Transcallosal motor pathway from affected motor cortex to affected hand in a patient with corona radiata infarct—A diffusion tensor tractography and transcranial magnetic stimulation study

• Published in: Neural regeneration research Vol. 5; no. 14; pp. 1117 - 1120
• Main Author: Sung Ho Jang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu 705-717, Republic of Korea 30.07.2010
• Subjects: 扩散张量; 梗塞; 皮质脊髓束; 经颅磁刺激; 胼胝体; 跟踪技术; 运动皮层; 通路; transcallosal fiber; diffusion tensor imaging; magnetic stimulation; stroke; motor recovery
• ISSN: 1673-5374
• DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2010.14.015

The mechanisms of motor recovery through the transcallosal pathway remain poorly understood. The present study reports on a hemiplegic patient with corona radiata infarct; it attempts to confirm motor recovery through the transcallosal motor pathway, from the affected motor cortex to the affected hand, using diffusion tensor tractography and transcranial magnetic stimulation. A 54-year-old, male patient and eight age-matched, normal subjects were enrolled in the study. The patient＇s right hand was initially completely paralyzed, but slowly recovered over 6 months. In the control subjects and the unaffected hemisphere （right） of the patient, the corticospinal tracts originated from the motor cortex and descended along the known corticospinal tract pathway. However, the corticospinal tract of the affected hemisphere was disrupted at the upper pons. Following transcranial stimulation of the affected （left） motor cortex, motor evoked potential from the affected （right） abductor pollicis brevis muscle exhibited longer latency than opposite motor evoked potential. Results from the present study suggest that motor function of the affected （right） hand recovered via the transcallosal motor pathway from the affected （left） motor cortex in this patient.