title: Altered microstructure rather than morphology in the corpus callosum after lower limb amputation.
abstract: The corpus callosum (CC) has been implicated in the reorganization of the brain following amputation. However, it is unclear which regions of the CC are involved in this process. In this study, we explored the morphometric and microstructural changes in CC subregions in patients with unilateral lower limb amputation. Thirty-eight patients and 38 age- and gender-matched normal controls were included. The CC was divided into five regions, and the area, thickness and diffusion parameters of each region were investigated. While morphometric analysis showed no significant differences between the two groups, amputees showed significant higher values in axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity and mean diffusivity in region II of the CC, which connects the bilateral premotor and supplementary motor areas. In contrast, the mean fractional anisotropy value of the fibers generated by these cortical areas, as measured by tractography, was significantly smaller in amputees. These results demonstrate that the interhemispheric pathways contributing to motor coordination and imagery are reorganized in lower limb amputees.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Zhichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Chuanming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Lingzhong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Guangyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Jixiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Tianzi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Xuntao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D016880:Anisotropy; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology*; D003710:Demography; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D055815:Young Adult