title: Somatotopic arrangement and location of the corticospinal tract in the brainstem of the human brain.
abstract: The corticospinal tract (CST) is the most important motor pathway in the human brain. Detailed knowledge of CST somatotopy is important in terms of rehabilitative management and invasive procedures for patients with brain injuries. In this study, I conducted a review of nine previous studies of the somatotopical location and arrangement at the brainstem in the human brain. The results of this review indicated that the hand and leg somatotopies of the CST are arranged medio-laterally in the mid to lateral portion of the cerebral peduncle, ventromedial-dorsolaterally in the pontine basis, and medio-laterally in the medullary pyramid. However, few diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have been conducted on this topic, and only nine have been reported: midbrain (2 studies), pons (4 studies), and medulla (1 study). Therefore, further DTI studies should be conducted in order to expand the literature on this topic. In particular, research on midbrain and medulla should be encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, 317-1 Daemyeong 5-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu 705-717, Korea. strokerehab@hanmail.net
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D001933:Brain Stem / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000294:innervation; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011149:Pons / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000033:anatomy & histology