Anatomy and white matter connections of the fusiform gyrus

Abstract

the fusiform gyrus is understood to be involved in the processing of high-order visual information, particularly related to faces, bodies, and stimuli characterized by high spatial frequencies. A detailed understanding of the exact location and nature of associated white-tracts could significantly improve post-operative morbidity related to declining capacity. through generalized q-sampling imaging (GQi) validated by gross dissection as a direct anatomical method of identifying white matter tracts, we have characterized these connections based on relationships to other well-known structures. We created the white matter tracts using GQI and confirmed the tracts using gross dissection. These dissections demonstrated connections to the occipital lobe from the fusiform gyrus along with longer association fibers that course through this gyrus. The fusiform gyrus is an important region implicated in such tasks as the visual processing of human faces and bodies, as well as the perception of stimuli with high spatial frequencies. post-surgical outcomes related to this region may be better understood in the context of the fiber-bundle anatomy highlighted by this study. The fusiform gyrus, also known as the occipitotemporal gyrus, is a structure spanning the basal surface of the temporal and occipital lobes 1. It is the largest component of the human ventral temporal cortex, a functionallydefined region critical for visual categorization 1,2. Although the precise function of the fusiform gyrus has not yet been entirely revealed, it has been implicated in high-level tasks regarding visual processing, particularly the processing of information related to faces 3-5 , bodies 6,7 , and stimuli characterized by high spatial frequencies 8. The connection between the anatomical structure of the fusiform gyrus and this region's function remains contested 2,7. Clarification of the fiber-bundle anatomy and functional relationships inherent to the fusiform gyrus may have relevance to clinical applications such as operative planning for glioma resection and awake craniotomies. In addition, human neuroimaging studies have found that certain regions of the fusiform gyrus and its underlying white matter connections are related to a variety of conditions, such as developmental prosopagnosia 5,9,10 , pure alexia 8,11 , and anorexia nervosa. Nevertheless, direct correlations between surgical anatomy and functional connectivity of the fusiform gyrus have not been previously described in neurosurgical literature. A white matter tract identification technique consisting of gross brain dissection and generalized q-sampling tractography has been implemented previously to suggest links between form and function for other brain regions 12,13. Here we investigate the structural organization and network connectivity of the fusiform gyrus. Through GQI-based fiber tracking validated by gross dissection as a direct anatomical method of determining white matter connections 14 , we have characterized these tracts based on key connections and anatomical re...

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