Anatomical correlates of the functional organization in the human occipitotemporal cortex

Magn Reson Imaging. 2006 Jun;24(5):583-90. doi: 10.1016/j.mri.2005.12.005. Epub 2006 Feb 2.

Abstract

The connectivity between functionally distinct areas in the human brain is unknown because of the limitations posed by current postmortem anatomical labeling techniques. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has previously been used to define large white matter tracts based on well-known anatomical landmarks in the living human brain. In the present study, we used DTI coupled with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess neuronal connections between human striate and functionally defined extrastriate ventral cortical areas. Functional areas were identified with conventional fMRI mapping procedures and then used as seeding points in a DTI analysis to ascertain connectivity patterns between cortical areas, thus yielding the pattern of connections between human occipitoventral visual areas in vivo.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping / methods*
  • Echo-Planar Imaging / methods*
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neural Pathways / cytology
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Occipital Lobe / anatomy & histology*
  • Occipital Lobe / physiology*
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Temporal Lobe / anatomy & histology*
  • Temporal Lobe / physiology*
  • Visual Cortex / cytology
  • Visual Cortex / physiology