The replication principle revisited: a shared functional organization between pulvinar-cortical and cortico-cortical connectivity and its structural and molecular imaging correlates

Published: May 21, 2025

Abstract The pulvinar, the largest nucleus in human thalamus, is a complex, highly interconnected structure. Through dense, organized network of cortical and subcortical areas, it provides adequate cooperation between neural systems, which crucial for multiple high-order functions such as perception, visuospatial attention, emotional processing. Such central role made possible by precise internal topographical organization, mirrored anatomical connections well expression neurochemical markers. While being traditionally subdivided into sub-nuclei, each characterized distinct connectional morphological features, recent studies both primate brains have highlighted that this organization only marginally aligns with conventional histological subdivision. Instead, has been delineated context continuous gradients along dorsoventral mediolateral axes. multi-gradient extensively documented models, remains relatively underexplored brain. present work combines high-quality, multi-modal structural functional imaging data recently published whole-brain, large-scale, positron emission tomography (PET) atlas detailing 19 neurotransmitters receptors distributed across By applying diffusion embedding analysis to tractography, connectivity, receptor coexpression data, we identify characterize topographically connections, coactivation, molecular binding patterns. We demonstrate converge on shared representation axes pulvinar. This transitions spanning from lower-level higher-order regions. Moreover, paralleled gradual changes markers associated key neuromodulator including serotoninergic, noradrenergic, dopaminergic, opioid systems. Our findings represent significant step forward understanding pulvinar anatomy function, offering an exploratory framework investigate structure health disease.

Language: Английский

Functional connectivity of thalamic nuclei during sensorimotor task-based fMRI at 9.4 Tesla

Frontiers in Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 19

Published: May 13, 2025

The thalamus is the brain's central communication hub, playing a key role in processing and relaying sensorimotor cognitive information between cerebral cortex other brain regions. It consists of specific non-specific nuclei, each with different role. Specific thalamic nuclei relay sensory motor to cortical subcortical regions ensure precise communication. In contrast, are involved general functions such as attention or consciousness through broader less targeted connections. present study, we aimed investigate functional connectivity patterns identified our previous study being (finger-tapping) (finger-touch) tasks. results this show that not static hubs predefined neural signal processing, they task-specific anterior, middle, lateral, posterior nuclei. Instead, all can flexibly change their connections response task demands. This work has important implications for understanding task-dependent using task-based fMRI at 9.4 Tesla.

Language: Английский