Parieto-frontal network in humans studied by cortico-cortical evoked potential.

Parieto-frontal network is essential for sensorimotor integration in various complex behaviors, and its disruption is associated with pathophysiology of apraxia and visuo-spatial disorders. Despite advances in knowledge regarding specialized cortical areas for various sensorimotor transformations, little is known about the underlying cortico-cortical connectivity in humans. We investigated inter-areal connections of the lateral parieto-frontal network in vivo by means of cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs).

Cortical stimulation for language mapping in focal epilepsy: correlations with tractography of the arcuate fasciculus.

Purpose: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides information about magnitude (diffusivity) and directionality (fractional anisotropy, FA) of water diffusion and allows visualization of major white matter tracts. The arcuate fasciculus (AF) connects anterior (Broca's) and posterior (Wernicke's) language areas. We hypothesized that essential language areas identified by direct cortical stimulation would colocalize with areas revealing subcortical connectivity via the AF.

Functional connectivity in human cortical motor system: a cortico-cortical evoked potential study.

In order to understand the complex functional organization of the motor system, it is essential to know the anatomical and functional connectivity among individual motor areas. Clinically, knowledge of these cortico-cortical connections is important to understand the rapid spread of epileptic discharges through the network underlying ictal motor manifestation. In humans, however, knowledge of neuronal in vivo connectivity has been limited.

Recovery of pain control by intensive reprogramming after loss of benefit from motor cortex stimulation for neuropathic pain.

Introduction: Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) may serve as an adjunct in managing neuropathic pain after other conservative and interventional methods have failed. However, the magnitude and duration of the benefit are highly variable, with a significant percentage of patients losing pain relief over time. We investigated whether intensive reprogramming could recapture the beneficial effects of MCS.

Functional connectivity in the human language system: a cortico-cortical evoked potential study.

A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in human higher cortical functions requires a detailed knowledge of neuronal connectivity between functional cortical regions. Currently no good method for tracking in vivo neuronal connectivity exists. We investigated the inter-areal connections in vivo in the human language system using a new method, which we termed 'cortico-cortical evoked potentials' (CCEPs).

The mind's eye: functional MR imaging evaluation of golf motor imagery.

Background And Purpose: Mental imagery involves rehearsing or practicing a task in the mind with no physical movement. The technique is commonly used, but the actual physical foundation of imagery has not been evaluated for the fast, complex, automatic motor movement of the golf swing. This study evaluated motor imagery of the golf swing, of golfers of various handicaps, by using functional MR imaging to assess whether areas of brain activation could be defined by this technique and to define any association between activated brain areas and golf skill.

Neocortical temporal FDG-PET hypometabolism correlates with temporal lobe atrophy in hippocampal sclerosis associated with microscopic cortical dysplasia.

Purpose: Medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) due to hippocampal sclerosis (HS), with or without cortical dysplasia (CD), is associated with atrophy of the hippocampal formation and regional fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) hypometabolism. The relation between areas of functional and structural abnormalities is not well understood. We investigate the relation between FDG-PET metabolism and temporal lobe (TL) and hippocampal atrophy in patients with histologically proven isolated HS and HS associated with CD.

Epileptogenicity of focal malformations due to abnormal cortical development: direct electrocorticographic-histopathologic correlations.

Purpose: Malformations due to abnormal cortical development (MCDs) are common pathologic substrates of medically intractable epilepsy. The in situ epileptogenicity of these lesions as well as its relation to histopathologic changes remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to correlate the cellular patterns of MCDs with the expression of focal cortical epileptogenicity as assessed by direct extraoperative electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings by using subdural grids.