Sensory and motor interhemispheric integration after section of different portions of the anterior corpus callosum in nonepileptic patients.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated somatosensory and motor interhemispheric integration in four patients who underwent transection of different portions of the anterior corpus callosum (CC) for removal of an intraventricular cyst. The study goal was to relate their performances to the topographical organization of the CC.


METHODS
Experimental tasks included bimanual coordination, tactile cross-localization, and intermanual and interfield comparisons of somesthetic information. Response accuracy and response times were measured. In addition, interhemispheric transmission times were obtained in the somesthetic modality.


RESULTS
Section of the middle portion of the genu caused a deficit in motor coordination, which was absent in patients with more posteriorly located lesions, whereas section of more rostral portions of the genu seemed to interfere with motor planning. The most posterior section in our sample, including the anterior portion of the body of the corpus, abolished interhemispheric transfer of simple somesthetic information (perception of touch) but not tactile discrimination (intermanual comparisons of shapes). We speculate that more complex somesthetic information is transferred through the caudal region of the body of the CC, which was spared in all patients. Thus, it seems that section of different portions of the anterior CC (genu and anterior body) produces specific deficits in interhemispheric integration in the motor and somesthetic modalities. These deficits are consistent with the anteroposterior topography of anterior callosal fibers.


CONCLUSIONS
The specific disconnections deficits observed in this study may provide the surgeon with information regarding the consequences of anterior callosotomy and allow for remedial measures to be implemented if required.
Caillé
Stéphanie
S
Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition, Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Sauerwein
Hannelore C
HC
Schiavetto
Alessandra
A
Villemure
Jean-Guy
JG
Lassonde
Maryse
M
D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000601:surgery; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003560:Cysts / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D046709:Pattern Recognition, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*