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Functional Mapping of the Human Somatosensory Cortex with Echo‐Planar MRI
Author(s) -
Sakai Kuniyoshi,
Watanabe Eiju,
Onodera Yukari,
Itagaki Hiroyuki,
Yamamoto Etsuji,
Koizumi Hideaki,
Miyashita Yasushi
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.1910330521
Subject(s) - somatosensory system , postcentral gyrus , cortex (anatomy) , stimulation , anatomy , tongue , nuclear magnetic resonance , neuroscience , medicine , physics , biology , pathology
Abstract The somatotopical organization of the human somatosensory cortex was analyzed with echo‐planar imaging at 1.5 Tesla, utilizing deoxyhemoglobin as an endogenous contrast medium. Scrubbing stimulation at a frequency of 3 Hz was applied to one of three cutaneous areas: toes, fingertips, and tongue tip. Parasagittal echo‐planar slices were obtained every 2 s. We found focal bands of increased signal intensity (4% on average) during the stimulation, with a rise time of 2–6 s. These activated bands were located on the contralateral postcentral gyrus. The cortical responses from the three stimulation sites were anatomically distinct and organized medially‐to‐laterally in the order of toes, fingertips, and tongue tip.