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Somatotopical organization of striatal activation during finger and toe movement: A 3‐T functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Author(s) -
Lehéricy Stéphane,
van de Moortele PierreFrançois,
Lobel Elie,
Paradis AnneLise,
Vidailhet Marie,
Frouin Vincent,
Neveu Pascal,
Agid Yves,
Marsault Claude,
Le Bihan Denis
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410440319
Subject(s) - putamen , basal ganglia , globus pallidus , functional magnetic resonance imaging , caudate nucleus , magnetic resonance imaging , neuroscience , posterior commissure , psychology , movement disorders , commissure , anterior commissure , anatomy , medicine , central nervous system , nucleus , pathology , radiology , disease
The present study aimed at determining the distribution and somatotopical organization of striatal activation during performance of simple motor tasks. Ten right‐handed healthy volunteers were studied by using a 3‐T whole‐body magnetic resonance unit and echo planar imaging. The tasks consisted of self‐paced flexion/extension of the right fingers or toes. Motor activation was found mainly in the putamen posterior to the anterior commissure (10 of 10 subjects) and the globus pallidus (6 subjects), whereas the caudate nucleus was activated in only 3 subjects, and in a smaller area. Thus, performance of a simple motor task activated the sensorimotor territory of the basal ganglia. Within the putamen, there was a somatotopical organization of the foot and hand areas similar to that observed in nonhuman primates. These data suggest that functional magnetic resonance imaging can be used to study normal function of the basal ganglia and should therefore also allow investigation of patients with movement disorders.