An fMRI study of the lateralization of motor cortex activation in acallosal patients

Neuroreport. 2000 Aug 3;11(11):2409-13. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200008030-00014.

Abstract

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have suggested that callosal afferents may mediate inhibition of the ipsilateral motor cortex (IMC) during unilateral hand movements. To test this concept, we used fMRI to determine whether acallosal patients have increased IMC activation with either complex or simple unilateral finger movements. Neither the localization of motor cortical regions activated, the volumes of activation, or the relative hemispheric lateralization of activations were different between the patients and normal controls. The potential callosal inhibitory pathway identified by TMS therefore does not appear to contribute to the interhemispheric suppression of physiologically relevant activations in the motor cortex as measured by fMRI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Agenesis of Corpus Callosum*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Corpus Callosum / anatomy & histology
  • Corpus Callosum / physiology
  • Female
  • Fingers / innervation
  • Fingers / physiology*
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Motor Cortex / physiology*
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology*
  • Neural Pathways / abnormalities*
  • Neural Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Recovery of Function / physiology