Human variability of fMRI brain activation in response to oculomotor stimuli.
Assessing interindividual variability of brain activation is of practical importance to the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the clinical context. The main objective of this study is to analyze the variability of the oculomotor system through horizontal optokinetic, pursuit and saccadic eye movement stimulations by means of fMRI. We found significant activation of many cortical and subcortical structures. The frequency of activation demonstrates a high variability between subjects. However, the most frequent activation regions were located in frontal areas and in regions comprising the middle temporal and medial superior temporal areas. Our study allowed the characterization of the most frequently involved foci in optokinetic stimulation, pursuit and saccadic eye movement tasks. The combination of these tasks constitutes a suitable tool for mapping major areas involved in the oculomotor system.
Della-Justina
Hellen M
HM
Departament of Physics and Math, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil.
Pastorello
Bruno F
BF
Santos-Pontelli
Taiza E G
TE
Pontes-Neto
Octavio M
OM
Santos
Antonio Carlos
AC
Baffa
Oswaldo
O
Colafemina
Jose F
JF
Leite
Joao P
JP
de Araujo
Draulio B
DB
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017120:Nystagmus, Optokinetic / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012438:Saccades / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology