title: Connections of the limbic network: a corticocortical evoked potentials study.
abstract: Papez proposed a network for higher brain function, which is termed the limbic network. However, the in vivo human limbic network has not been established. We investigated the connectivity of the human limbic system using corticocortical evoked potential (CCEP). This retrospective analysis included 28 patients with medically intractable focal epilepsy who underwent stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) and CCEP. Alternating 1 Hz electrical stimuli were delivered to parts of the limbic system [anterior and posterior hippocampus, temporal pole, parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), amygdala, anterior (ACG) and posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG), medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OF)]. A total of 40-60 stimuli were averaged in each trial to obtain CCEP responses. CCEP distributions were evaluated by calculating the root mean square (RMS) of CCEP responses. Anterior hippocampal stimulation elicited prominent CCEP responses in medial and lateral temporal structures, PCG, medial OF and insula over the ipsilateral hemisphere. Posterior hippocampal stimulation induced CCEP responses in the ipsilateral medial and lateral temporal structures and PCG. The findings also revealed connections from temporal pole to the ipsilateral medial temporal structures, and connections from PHG to the ipsilateral hippocampus and PCG. The amygdala projected to broad areas including the ipsilateral medial and lateral temporal structures, medial and lateral frontal areas, the cingulate gyrus, insula and inferior parietal lobule. ACG and PCG showed connections to the ipsilateral medial fronto-parietal areas and connections to bilateral medial temporo-parieto-occipital and lateral parieto-occipital areas, respectively. Medial and lateral OF stimulation induced responses in the adjacent cortices. This study revealed that various regions within the limbic network are intimately connected in reverberating circuits and are linked to specific ipsilateral and contralateral regions, which may reflect distinct functional roles.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Rei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Enatsu
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Martinez
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bulacio
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mosher
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Imad
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Najm
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. Electronic address: naird@ccf.org.
authors.forename: Dileep R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000503:physiopathology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D020534:Parahippocampal Gyrus / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epilepsy; Evoked potential; Limbic network; Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG)