) images. Transformation of images to an efficient representation has been proposed to improve the performance of subsequent classification tasks especially when working with limited labeled data. We investigate this by transforming the MPRAGE images to White-Matter-nulled MPRAGE (WMn-MPRAGE) contrast, previously shown to exhibit good intra-thalamic nuclear contrast, prior to the segmentation step. We trained two 3D segmentation frameworks using MPRAGE images (n = 35 subjects): (a) a native contrast segmentation (NCS) on MPRAGE images and (b) a synthesized contrast segmentation (SCS) where synthesized WMn-MPRAGE representation generated by a contrast synthesis CNN were used. Thalamic nuclei labels were generated using THOMAS, a multi-atlas segmentation technique proposed for WMn-MPRAGE images. The segmentation accuracy and clinical utility were evaluated on a healthy cohort (n = 12) and a cohort (n = 45) comprising of healthy subjects and patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), respectively. Both the segmentation CNNs yielded comparable performances on most thalamic nuclei with Dice scores greater than 0.84 for larger nuclei and at least 0.7 for smaller nuclei. However, for some nuclei, the SCS CNN yielded significant improvements in Dice scores (medial geniculate nucleus, P = 0.003, centromedian nucleus, P = 0.01) and percent volume difference (ventral anterior, P = 0.001, ventral posterior lateral, P = 0.01) over NCS. In the AUD cohort, the SCS CNN demonstrated a significant atrophy in ventral lateral posterior nucleus in AUD patients compared to healthy age-matched controls (P = 0.01), agreeing with previous studies on thalamic atrophy in alcoholism, whereas the NCS CNN showed spurious atrophy of the ventral posterior lateral nucleus. CNN-based segmentation of thalamic nuclei provides a fast and automated technique for thalamic nuclei prediction in MPRAGE images. The transformation of images to an efficient representation, such as WMn-MPRAGE, can provide further improvements in segmentation performance.
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Williams B, Roesch E, Christakou A. Systematic validation of an automated thalamic parcellation technique using anatomical data at 3T. Neuroimage 2022; 258:119340. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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13
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Alkemade A, Bazin PL, Balesar R, Pine K, Kirilina E, Möller HE, Trampel R, Kros JM, Keuken MC, Bleys RLAW, Swaab DF, Herrler A, Weiskopf N, Forstmann BU. A unified 3D map of microscopic architecture and MRI of the human brain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj7892. [PMID: 35476433 PMCID: PMC9045605 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
We present the first three-dimensional (3D) concordance maps of cyto- and fiber architecture of the human brain, combining histology, immunohistochemistry, and 7-T quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in two individual specimens. These 3D maps each integrate data from approximately 800 microscopy sections per brain, showing neuronal and glial cell bodies, nerve fibers, and interneuronal populations, as well as ultrahigh-field quantitative MRI, all coaligned at the 200-μm scale to the stacked blockface images obtained during sectioning. These unprecedented 3D multimodal datasets are shared without any restrictions and provide a unique resource for the joint study of cell and fiber architecture of the brain, detailed anatomical atlasing, or modeling of the microscopic underpinnings of MRI contrasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke Alkemade
- Integrative Model-Based Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Corresponding author. (A.A.); (B.U.F.)
| | - Pierre-Louis Bazin
- Integrative Model-Based Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rawien Balesar
- Department of Neuropsychiatric disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kerrin Pine
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Evgeniya Kirilina
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit, Department of Psychology and Educational Science, Free University Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Harald E. Möller
- NMR Methods Development Group, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert Trampel
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johan M. Kros
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Max C. Keuken
- Integrative Model-Based Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ronald L. A. W. Bleys
- Department of Anatomy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Dick F. Swaab
- Department of Neuropsychiatric disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Andreas Herrler
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Birte U. Forstmann
- Integrative Model-Based Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Corresponding author. (A.A.); (B.U.F.)
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The anterior thalamic nuclei: core components of a tripartite episodic memory system. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:505-516. [PMID: 35478245 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00591-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Standard models of episodic memory focus on hippocampal-parahippocampal interactions, with the neocortex supplying sensory information and providing a final repository of mnemonic representations. However, recent advances have shown that other regions make distinct and equally critical contributions to memory. In particular, there is growing evidence that the anterior thalamic nuclei have a number of key cognitive functions that support episodic memory. In this article, we describe these findings and argue for a core, tripartite memory system, comprising a 'temporal lobe' stream (centred on the hippocampus) and a 'medial diencephalic' stream (centred on the anterior thalamic nuclei) that together act on shared cortical areas. We demonstrate how these distributed brain regions form complementary and necessary partnerships in episodic memory formation.
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Cain JA, Spivak NM, Coetzee JP, Crone JS, Johnson MA, Lutkenhoff ES, Real C, Buitrago-Blanco M, Vespa PM, Schnakers C, Monti MM. Ultrasonic Deep Brain Neuromodulation in Acute Disorders of Consciousness: A Proof-of-Concept. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12040428. [PMID: 35447960 PMCID: PMC9032970 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12040428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The promotion of recovery in patients who have entered a disorder of consciousness (DOC; e.g., coma or vegetative states) following severe brain injury remains an enduring medical challenge despite an ever-growing scientific understanding of these conditions. Indeed, recent work has consistently implicated altered cortical modulation by deep brain structures (e.g., the thalamus and the basal ganglia) following brain damage in the arising of, and recovery from, DOCs. The (re)emergence of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) neuromodulation may provide a means to selectively modulate the activity of deep brain structures noninvasively for the study and treatment of DOCs. This technique is unique in its combination of relatively high spatial precision and noninvasive implementation. Given the consistent implication of the thalamus in DOCs and prior results inducing behavioral recovery through invasive thalamic stimulation, here we applied ultrasound to the central thalamus in 11 acute DOC patients, measured behavioral responsiveness before and after sonication, and applied functional MRI during sonication. With respect to behavioral responsiveness, we observed significant recovery in the week following thalamic LIFU compared with baseline. With respect to functional imaging, we found decreased BOLD signals in the frontal cortex and basal ganglia during LIFU compared with baseline. In addition, we also found a relationship between altered connectivity of the sonicated thalamus and the degree of recovery observed post-LIFU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh A. Cain
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.P.C.); (J.S.C.); (M.A.J.); (E.S.L.)
- Correspondence: (J.A.C.); (M.M.M.)
| | - Norman M. Spivak
- Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC), Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (N.M.S.); (C.R.); (M.B.-B.); (P.M.V.)
- UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - John P. Coetzee
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.P.C.); (J.S.C.); (M.A.J.); (E.S.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
- Palo Alto VA Medical Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Julia S. Crone
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.P.C.); (J.S.C.); (M.A.J.); (E.S.L.)
| | - Micah A. Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.P.C.); (J.S.C.); (M.A.J.); (E.S.L.)
| | - Evan S. Lutkenhoff
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.P.C.); (J.S.C.); (M.A.J.); (E.S.L.)
| | - Courtney Real
- Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC), Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (N.M.S.); (C.R.); (M.B.-B.); (P.M.V.)
| | - Manuel Buitrago-Blanco
- Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC), Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (N.M.S.); (C.R.); (M.B.-B.); (P.M.V.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Paul M. Vespa
- Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC), Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (N.M.S.); (C.R.); (M.B.-B.); (P.M.V.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Caroline Schnakers
- Research Institute, Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA 91767, USA;
| | - Martin M. Monti
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.P.C.); (J.S.C.); (M.A.J.); (E.S.L.)
- Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC), Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (N.M.S.); (C.R.); (M.B.-B.); (P.M.V.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Correspondence: (J.A.C.); (M.M.M.)
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Boelens Keun JT, van Heese EM, Laansma MA, Weeland CJ, de Joode NT, van den Heuvel OA, Gool JK, Kasprzak S, Bright JK, Vriend C, van der Werf YD. Structural assessment of thalamus morphology in brain disorders: A review and recommendation of thalamic nucleus segmentation and shape analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:466-478. [PMID: 34587501 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The thalamus is a central brain structure crucially involved in cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor functions and is often reported to be involved in the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The functional subdivision of the thalamus warrants morphological investigation on the level of individual subnuclei. In addition to volumetric measures, the investigation of other morphological features may give additional insights into thalamic morphology. For instance, shape features offer a higher spatial resolution by revealing small, regional differences that are left undetected in volumetric analyses. In this review, we discuss the benefits and limitations of recent advances in neuroimaging techniques to investigate thalamic morphology in vivo, leading to our proposed methodology. This methodology consists of available pipelines for volume and shape analysis, focussing on the morphological features of volume, thickness, and surface area. We demonstrate this combined approach in a Parkinson's disease cohort to illustrate their complementarity. Considering our findings, we recommend a combined methodology as it allows for more sensitive investigation of thalamic morphology in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikke T Boelens Keun
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eva M van Heese
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Max A Laansma
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Cees J Weeland
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Niels T de Joode
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Odile A van den Heuvel
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jari K Gool
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; SEIN, Heemstede, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, LUMC, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Selina Kasprzak
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joanna K Bright
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Chris Vriend
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ysbrand D van der Werf
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Basile GA, Bertino S, Bramanti A, Ciurleo R, Anastasi GP, Milardi D, Cacciola A. In Vivo Super-Resolution Track-Density Imaging for Thalamic Nuclei Identification. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5613-5636. [PMID: 34296740 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of novel techniques for the in vivo, non-invasive visualization and identification of thalamic nuclei has represented a major challenge for human neuroimaging research in the last decades. Thalamic nuclei have important implications in various key aspects of brain physiology and many of them show selective alterations in various neurologic and psychiatric disorders. In addition, both surgical stimulation and ablation of specific thalamic nuclei have been proven to be useful for the treatment of different neuropsychiatric diseases. The present work aimed at describing a novel protocol for histologically guided delineation of thalamic nuclei based on short-tracks track-density imaging (stTDI), which is an advanced imaging technique exploiting high angular resolution diffusion tractography to obtain super-resolved white matter maps. We demonstrated that this approach can identify up to 13 distinct thalamic nuclei bilaterally with very high inter-subject (ICC: 0.996, 95% CI: 0.993-0.998) and inter-rater (ICC:0.981; 95% CI:0.963-0.989) reliability, and that both subject-based and group-level thalamic parcellation show a fair share of similarity to a recent standard-space histological thalamic atlas. Finally, we showed that stTDI-derived thalamic maps can be successfully employed to study structural and functional connectivity of the thalamus and may have potential implications both for basic and translational research, as well as for presurgical planning purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpaolo Antonio Basile
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Bertino
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Medical School of Salerno", University of Salerno, 84084 Baronissi, Italy
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pio Anastasi
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Demetrio Milardi
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Alberto Cacciola
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
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Core and matrix thalamic sub-populations relate to spatio-temporal cortical connectivity gradients. Neuroimage 2020; 222:117224. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
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