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Mammillotegmental tract in the human brain: diffusion tensor tractography study

  • Functional Neuroradiology
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Abstract

Introduction

Several animal studies have been conducted for the identification of the mammillotegmental tract (MTT); however, no study has been reported in the human brain.

Methods

In the current study, using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT), we attempted to identify the MTT in the human brain. We recruited 31 healthy volunteers for this study. Diffusion tensor images were acquired using 1.5 T, and the MTT was obtained using a probabilistic tractography method based on a multi-fiber model. Values of fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and tract volume of the MTT were measured.

Results

MTTs of all subjects, which originated from the mammillary body, ascended posteriorly to the bicommissural level along the third ventricle and then turned caudally and terminated at the tegmentum of the midbrain. No significant differences were observed in terms of fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and tract volume according to hemisphere and sex (P < 0.05). Using DTT, we identified the MTT in the human brain.

Conclusion

We believe that the methodology and results of this study would be helpful in research on the MTT in the human brain.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (KRF-2008-314-E00173).

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea

    Hyeok Gyu Kwon

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, Yeungnam College of Science & Technology, Taegu, Republic of Korea

    Ji Heon Hong

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, 317–1, Daemyungdong, Namku, Taegu, 705–717, Republic of Korea

    Sung Ho Jang

Authors
  1. Hyeok Gyu Kwon
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  2. Ji Heon Hong
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  3. Sung Ho Jang
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Correspondence to Sung Ho Jang.

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Kwon, H.G., Hong, J.H. & Jang, S.H. Mammillotegmental tract in the human brain: diffusion tensor tractography study. Neuroradiology 53, 623–626 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-011-0858-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-011-0858-y

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