Cytoarchitecture and cortical connections of the anterior insula and adjacent frontal motor fields in the rhesus monkey

Fueling the fire in the lung-brain axis: The salience network connects allergen-provoked TH17 responses to psychological stress in asthma

BACKGROUND

Asthma, a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, results in an average of 10 deaths per day in the U.S., and psychological stress hinders its effective management. Threat-sensitive neurocircuitry, active during psychological stress, may intensify airway inflammatory responses and contribute to poor clinical outcomes. However, the neural mechanisms and descending pathways connecting acute stress and inflammatory responses to allergen exposure remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that stress-induced engagement of the salience network would prime Th17 immune pathways and potentiate airway inflammation.

METHODS

We measured brain glucose metabolism during the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and a non-stressful control task using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) in 28 adults (18F) with asthma. Salivary cortisol was collected to quantify physiological stress responses. Before and after airway provocation with a whole-lung allergen challenge (WL-AG), airway inflammation was assessed using fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), sputum % eosinophils, and expression of Th17-related cytokine mRNA in the airway.

RESULTS

As expected, the WL-AG increased all inflammatory biomarkers. Acute stress significantly increased salivary cortisol (t(27.3) = -27.3, p < 0.01), but did not significantly affect airway inflammation overall. Instead, more robust cortisol responses to stress predicted increased glucose metabolism in the amygdala, insula, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, key nodes in the salience network, as well as increased IL-23A mRNA expression (t(22.1) = 2.38, p = 0.026) and FeNO (t(21.5) = 2.17, p = 0.041). Moreover, differential increases in amygdala and dACC glucose metabolism predicted differential increases IL-23A mRNA expression following WL-AG. In addition, compared to low chronic stress, high chronic stress was associated with enhanced IL-17A mRNA expression in response to acute stress and WL-AG.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual differences in salience network and cortisol responses to acute stress predict enhanced allergen challenge-provoked Th17-related responses, advancing our understanding of the efferent arm of the lung-brain axis in asthma. This work underscores the importance of translational research for the development of novel interventions that target stress-sensitive brain and immune pathways.

Anatomo-functional organization of insular networks: From sensory integration to behavioral control

Classically, the insula is considered an associative multisensory cortex where emotional awareness emerges through the integration of interoceptive and exteroceptive information, along with autonomic regulation. However, since early intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) studies, the insular cortex has also been conceived as a mosaic of anatomo-functional sectors processing various types of sensory information to generate specific overt behaviors. Based on this, the insula has been subdivided into distinct functional fields: an anterior field associated with oroalimentary behaviors, a middle field involved dorsally in hand movements and ventrally in emotional reactions, and a posterior field engaged in axial and proximal movements. Nevertheless, the anatomo-functional networks through which these fields produce motor behaviors remain largely unknown. To fill this gap in the present study, we investigated the connectivity of the macaque insula using a multimodal approach which combines resting-state fMRI with data from tract-tracing injections in insular functional fields defined by ICMS, as well as in brain areas known to be connected to the insula and characterized by specific somatotopic organization. The results revealed that each insular functional field takes part in distinct somatotopically organized network modulating specific motor or visceromotor behaviors, extending previous models that subdivide the insula primarily based on the types of interoceptive and exteroceptive information it receives. Our findings posit the various insular sectors as interfaces that synthesize diverse interoceptive and exteroceptive inputs into coherent subjective experiences and decision-making processes, within an embodied and enactive framework, that moves beyond the traditional dichotomy between sensory experience and motor behavior.

Long-term forced-use therapy after sensorimotor cortex lesions restores contralesional hand function and promotes its preference in Macaca mulatta

Injury to one cerebral hemisphere can result in paresis of the contralesional hand and subsequent preference of the ipsilesional hand in daily activities. However, forced use therapy in humans can improve function of the contralesional paretic hand and increase its use in daily activities, although the ipsilesional hand may remain preferred for fine motor activities. Studies in monkeys have shown that minimal forced use of the contralesional hand, which was the preferred hand prior to brain injury, can produce remarkable recovery of function. Here we tested the hypothesis that long-term forced use of the contralesional hand during the post-lesion period can return it to preferred status. Four rhesus monkeys received tests of hand preference prior to surgical lesions of primary motor cortex, lateral premotor cortex and anterior parietal cortex (F2P2 lesion) contralateral to the preferred hand. Beginning two weeks after the lesion, forced use therapy involving contralateral hand reaches to acquire food targets occurred 3X weekly with at least 300 reaches/session until 24 weeks post-lesion. Despite initial paresis of the contralesional hand, its manipulation skill returned to near pre-lesion levels or higher and all four monkeys returned to a contralesional hand preference late in the post-lesion period. Favorable reorganization of spared cortical and subcortical neural networks may promote recovery of hand function and preference. These results have relevance for the use of extensive forced-use therapy in humans who experience unilateral periRolandic injury to potentially support better recovery of contralesional hand function.

Functional parcellation of the cingulate gyrus by electrical cortical stimulation: a synthetic literature review and future directions

BACKGROUND

The cingulate gyrus (CG), a brain structure above the corpus callosum, is recognised as part of the limbic system and plays numerous vital roles. However, its full functional capacity is yet to be understood. In recent years, emerging evidence from imaging modalities, supported by electrical cortical stimulation (ECS) findings, has improved our understanding. To our knowledge, there is a limited number of systematic reviews of the cingulate function studied by ECS. We aim to parcellate the CG by reviewing ECS studies.

DESIGN/METHODS

We searched PubMed and Embase for studies investigating CG using ECS. A total of 30 studies met the inclusion criteria. We evaluated the ECS responses across the cingulate subregions and summarised the reported findings.

RESULTS

We included 30 studies (totalling 887 patients, with a mean age of 31.8±9.8 years). The total number of electrodes implanted within the cingulate was 3028 electrode contacts; positive responses were obtained in 941 (31.1%, median percentages, 32.3%, IQR 22.2%-64.3%). The responses elicited from the CG were as follows. Simple motor (8 studies, 26.7 %), complex motor (10 studies, 33.3%), gelastic with and without mirth (7 studies, 23.3%), somatosensory (9 studies, 30%), autonomic (11 studies, 36.7 %), psychic (8 studies, 26.7%) and vestibular (3 studies, 10%). Visual and speech responses were also reported. Despite some overlap, the results indicate that the anterior cingulate cortex is responsible for most emotional, laughter and autonomic responses, while the middle cingulate cortex controls most complex motor behaviours, and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) regulates visual, among various other responses. Consistent null responses have been observed across different regions, emphasising PCC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide a segmental mapping of the functional properties of CG, helping to improve precision in the surgical planning of epilepsy.

The cytoarchitectonic landscape revealed by deep learning method facilitated precise positioning in mouse neocortex

Neocortex is a complex structure with different cortical sublayers and regions. However, the precise positioning of cortical regions can be challenging due to the absence of distinct landmarks without special preparation. To address this challenge, we developed a cytoarchitectonic landmark identification pipeline. The fluorescence micro-optical sectioning tomography method was employed to image the whole mouse brain stained by general fluorescent nucleotide dye. A fast 3D convolution network was subsequently utilized to segment neuronal somas in entire neocortex. By approach, the cortical cytoarchitectonic profile and the neuronal morphology were analyzed in 3D, eliminating the influence of section angle. And the distribution maps were generated that visualized the number of neurons across diverse morphological types, revealing the cytoarchitectonic landscape which characterizes the landmarks of cortical regions, especially the typical signal pattern of barrel cortex. Furthermore, the cortical regions of various ages were aligned using the generated cytoarchitectonic landmarks suggesting the structural changes of barrel cortex during the aging process. Moreover, we observed the spatiotemporally gradient distributions of spindly neurons, concentrated in the deep layer of primary visual area, with their proportion decreased over time. These findings could improve structural understanding of neocortex, paving the way for further exploration with this method.

Hyperphosphorylated tau in Alzheimer's disease disseminates along pathways predicted by the Structural Model for Cortico-cortical Connections

In Alzheimer´s disease (AD), hyperphosphorylated tau spreads along the cerebral cortex in a stereotypical pattern that parallels cognitive deterioration. Tau seems to spread transsynaptically along cortico-cotical pathways that, according to synaptic tract-tracing studies in nonhuman primates, have specific laminar patterns related to the cortical type of the connected areas. This relation is described in the Structural Model. In the present article, we study the laminar distribution of hyperphosphorylated tau, labeled with the antibody AT8, along temporal cortical types in postmortem human brains with different AD stages to test the predictions of the Structural Model. Brains from donors without dementia had scant AT8-immunorreactive (AT8-ir) neurons in allo-, meso-, and isocortical types. In early AD stages, the mesocortical dysgranular type, including part of the transentorhinal cortex, had the highest AT8 immunostaining and AT8-ir neurons density. In advanced AD stages, AT8 immunostaining increased along the isocortical types until reaching the auditory koniocortex. Regarding laminar patterns, in early AD stages there were more AT8-ir neurons in supragranular layers in each de novo involved neocortical type; in advanced AD stages, AT8-ir neurons were equally distributed in supra- and infragranular layers. These AT8-ir laminar patterns are compatible with the predictions of the Structural Model. In summary, we show that hyperphosphorylated tau initially accumulates in allo-, meso-, and isocortical types, offer a proof of concept for the validity of the Structural Model to predict synaptic pathway organization in the human cerebral cortex, and highlight the relevance of nonhuman primate tract-tracing studies to understand human neuropathology.

Volitional inspiration is mediated by two independent output channels in the primary motor cortex

The diaphragm is a multifunctional muscle that mediates both autonomic and volitional inspiration. It is critically involved in vocalization, postural stability, and expulsive core-trunk functions, such as coughing, hiccups, and vomiting. In macaque monkeys, we used retrograde transneuronal transport of rabies virus injected into the left hemidiaphragm to identify cortical neurons that have multisynaptic connections with phrenic motoneurons. Our research demonstrates that representation of the diaphragm in the primary motor cortex (M1) is split into two spatially separate and independent sites. No cortico-cortical connections are known to exist between these two sites. One site is located dorsal to the arm representation within the central sulcus and the second site is lateral to the arm. The dual representation of the diaphragm warrants a revision to the somatotopic map of M1. The dorsal diaphragm representation overlaps with trunk and axial musculature. It is ideally situated to coordinate with these muscles during volitional inspiration and in producing intra-abdominal pressure gradients. The lateral site overlaps the origin of M1 projections to a laryngeal muscle, the cricothyroid. This observation suggests that the coordinated control of laryngeal muscles and the diaphragm during vocalization may be achieved, in part, by co-localization of their representations in M1. The neural organization of the two diaphragm sites underlies a new perspective for interpreting functional imaging studies of respiration and/or vocalization. Furthermore, our results provide novel evidence supporting the concept that overlapping output channels within M1 are a prerequisite for the formation of muscle synergies underlying fine motor control.

Terminal organization of the corticospinal projection from the arm/hand region of the rostral primary motor cortex (M1r or old M1) to the cervical enlargement (C5-T1) in rhesus monkey

High-resolution anterograde tracers and stereology were used to study the terminal organization of the corticospinal projection (CSP) from the rostral portion of the primary motor cortex (M1r) to spinal levels C5-T1. Most of this projection (90%) terminated contralaterally within laminae V-IX, with the densest distribution in lamina VII. Moderate bouton numbers occurred in laminae VI, VIII, and IX with few in lamina V. Within lamina VII, labeling occurred over the distal-related dorsolateral subsectors and proximal-related ventromedial subsectors. Within motoneuron lamina IX, most terminations occurred in the proximal-related dorsomedial quadrant, followed by the distal-related dorsolateral quadrant. Segmentally, the contralateral lamina VII CSP gradually declined from C5-T1 but was consistently distributed at C5-C7 in lamina IX. The ipsilateral CSP ended in axial-related lamina VIII and adjacent ventromedial region of lamina VII. These findings demonstrate the M1r CSP influences distal and proximal/axial-related spinal targets. Thus, the M1r CSP represents a transitional CSP, positioned between the caudal M1 (M1c) CSP, which is 98% contralateral and optimally organized to mediate distal upper extremity movements (Morecraft et al., 2013), and dorsolateral premotor (LPMCd) CSP being 79% contralateral and optimally organized to mediate proximal/axial movements (Morecraft et al., 2019). This distal to proximal CSP gradient corresponds to the clinical deficits accompanying caudal to rostral motor cortex injury. The lamina IX CSP is considered in the light of anatomical and neurophysiological evidence which suggests M1c gives rise to the major proportion of the cortico-motoneuronal (CM) projection, while there is a limited M1r CM projection.

Anatomy of the auditory cortex then and now

Using neuroanatomical investigations in the macaque, Deepak Pandya and his colleagues have established the framework for auditory cortex organization, with subdivisions into core and belt areas. This has aided subsequent neurophysiological and imaging studies in monkeys and humans, and a nomenclature building on Pandya's work has also been adopted by the Human Connectome Project. The foundational work by Pandya and his colleagues is highlighted here in the context of subsequent and ongoing studies on the functional anatomy and physiology of auditory cortex in primates, including humans, and their relevance for understanding cognitive aspects of speech and language.

Towards a somatosensory theory of speech perception

Speech perception is known to be a multimodal process, relying not only on auditory input but also on the visual system and possibly on the motor system as well. To date there has been little work on the potential involvement of the somatosensory system in speech perception. In the present review, we identify the somatosensory system as another contributor to speech perception. First, we argue that evidence in favor of a motor contribution to speech perception can just as easily be interpreted as showing somatosensory involvement. Second, physiological and neuroanatomical evidence for auditory-somatosensory interactions across the auditory hierarchy indicates the availability of a neural infrastructure that supports somatosensory involvement in auditory processing in general. Third, there is accumulating evidence for somatosensory involvement in the context of speech specifically. In particular, tactile stimulation modifies speech perception, and speech auditory input elicits activity in somatosensory cortical areas. Moreover, speech sounds can be decoded from activity in somatosensory cortex; lesions to this region affect perception, and vowels can be identified based on somatic input alone. We suggest that the somatosensory involvement in speech perception derives from the somatosensory-auditory pairing that occurs during speech production and learning. By bringing together findings from a set of studies that have not been previously linked, the present article identifies the somatosensory system as a presently unrecognized contributor to speech perception.

Gyral and sulcal connectivity in the human cerebral cortex

The rapid evolution of image acquisition and data analytic methods has established in vivo whole-brain tractography as a routine technology over the last 20 years. Imaging-based methods provide an additional approach to classic neuroanatomical studies focusing on biomechanical principles of anatomical organization and can in turn overcome the complexity of inter-individual variability associated with histological and tractography studies. In this work we propose a novel, reliable framework for determining brain tracts resolving the anatomical variance of brain regions. We distinguished 4 region types based on anatomical considerations: (i) gyral regions at borders between cortical communities; (ii) gyral regions within communities; (iii) sulcal regions at invariant locations across subjects; and (iv) other sulcal regions. Region types showed strikingly different anatomical and connection properties. Results allowed complementing the current understanding of the brain’s communication structure with a model of its anatomical underpinnings.

Anatomical and functional connectivity support the existence of a salience network node within the caudal ventrolateral prefrontal cortex

Three large-scale networks are considered essential to cognitive flexibility: the ventral and dorsal attention (VANet and DANet) and salience (SNet) networks. The ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) is a known component of the VANet and DANet, but there is a gap in the current knowledge regarding its involvement in the SNet. Herein, we used a translational and multimodal approach to demonstrate the existence of a SNet node within the vlPFC. First, we used tract-tracing methods in non-human primates (NHP) to quantify the anatomical connectivity strength between different vlPFC areas and the frontal and insular cortices. The strongest connections were with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and anterior insula (AI) - the main cortical SNet nodes. These inputs converged in the caudal area 47/12, an area that has strong projections to subcortical structures associated with the SNet. Second, we used resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) in NHP data to validate this SNet node. Third, we used rsfMRI in the human to identify a homologous caudal 47/12 region that also showed strong connections with the SNet cortical nodes. Taken together, these data confirm a SNet node in the vlPFC, demonstrating that the vlPFC contains nodes for all three cognitive networks: VANet, DANet, and SNet. Thus, the vlPFC is in a position to switch between these three networks, pointing to its key role as an attentional hub. Its additional connections to the orbitofrontal, dorsolateral, and premotor cortices, place the vlPFC at the center for switching behaviors based on environmental stimuli, computing value, and cognitive control.

Predictable topological sensitivity of Turing patterns on graphs

Reaction-diffusion systems implemented as dynamical processes on networks have recently renewed the interest in their self-organized collective patterns known as Turing patterns. We investigate the influence of network topology on the emerging patterns and their diversity, defined as the variety of stationary states observed with random initial conditions and the same dynamics. We show that a seemingly minor change, the removal or rewiring of a single link, can prompt dramatic changes in pattern diversity. The determinants of such critical occurrences are explored through an extensive and systematic set of numerical experiments. We identify situations where the topological sensitivity of the attractor landscape can be predicted without a full simulation of the dynamical equations, from the spectrum of the graph Laplacian and the linearized dynamics. Unexpectedly, the main determinant appears to be the degeneracy of the eigenvalues or the growth rate and not the number of unstable modes.

The Precentral Insular Cortical Network for Speech Articulation

Apraxia of speech is a motor disorder characterized by the impaired ability to coordinate the sequential articulatory movements necessary to produce speech. The critical cortical area(s) involved in speech apraxia remain controversial because many of the previously reported cases had additional aphasic impairments, preventing localization of the specific cortical circuit necessary for the somatomotor execution of speech. Four patients with "pure speech apraxia" (i.e., who had no aphasic and orofacial motor impairments) are reported here. The critical lesion in all four patients involved, in the left hemisphere, the precentral gyrus of the insula (gyrus brevis III) and, to a lesser extent, the nearby areas with which it is strongly connected: the adjacent subcentral opercular cortex (part of secondary somatosensory cortex) and the most inferior part of the central sulcus where the orofacial musculature is represented. There was no damage to rostrally adjacent Broca's area in the inferior frontal gyrus. The present study demonstrates the critical circuit for the coordination of complex articulatory movements prior to and during the execution of the motor speech plans. Importantly, this specific cortical circuit is different from those that relate to the cognitive aspects of language production (e.g., Broca's area on the inferior frontal gyrus).

Extensive Connectivity Between the Medial Pulvinar and the Cortex Revealed in the Marmoset Monkey

The medial pulvinar (PM) is a multimodal associative thalamic nucleus, recently evolved in primates. PM participates in integrative and modulatory functions, including directed attention, and consistently exhibits alterations in disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Despite essential cognitive functions, the cortical inputs to the PM have not been systematically investigated. To date, less than 20 cortices have been demonstrated to project to PM. The goal of this study was to establish a comprehensive map of the cortical afferents to PM in the marmoset monkey. Using a magnetic resonance imaging-guided injection approach, we reveal 62 discrete cortices projecting to the adult marmoset PM. We confirmed previously reported connections and identified further projections from discrete cortices across the temporal, parietal, retrosplenial-cingulate, prefrontal, and orbital lobes. These regions encompass areas recipient of PM efferents, demonstrating the reciprocity of the PM-cortical connectivity. Moreover, our results indicate that PM neurones projecting to distinct cortices are intermingled and form multimodal cell clusters. This microunit organization, believed to facilitate cross-modal integration, contrasts with the large functional subdivisions usually observed in thalamic nuclei. Altogether, we provide the first comprehensive map of PM cortical afferents, an essential stepping stone in expanding our knowledge of PM and its function.

MRI-based Parcellation and Morphometry of the Individual Rhesus Monkey Brain: the macaque Harvard-Oxford Atlas (mHOA), a translational system referencing a standardized ontology

Investigations of the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) brain have shed light on the function and organization of the primate brain at a scale and resolution not yet possible in humans. A cornerstone of the linkage between non-human primate and human studies of the brain is magnetic resonance imaging, which allows for an association to be made between the detailed structural and physiological analysis of the non-human primate and that of the human brain. To further this end, we present a novel parcellation method and system for the rhesus monkey brain, referred to as the macaque Harvard-Oxford Atlas (mHOA), which is based on the human Harvard-Oxford Atlas (HOA) and grounded in an ontological and taxonomic framework. Consistent anatomical features were used to delimit and parcellate brain regions in the macaque, which were then categorized according to functional systems. This system of parcellation will be expanded with advances in technology and, like the HOA, will provide a framework upon which the results from other experimental studies (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), physiology, connectivity, graph theory) can be interpreted.

Cytoarchitectonics of the Rolandic operculum: morphofunctional ponderings

Constantin von Economo (1876-1931) had a long-standing interest in the cellular structure of the human cerebral cortex. In the present article I highlight a historical paper that von Economo published in 1930 on the cytoarchitectonics of the Rolandic operculum, an English translation of which I provide as supplementary material. I further discuss some morphofunctional aspects of the human opercular cortex from a modern perspective, as well as the clinical relevance to language dysfunctions, the operculum syndrome, and epilepsy.

Bidirectional and state-dependent modulation of brain activity by transcranial focused ultrasound in non-human primates

Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) stimulation under MRI guidance, coupled with functional MRI (fMRI) monitoring of effects, offers a precise, noninvasive technology to dissect functional brain circuits and to modulate altered brain functional networks in neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here we show that ultrasound at moderate intensities modulated neural activity bi-directionally. Concurrent sonication of somatosensory areas 3a/3b with 250 kHz FUS suppressed the fMRI signals produced there by peripheral tactile stimulation, while at the same time eliciting fMRI activation at inter-connected, off-target brain regions. Direct FUS stimulation of the cortex resulted in different degrees of BOLD signal changes across all five off-target regions, indicating that its modulatory effects on active and resting neurons differed. This is the first demonstration of the dual suppressive and excitative modulations of FUS on a specific functional circuit and of ability of concurrent FUS and MRI to evaluate causal interactions between functional circuits with neuron-class selectivity.

A Protocol for Cortical Type Analysis of the Human Neocortex Applied on Histological Samples, the Atlas of Von Economo and Koskinas, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The human cerebral cortex is parcellated in hundreds of areas using neuroanatomy and imaging methods. Alternatively, cortical areas can be classified into few cortical types according to their degree of laminar differentiation. Cortical type analysis is based on the gradual and systematic variation of laminar features observed across the entire cerebral cortex in Nissl stained sections and has profound implications for understanding fundamental aspects of evolution, development, connections, function, and pathology of the cerebral cortex. In this protocol paper, we explain the general principles of cortical type analysis and provide tables with the fundamental features of laminar structure that are studied for this analysis. We apply cortical type analysis to the micrographs of the Atlas of the human cerebral cortex of von Economo and Koskinas and provide tables and maps with the areas of this Atlas and their corresponding cortical type. Finally, we correlate the cortical type maps with the T1w/T2w ratio from widely used reference magnetic resonance imaging scans. The analysis, tables and maps of the human cerebral cortex shown in this protocol paper can be used to predict patterns of connections between areas according to the principles of the Structural Model and determine their level in cortical hierarchies. Cortical types can also predict the spreading of abnormal proteins in neurodegenerative diseases to the level of cortical layers. In summary, cortical type analysis provides a theoretical and practical framework for directed studies of connectivity, synaptic plasticity, and selective vulnerability to neurologic and psychiatric diseases in the human neocortex.

Investigation of sensorimotor dysfunction in Parkinson disease by resting-state fMRI

PURPOSE

Functional MRI has played a fundamental role in Parkinson's disease(PD) study. In this paper, we performed an independent component analysis (ICA) based on functional networks to reveal the intricate variations on the morphology and functional properties of brain. Our analysis aims at discovering the differences between PD patients with sensorimotor function impairment and normal controls(NC), thus helping to understand the coordination neurological function degeneration in PD objectively.

METHOD

We investigated the blood oxygen level dependent(BOLD) functional MRI obtained at a 3.0 T MRI scanner. 30 PD patients and 28 NC subjects underwent the scan in resting state. The signals of sensory and motor coordinative control areas in the sensorimotor, insula and cerebellum networks acquired by ICA(Independent Component Analysis)were applied to analyze the functional alterations. Specifically, intra-network analysis was performed with signals in local networks, and inter-network analysis was conducted by functional network connectivity (FNC) with signals across different networks. Two sample T test was carried out to detect the significant (p < 0.05, FDR p < 0.05) functional abnormality in PD patients.

CONCLUSION

We identified an obvious increase in bilateral posterior insula, but decrease in bilateral cerebellum hemisphere, supplementary motor area(SMA) and precentral gyrus paracentral lobule of left postcentral gyrus. Besides, we found a significantly increased connection between independent component (IC) 13 which was located in right postcentral gyrus and cerebellum. Decreased connections were detected between sensory and motor cortex in sensorimotor network and between cerebellum and insula network by FNC analysis in PD patients as well.

DISCUSSION

Parkinson's disease derives from the degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra, and results in decreased secretion of inhibitory neurotransmitter. The significant differences between PD and NC groups in our research maybe explain the clinical manifestations of prominent bradykinesia and multiple extrapyramidal symptoms.

Behavioral flexibility is associated with changes in structure and function distributed across a frontal cortical network in macaques

One of the most influential accounts of central orbitofrontal cortex-that it mediates behavioral flexibility-has been challenged by the finding that discrimination reversal in macaques, the classic test of behavioral flexibility, is unaffected when lesions are made by excitotoxin injection rather than aspiration. This suggests that the critical brain circuit mediating behavioral flexibility in reversal tasks lies beyond the central orbitofrontal cortex. To determine its identity, a group of nine macaques were taught discrimination reversal learning tasks, and its impact on gray matter was measured. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were taken before and after learning and compared with scans from two control groups, each comprising 10 animals. One control group learned discrimination tasks that were similar but lacked any reversal component, and the other control group engaged in no learning. Gray matter changes were prominent in posterior orbitofrontal cortex/anterior insula but were also found in three other frontal cortical regions: lateral orbitofrontal cortex (orbital part of area 12 [12o]), cingulate cortex, and lateral prefrontal cortex. In a second analysis, neural activity in posterior orbitofrontal cortex/anterior insula was measured at rest, and its pattern of coupling with the other frontal cortical regions was assessed. Activity coupling increased significantly in the reversal learning group in comparison with controls. In a final set of experiments, we used similar structural imaging procedures and analyses to demonstrate that aspiration lesion of central orbitofrontal cortex, of the type known to affect discrimination learning, affected structure and activity in the same frontal cortical circuit. The results identify a distributed frontal cortical circuit associated with behavioral flexibility.

Topography Impacts Topology: Anatomically Central Areas Exhibit a "High-Level Connector" Profile in the Human Cortex

Degree centrality is a widely used measure in complex networks. Within the brain, degree relates to other topological features, with high-degree nodes (i.e., hubs) exhibiting high betweenness centrality, participation coefficient, and within-module z-score. However, increasing evidence from neuroanatomical and predictive processing literature suggests that topological properties of a brain network may also be impacted by topography, that is, anatomical (spatial) distribution. More specifically, cortical limbic areas (agranular and dysgranular cortices), which occupy an anatomically central position, have been proposed to be topologically central and well suited to initiate predictions in the cerebral cortex. We estimated anatomical centrality and showed that it positively correlated with betweenness centrality, participation coefficient, and communicability, analogously to degree. In contrast to degree, however, anatomical centrality negatively correlated with within-module z-score. Our data suggest that degree centrality and anatomical centrality reflect distinct contributions to cortical organization. Whereas degree would be more related to the amount of information integration performed by an area, anatomical centrality would be more related to an area's position in the predictive hierarchy. Highly anatomically central areas may function as "high-level connectors," integrating already highly integrated information across modules. These results are consistent with a high-level, domain-general limbic workspace, integrated by highly anatomically central cortical areas.

Changes in ipsilesional hand motor function differ after unilateral injury to frontal versus frontoparietal cortices in Macaca mulatta

We tested the hypothesis that injury to frontoparietal sensorimotor areas causes greater initial impairments in performance and poorer recovery of ipsilesional dexterous hand/finger movements than lesions limited to frontal motor areas in rhesus monkeys. Reaching and grasping/manipulation of small targets with the ipsilesional hand were assessed for 6-12 months post-injury using two motor tests. Initial post-lesion motor skill and long-term recovery of motor skill were compared in two groups of monkeys: (1) F2 group-five cases with lesions of arm areas of primary motor cortex (M1) and lateral premotor cortex (LPMC) and (2) F2P2 group-five cases with F2 lesions + lesions of arm areas of primary somatosensory cortex and the anterior portion of area 5. Initial post-lesion reach and manipulation skills were similar to or better than pre-lesion skills in most F2 lesion cases in a difficult fine motor task but worse than pre-lesion skill in most F2P2 lesion cases in all tasks. Subsequently, reaching and manipulation skills improved over the post-lesion period to higher than pre-lesion skills in both groups, but improvements were greater in the F2 lesion group, perhaps due to additional task practice and greater ipsilesional limb use for daily activities. Poorer and slower post-lesion improvement of ipsilesional upper limb motor skill in the F2P2 cases may be due to impaired somatosensory processing. The persistent ipsilesional upper limb motor deficits frequently observed in humans after stroke are probably caused by greater subcortical white and gray matter damage than in the localized surgical injuries studied here.

Terminal organization of the corticospinal projection from the lateral premotor cortex to the cervical enlargement (C5-T1) in rhesus monkey

High-resolution tract tracing and stereology were used to study the terminal organization of the corticospinal projection (CSP) from the ventral (v) and dorsal (d) regions of the lateral premotor cortex (LPMC) to spinal levels C5-T1. The LPMCv CSP originated from the postarcuate sulcus region, was bilateral, sparse, and primarily targeted the dorsolateral and ventromedial sectors of contralateral lamina VII. The convexity/lateral part of LPMCv did not project below C2. Thus, very little LPMCv corticospinal output reaches the cervical enlargement. In contrast, the LPMCd CSP was 5× more prominent in terminal density. Bilateral terminal labeling occurred in the medial sectors of lamina VII and adjacent lamina VIII, where propriospinal neurons with long-range bilateral axon projections reside. Notably, lamina VIII also harbors axial motoneurons. Contralateral labeling occurred in the lateral sectors of lamina VII and the dorsomedial quadrant of lamina IX, noted for harboring proximal upper limb flexor motoneurons. Segmentally, the CSP to contralateral laminae VII and IX preferentially innervated C5-C7, which supplies shoulder, elbow, and wrist musculature. In contrast, terminations in axial-related lamina VIII were distributed bilaterally throughout all cervical enlargement levels, including C8 and T1. These findings demonstrate the LPMCd CSP is structured to influence axial and proximal upper limb movements, supporting Kuypers conceptual view of the LPMCd CSP being a major component of the medial motor control system. Thus, distal upper extremity control influenced by LPMC, including grasping and manipulation, must occur through indirect neural network connections such as corticocortical, subcortical, or intrinsic spinal circuits.

Frontal and Insular Input to the Dorsolateral Temporal Pole in Primates: Implications for Auditory Memory

The temporal pole (TP) has been involved in multiple functions from emotional and social behavior, semantic processing, memory, language in humans and epilepsy surgery, to the fronto-temporal neurodegenerative disorder (semantic) dementia. However, the role of the TP subdivisions is still unclear, in part due to the lack of quantitative data about TP connectivity. This study focuses in the dorsolateral subdivision of the TP: area 38_DL. Area 38_DL main input originates in the auditory processing areas of the rostral superior temporal gyrus. Among other connections, area 38_DL conveys this auditory highly processed information to the entorhinal, rostral perirhinal, and posterior parahippocampal cortices, presumably for storage in long-term memory (Muñoz-López et al., 2015). However, the connections of the TP with cortical areas beyond the temporal cortex suggest that this area is part of a wider network. With the aim to quantitatively determine the topographical, laminar pattern and weighting of the lateral TP afferents from the frontal and insular cortices, we placed a total of 11 tracer injections of the fluorescent retrograde neuronal tracers Fast Blue and Diamidino Yellow at different levels of the lateral TP in rhesus monkeys. The results showed that circa 50% of the total cortical input to area 38_DL originates in medial frontal areas 14, 25, 32, and 24 (25%); orbitofrontal areas Pro and PAll (15%); and the agranular, parainsular and disgranular insula (10%). This study sets the anatomical bases to better understand the function of the dorsolateral division of the TP. More specifically, these results suggest that area 38_DL forms part of the wider limbic circuit that might contribute, among other functions, with an auditory component to multimodal memory processing.

Differences in cytoarchitecture of Broca's region between human, ape and macaque brains

Areas 44 and 45 have been identified in non-human primates as homologs of the human Broca region. Distribution of large and smaller pyramids and the ventro-lateral localization in the posterior frontal lobe enable their identification in non-human primates. Since only humans hold the ability of language, it has been hypothesized that differences in microstructure may, together with other anatomical factors, e.g., white matter tract connectivity, volumes of cortical areas and their molecular differentiation, be responsible for the lack (non-human primates) or ability (humans) of language. We sought to identify microstructural differences, by quantitatively studying the cytoarchitecture of areas 44 and 45 using layer-specific grey level indices (volume proportion of neuropil and cell bodies) in serially sectioned and cell body stained human, bonobo, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan and Macaca fascicularis brains. The main results are the interspecies differences in neuropil volume relative to cell bodies in all layers of both areas which allows a grouping of the different species into three major groups: Homo sapiens has the largest, great apes a markedly lower, and macaque the lowest neuropil volume. This indicates considerably more space for local and interregional connectivity in human brains, which matches recent studies of fiber tracts and spacing of cortical minicolumns because increasing connectivity also requires more space for axons and dendrites in the neuropil. The evolutionary enlargement of neuropil is, therefore, a major structural difference between humans and non-human primates which may correspond to the underlying functional differences.

New Corticopontine Connections in the Primate Brain: Contralateral Projections From the Arm/Hand Area of the Precentral Motor Region

The ipsilateral corticopontine projection (iCPP) represents a massive descending axon system terminating in the pontine nuclei (PN). In the primate, this projection is well known for its dominant influence on contralateral upper limb movements through the classical cerebrocerebellar circuity system. Although a much weaker contralateral corticopontine projection (cCPP) from motor cortex to the paramedian region has been reported in the non-human primate brain, we provide the first comprehensive description of the cCPP from the lateral motor cortex using high resolution anterograde tract tracing in Macaca mulatta. We found a relatively light cCPP from the hand/arm area of the primary motor cortex (M1), comparatively moderate cCPP from ventrolateral premotor cortex (LPMCv) and a more robust and widespread cCPP from the dorsolateral premotor cortex (LPMCd) that involved all nine contralateral PN. The M1 projection primarily targeted the dorsal pontine region, the LPMCv projection targeted the medial pontine region and LPMCd targeted both regions. These results show the first stage of the primate frontomotor cerebrocerebellar projection is bilateral, and may affect both ipsilateral and contralateral limbs. Clinically, the cCPP originating in the non-injured hemisphere may influence the recovery process of the more affected upper extremity following subtotal unilateral damage to the lateral cortical region. The cCPP may also contribute to the mild impairment of the upper limb contralateral to a unilateral cerebellar injury.

Designing Brains for Pain: Human to Mollusc

There is compelling evidence that the "what it feels like" subjective experience of sensory stimuli arises in the cerebral cortex in both humans as well as mammalian experimental animal models. Humans are alone in their ability to verbally communicate their experience of the external environment. In other species, sensory awareness is extrapolated on the basis of behavioral indicators. For instance, cephalopods have been claimed to be sentient on the basis of their complex behavior and anecdotal reports of human-like intelligence. We have interrogated the findings of avoidance learning behavioral paradigms and classical brain lesion studies and conclude that there is no evidence for cephalopods feeling pain. This analysis highlighted the questionable nature of anthropometric assumptions about sensory experience with increased phylogenetic distance from humans. We contend that understanding whether invertebrates such as molluscs are sentient should first begin with defining the computational processes and neural circuitries underpinning subjective awareness. Using fundamental design principles, we advance the notion that subjective awareness is dependent on observer neural networks (networks that in some sense introspect the neural processing generating neural representations of sensory stimuli). This introspective process allows the observer network to create an internal model that predicts the neural processing taking place in the network being surveyed. Predictions arising from the internal model form the basis of a rudimentary form of awareness. We develop an algorithm built on parallel observer networks that generates multiple levels of sensory awareness. A network of cortical regions in the human brain has the appropriate functional properties and neural interconnectivity that is consistent with the predicted circuitry of the algorithm generating pain awareness. By contrast, the cephalopod brain lacks the necessary neural circuitry to implement such an algorithm. In conclusion, we find no compelling behavioral, functional, or neuroanatomical evidence to indicate that cephalopods feel pain.

Hand Motor Recovery Following Extensive Frontoparietal Cortical Injury Is Accompanied by Upregulated Corticoreticular Projections in Monkey

We tested the hypothesis that arm/hand motor recovery after injury of the lateral sensorimotor cortex is associated with upregulation of the corticoreticular projection (CRP) from the supplementary motor cortex (M2) to the gigantocellular reticular nucleus of the medulla (Gi). Three groups of rhesus monkeys of both genders were studied: five controls, four cases with lesions of the arm/hand area of the primary motor cortex (M1) and the lateral premotor cortex (LPMC; F2 lesion group), and five cases with lesions of the arm/hand area of M1, LPMC, S1, and anterior parietal cortex (F2P2 lesion group). CRP strength was assessed using high-resolution anterograde tracers injected into the arm/hand area of M2 and stereology to estimate of the number of synaptic boutons in the Gi. M2 projected bilaterally to the Gi, primarily targeting the medial Gi subsector and, to a lesser extent, lateral, dorsal, and ventral subsectors. Total CRP bouton numbers were similar in controls and F2 lesion cases but F2P2 lesion cases had twice as many boutons as the other two groups (p = 0.0002). Recovery of reaching and fine hand/digit function was strongly correlated with estimated numbers of CRP boutons in the F2P2 lesion cases. Because we previously showed that F2P2 lesion cases experience decreased strength of the M2 corticospinal projection (CSP), whereas F2 lesion monkeys experienced increased strength of the M2 CSP, these results suggest one mechanism underlying arm/hand motor recovery after F2P2 injury is upregulation of the M2 CRP. This M2-CRP response may influence an important reticulospinal tract contribution to upper-limb motor recovery following frontoparietal injury.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We previously showed that after brain injury affecting the lateral motor cortex controlling arm/hand motor function, recovery is variable and closely associated with increased strength of corticospinal projection (CSP) from an uninjured medial cortical motor area. Hand motor recovery also varies after brain injury affecting the lateral sensorimotor cortex, but medial motor cortex CSP strength decreases and cannot account for recovery. Here we observed that motor recovery following sensorimotor cortex injury is closely associated with increased strength of the descending projection from an uninjured medial cortical motor area to a brainstem reticular nucleus involved in control of arm/hand function, suggesting an enhanced corticoreticular projection may compensate for injury to the sensorimotor cortex to enable recovery of arm/hand motor function.

Of Men and Mice: Modeling the Fragile X Syndrome

The Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is one of the most common forms of inherited intellectual disability in all human societies. Caused by the transcriptional silencing of a single gene, the fragile x mental retardation gene FMR1, FXS is characterized by a variety of symptoms, which range from mental disabilities to autism and epilepsy. More than 20 years ago, a first animal model was described, the Fmr1 knock-out mouse. Several other models have been developed since then, including conditional knock-out mice, knock-out rats, a zebrafish and a drosophila model. Using these model systems, various targets for potential pharmaceutical treatments have been identified and many treatments have been shown to be efficient in preclinical studies. However, all attempts to turn these findings into a therapy for patients have failed thus far. In this review, I will discuss underlying difficulties and address potential alternatives for our future research.

Ipsilateral corticotectal projections from the primary, premotor and supplementary motor cortical areas in adult macaque monkeys: a quantitative anterograde tracing study

The corticotectal projection from cortical motor areas is one of several descending pathways involved in the indirect control of spinal motoneurons. In non-human primates, previous studies reported that cortical projections to the superior colliculus (SC) originated from the premotor cortex (PM) and the primary motor cortex, whereas no projection originated from the supplementary motor area (SMA). The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the properties of corticotectal projections originating from these three cortical motor areas in intact adult macaques (n = 9). The anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine was injected into one of these cortical areas in each animal. Individual axonal boutons, both en passant and terminaux, were charted and counted in the different layers of the ipsilateral SC. The data confirmed the presence of strong corticotectal projections from the PM. A new observation was that strong corticotectal projections were also found to originate from the SMA (its proper division). The corticotectal projection from the primary motor cortex was quantitatively less strong than that from either the premotor or SMAs. The corticotectal projection from each motor area was directed mainly to the deep layer of the SC, although its intermediate layer was also a consistent target of fairly dense terminations. The strong corticotectal projections from non-primary motor areas are in position to influence the preparation and planning of voluntary movements.

Localization of orofacial representation in the corona radiata, internal capsule and cerebral peduncle in Macaca mulatta

Subcortical white matter injury is often accompanied by orofacial motor dysfunction, but little is known about the structural substrates accounting for these common neurological deficits. We studied the trajectory of the corticobulbar projection from the orofacial region of the primary (M1), ventrolateral (LPMCv), supplementary (M2), rostral cingulate (M3) and caudal cingulate (M4) motor regions through the corona radiata (CR), internal capsule (IC) and crus cerebri of the cerebral peduncle (ccCP). In the CR each pathway was segregated. Medial motor area fibers (M2/M3/M4) arched over the caudate and lateral motor area fibers (M1/LPMCv) curved over the putamen. At superior IC levels, the pathways were widespread, involving the anterior limb, genu and posterior limb with the M3 projection located anteriorly, followed posteriorly by projections from M2, LPMCv, M4 and M1, respectively. Inferiorly, all pathways maintained this orientation but shifted posteriorly, with adjacent fiber bundles overlapping minimally. In the ccCP, M3 fibers were located medially and M1 fibers centromedially, with M2, LPMCv, and M4 pathways overlapping in between. Finally, at inferior ccCP levels, all pathways overlapped. Following CR and superior IC lesions, the dispersed pathway distribution may correlate with acute orofacial dysfunction with spared pathways contributing to orofacial motor recovery. In contrast, the gradually commixed nature of pathway representation inferiorly may enhance fiber vulnerability and correlate with severe, prolonged deficits following lower subcortical and midbrain injury. Additionally, in humans these findings may assist in interpreting orofacial movements evoked during deep brain stimulation, and neuroimaging tractography efforts to localize descending orofacial motor pathways.