Computer-assisted 3D reconstruction of the human basal forebrain complex

• Autor(a) principal: Grinberg,Lea Tenenholz
• Data de Publicação: 2007
• Outros Autores: Heinsen,Helmut
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Dementia & Neuropsychologia
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1980-57642007000200140
• topic: human; adults; models/ structural; substantia innominata; nucleus basalis of Meynert; quantitative analysis; neurons/cytology.

Abstract The basal forebrain complex (BFC) is a small but intricate structure. Its organization and function is hard to investigate using conventional methods, especially in humans. By combining new methods of research we present a comprehensive overview of this complex, in order to better understand its function in normal and diseased brains. Methods: The right and left BFC of a 29-year-old male were reconstructed from gallcocyanin (Nissl) stained 440 mm-thick serial horizontal sections by using advanced computer-assisted 3D reconstruction software. Results: The reconstructed components in the present case include Ch2, Ch3, Ch4am-al, Ch4i, Ch4p, juxtacommissural, Ayala's medial (subpallidal) and lateral (periputaminal) subnuclei. These components are arranged in an arch-like course mainly beneath the anterior commissure. The bilateral volume of all subnuclei was 99.06 mm³, the left side accounting for 48.05 mm³. Some of the subnuclei exhibited volume asymmetry indices varying from 28.3 to 12.9%.The volume of Ayalas' lateral or periputaminal nucleus was 9.7% higher on the right, than on the left side. Conclusions: Our methodological approach promises to be highly efficient and reproducible in studying morphofunctional correlations in complex cognitive features