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Explaining function with anatomy: language lateralization and corpus callosum size.

ABSTRACT: The anatomy of the corpus callosum (CC) has been advocated as a potential marker for functional lateralization because its size is supposedly proportional to the number of fibers connecting the hemispheres. Previous morphometric studies of this relationship have compared CC size in groups of subjects who are more or less likely to show differences in their lateralization (e.g., left vs right handers). The findings, however, have been inconsistent, and to our knowledge, no previous study has directly compared CC size with lateralization assessed by functional imaging data. We therefore combined anatomical measurements of CC size with left versus right hemisphere language activation in 74 normal subjects. After controlling for perceptual and motor output effects, as well as for global white-matter volume, handedness, gender and age, we found that subjects who had a larger CC showed more left lateralization for language in posterior temporal and inferior frontal regions. Examination of these effects revealed that, as CC size increased, stronger lateralization resulted from more left hemisphere activation in both regions as well as reduced right hemisphere activation in the posterior temporal region. Our observations provide the first clear evidence in normal subjects that the midsagittal surface area of the CC contributes to the degree to which language is functionally lateralized. We discuss the complex interhemispheric processes that might underlie this effect.

SUBMITTER: Josse G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2689513 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Explaining function with anatomy: language lateralization and corpus callosum size.

Josse Goulven G Seghier Mohamed L ML Kherif Ferath F Price Cathy J CJ

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 20081201 52

The anatomy of the corpus callosum (CC) has been advocated as a potential marker for functional lateralization because its size is supposedly proportional to the number of fibers connecting the hemispheres. Previous morphometric studies of this relationship have compared CC size in groups of subjects who are more or less likely to show differences in their lateralization (e.g., left vs right handers). The findings, however, have been inconsistent, and to our knowledge, no previous study has dire ...[more]

PMID: 19109495

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Project description:The Corpus Callosum (CC) is an important structure that includes the majority of fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres. Several neurodegenerative diseases may alter CC size and morphology leading to its atrophy and malfunction which may play a role in the pathological manifestations found in these diseases. The purpose of the current study is to determine any possible changes in CC size in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The Study also investigated the effect of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) on the size of CC and its association with improvement in the Alzheimer disease severity scores. Midsagittal size of CC were recorded prospectively from 439 routine T1-weighted MRI brain images in normal individuals. The internal skull surface was measured to calculate CC/ internal skull surface ratio. Two groups of patients were studied: 300 (150 male / 150 female) were healthy subjects and 130 (55 males / 75 females) had Alzheimer disease. Out of the 130 Alzheimer disease pateints, 70 patients were treated with Donepezil or Rivastigmine or both. The size of the CC was measured based on T1-weighted MRI images after the treatment to investigate any possible improvement in CC size. The mean surface area of CC in controls was 6.53±1.105 cm2. There was no significant difference between males and females (P < 0.627), and CC/ internal skull surface ratio was 4.41±0.77%. Patients with mild or severe Alzheimer disease showed a significant reduction in CC size compared to healthy controls. Treating mild Alzheimer patients with either Donepezil or Rivastigmine exerts a comparable therapeutic effect in improving the CC size. There was more improvement in the size of CC in patients with severe Alzheimer disease by using combined therapy of Donepezil and Rivastigmine than using single a medication. we measured the mean size of the various portions of the corpus callosum in normal individuals and Alzheimer patients before and after taking Donepezil and Rivastigmine. Alzheimer patients have pronounced reduction in CC which is corrected after taking Donepezil and Rivastigmine leading to remarkable improvement in Alzheimer disease severity scores.

Dataset Information

Explaining function with anatomy: language lateralization and corpus callosum size.

Publications

Explaining function with anatomy: language lateralization and corpus callosum size.

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