• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2015

Background and Purpose: The association between the low emotional regulation and the brain structural change of major depressive disorder (MDD) has been proposed, but the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies on female MDD are rare. The purpose of the present study was to show the regional volume changes of gray matter (GM) in female patients with MDD by optimized VBM. Methods: To control subjects homogeneity, twenty female MDD patients and age, sex matched 21 normal controls were included for the VBM analysis. To identify the change of regional gray matter volume (GMV), the optimized VBM was performed with T1 MRIs. The amounts of gray/white matter and intracranial cavity volumes (ICV) were measured. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and partial correlation analyses covariate with age and ICV were applied for VBM. Results: The age and ICV distributions were similar between the two groups. In the ANCOVA, the total GMV of MDD was smaller than that of normal controls. In the VBM, regional GMV was relatively decreased in the limbic system (amygdalae, ambient gyri, hippocampi heads, subiculum, posterior parahippocampal gyri, pulvinar nuclei, dorsal posterior cingulate gyri, and left pregenual cingulate gyrus). The lingual gyri, short insular gyri, right fusiform gyrus, and right inferior frontal gyrus were also showed decreased regional GMV. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the female MDD is mainly associated with the structural deficits of the limbic system and limbic system related cortices, which were known to the center of emotions.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Purpose: Several morphometric studies have been performed to investigate brain abnormalities in congenitally deaf people. But no report exists concerning structural brain abnormalities in congenitally deaf adolescents. We evaluated the regional volume changes in gray matter (GM) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in congenitally deaf adolescents. Materials and Methods: A VBM8 methodology was applied to the T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of eight congenitally deaf adolescents (mean age, 15.6 years) and nine adolescents with normal hearing. All MRI scans were normalized to a template and then segmented, modulated, and smoothed. Smoothed GM data were tested statistically using analysis of covariance (controlled for age, gender, and intracranial cavity volume). Results: The mean values of age, gender, total volumes of GM, and total intracranial volume did not differ between the two groups. In the auditory centers, the left anterior Heschl's gyrus and both inferior colliculi showed decreased regional GM volume in the congenitally deaf adolescents. The GM volumes of the lingual gyri, nuclei accumbens, and left posterior thalamic reticular nucleus in the midbrain were also decreased. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that early deprivation of auditory stimulation in congenitally deaf adolescents might have caused significant underdevelopment of the auditory cortex (left Heschl's gyrus), subcortical auditory structures (inferior colliculi), auditory gain controllers (nucleus accumbens and thalamic reticular nucleus), and multisensory integration areas (inferior colliculi and lingual gyri). These defects might be related to the absence of general auditory perception, the auditory gating system of thalamocortical transmission, and failure in the maturation of the auditory-to-limbic connection and the auditorysomatosensory-visual interconnection.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 1999

연구배경 및 목적 : 시각 인지 과정은 영장류 실험을 통하여 다소 정보를 얻을 수 있었으나 인간에서는 아직 완전하게 이해되지 않고 있다. 이 연구의 목적은 뇌자극과 시가유발전위 검사를 토대로 인간의 시각피질의 기능적 분화와 시간 순으로 활성화되는 양상을 보고자 한 것이다. 연구방법 : 간질 수술을 위하여 후두엽과 인접 부위에 광범위하게 피질하전극을 넣은 22명의 환자를 대상으로 전기적 뇌자극과 시각유발전위 검사를 시행하였다. 뇌자극시 나타나는 반응은 형태, 색, 및 움직임의 세 가지로 크게 나누고 형태는 다시 단순, 중간 및 복잡한 형태로 세분하였다. 시각유발전위는 P1 혹은 IV파의 latency를 측정하였다. 결과 : 단순 혹은 중간 형태는 흔히 occipital pole과 striate cortex에서 발생하였다. 색반응은 후두엽의 기저부 즉, fusiform, lingual, inferior occipital gyri를 자극할 때 관찰되었다. 움직임 반응은 내측기저부 및 외측의 측후두엽 혹은 측두정후두부의 경계부에서 주로 나타났다. 결론 : 이러한 결과는 인간의 시각피질이 시각의 여러 가지 구성성분 즉, 형태, 색, 및 움직임에 대해서 각각 별도로 분화되어 있다는 것을 보여준다. 도한 시각자극이 전해지면 striate cortex와 occipital pole이 가장 먼저 활성화되고 이어서 내측 및 외측 후두엽 부위가 활성화된다는 것을 알 수 있다. 이러한 사실을 종합하여 보면 인간의 시각피질은 시각의 여러 구성성분별로 별도로 발달된 해부학적 경로를 통하여 각각의 기능에 대하여 특수하게 분화된 뇌세포에서 시각정보를 각각 분석하되 일정한 시간순서에 의한다는 것을 시사하는 것이다.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.190-197
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine structural abnormalities of brain in patients with pathological gambling(PG) using voxel-based morphometry. Methods : We compared gray matter(GM) volumes between 10 patients with PG and 14 age- and IQ-matched healthy controls and examined the relationship of GM volumes with clinical variables in patients with PG. Results : We found significant increase of GM volume in the superior, middle, and inferior frontal gyri, the midbrain, the middle temporal gyrus, the precuneus, and the fusiform gyrus of patients with PG. A significant decrease of GM volume was observed in the parahippocampal gyrus and the lingual gyrus of the patient group. In addition, GM volumes in some of these regions were positively associated with South Oaks Gambling Screen score and negatively with age of onset in patients with PG. Conclusion : Current findings indicate that structural abnormalities in the fronto-temporal cortex, the midbrain, and the precuneus might be involved in the pathophysiology of PG, and contribute to some of the behavioral changes observed in patients with PG.