The Geometric Structure of the Brain Fiber Pathways

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 335; no. 6076; pp. 1628 - 1634
• Main Authors: Van J. Wedeen, Rosene, Douglas L., Wang, Ruopeng, Dai, Guangping, Mortazavi, Farzad, Hagmann, Patric, Kaas, Jon H., Tseng, Wen-Yih I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 30.03.2012; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Adaptations; Anatomy & physiology; Animals; Aotidae; Axons - ultrastructure; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Evolution; Brain; Brain Mapping; Callithrix; Cerebral Cortex - anatomy & histology; Cerebral Cortex - embryology; Cerebral Cortex - ultrastructure; Connectivity; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; evolution; Forebrain; Frontal lobe; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Galago; Genetics; geometry; Gyres; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Macaca mulatta; magnetic resonance imaging; Monkeys; morphogenesis; Morphology; Nerve Fibers; Neural Pathways - anatomy & histology; Neural Pathways - embryology; Neural Pathways - ultrastructure; Neurobiology; Primates; Prosencephalon - anatomy & histology; Prosencephalon - ultrastructure; Species Specificity; Statistical analysis; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; White matter; Human; Morphogenesis; Central nervous system; Plasticity; Development; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Adaptation; Encephalon
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1215280

The structure of the brain as a product of morphogenesis is difficult to reconcile with the observed complexity of cerebral connectivity. We therefore analyzed relationships of adjacency and crossing between cerebral fiber pathways in four nonhuman primate species and in humans by using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. The cerebral fiber pathways formed a rectilinear three-dimensional grid continuous with the three principal axes of development. Cortico-cortical pathways formed parallel sheets of interwoven paths in the longitudinal and medio-lateral axes, in which major pathways were local condensations. Cross-species homology was strong and showed emergence of complex gyral connectivity by continuous elaboration of this grid structure. This architecture naturally supports functional spatio-temporal coherence, developmental path-finding, and incremental rewiring with correlated adaptation of structure and function in cerebral plasticity and evolution.