title: Constrained Spherical Deconvolution Tractography Reveals Cerebello-Mammillary Connections in Humans.
abstract: According to the classical view, the cerebellum has long been confined to motor control physiology; however, it has now become evident that it exerts several non-somatic features other than the coordination of movement and is engaged also in the regulation of cognition and emotion. In a previous diffusion-weighted imaging-constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) tractography study, we demonstrated the existence of a direct cerebellum-hippocampal pathway, thus reinforcing the hypothesis of the cerebellar role in non-motor domains. However, our understanding of limbic-cerebellar interconnectivity in humans is rather sparse, primarily due to the intrinsic limitation in the acquisition of in vivo tracing. Here, we provided tractographic evidences of connectivity patterns between the cerebellum and mammillary bodies by using whole-brain CSD tractography in 13 healthy subjects. We found both ipsilateral and contralateral connections between the mammillary bodies, cerebellar cortex, and dentate nucleus, in line with previous studies performed in rodents and primates. These pathways could improve our understanding of cerebellar role in several autonomic functions, visuospatial orientation, and memory and may shed new light on neurodegenerative diseases in which clinically relevant impairments in navigational skills or memory may become manifest at early stages.
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy. alberto.cacciola0@gmail.com.
authors: Alberto
authors: 0000-0001-9412-4116
authors: A
authors: Cacciola
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.|IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", S.S. 113, Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors: Demetrio
authors: D
authors: Milardi
authors: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Calamuneri
authors: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", S.S. 113, Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors: Lilla
authors: L
authors: Bonanno
authors: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", S.S. 113, Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Marino
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Ciolli
authors: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", S.S. 113, Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors: Margherita
authors: M
authors: Russo
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Bruschetta
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Duca
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Trimarchi
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.|IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", S.S. 113, Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Quartarone
authors: Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Anastasi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008326:Mammillary Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008568:Memory; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009949:Orientation; D013028:Space Perception
keywords: CSD; Cerebellum; Connectivity; Limbic system; Mammillary bodies; Tractography