Subcomponents and connectivity of the superior longitudinal fasciculus in the human brain
Abstract
The subcomponents of the human superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) are disputed. The objective of this study was to investigate the segments, connectivity and asymmetry of the SLF. We performed high angular diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) analysis on ten healthy adults. We also conducted fiber tracking on a 30-subject DSI template (CMU-30) and 488-subject template from the Human Connectome Project (HCP-488). In addition, five normal brains obtained at autopsy were microdissected. Based on tractography and microdissection results, we show that the human SLF differs significantly from that of monkey. The fibers corresponding to SLF-I found in 6 out of 20 hemispheres proved to be part of the cingulum fiber system in all cases and confirmed on both DSI and HCP-488 template. The most common patterns of connectivity bilaterally were as follows: from angular gyrus to caudal middle frontal gyrus and dorsal precentral gyrus representing SLF-II (or dorsal SLF), and from supramarginal gyrus to ventral precentral gyrus and pars opercularis to form SLF-III (or ventral SLF). Some connectivity features were, however, clearly asymmetric. Thus, we identified a strong asymmetry of the dorsal SLF (SLF-II), where the connectivity between the supramarginal gyrus with the dorsal precentral gyrus and the caudal middle frontal gyrus was only present in the left hemisphere. Contrarily, the ventral SLF (SLF-III) showed fairly constant connectivity with pars triangularis only in the right hemisphere. The results provide a novel neuroanatomy of the SLF that may help to better understand its functional role in the human brain.
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In vivo tractography of the human brain has been evaluated by subjective assessment of plausibility or qualitative visual agreement with post-mortem Klingler-like dissections.
“in vivo tractography of the human brain has been evaluated by subjective assessment of plausibility9, 10 or qualitative visual agreement with post-mortem Klingler-like dissections11, 12.”
From Tractography-based connectomes are dominated by false-positive connections (2016) · cites this paper as [12]
Postmortem macroscopic dissection is unable to identify the distal terminations of bundles.
“but is also unable to identify the distal terminations of bundles (3, 7).”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
Martino et al. used dMRI and cortex-sparing fiber dissection and concluded that there were two segments to the SLF, an anterior and a posterior segment.
“Martino et al. used dMRI and cortex-sparing fiber dissection and came to the conclusion that there were two segments to the SLF, an anterior and a posterior segment, much like Martino et al. and Wang et al. (3, 7).”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
Wang et al. found a slight asymmetric difference in all SLF sub-components with a tendency toward right-hemispheric dominance.
“Wang et al., on the other hand, found a slight asymmetric difference in all SLF sub-component with a tendency toward right-hemispheric dominance (7).”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
Wang et al. consider the SLF as only composed of a dorsal (SLF II) and a ventral (SLF III) segment.
“Hence, they consider the SLF as only composed of a dorsal (SLF II) and a ventral (SLF III) segment.”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
In Wang et al.'s construct, the SLF II represents 66% of the total volume, whereas the SLF III about 33%.
“In this construct, the SLF II represents 66% of the total volume, whereas the SLF III about 33%.”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
The lateralization of SLF II subcomponents is dominant in the left hemisphere.
“other researchers found the SLF II subcomponents' lateralization to be dominant in the left hemisphere (7, 56, 72).”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
Wang et al. concluded that there is a high discrepancy between the simian and human anatomy, so all conclusions derived from the study of the former cannot be applied to the latter.
“The first conclusion is that there is a high discrepancy between the simian and human anatomy; hence, all conclusions derived from the study of the former cannot be applied to the latter.”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
The right SLF II preferentially connects the angular gyrus and the superior parietal lobe with the caudal and rostral middle frontal gyrus, respectively.
“the right SLF II preferentially connects the angular gyrus and the superior parietal lobe with the caudal and rostral middle frontal gyrus, respectively.”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
The right SLF III has a specific connectivity pattern terminating at the right pars triangularis.
“Wang et al. (7) also reported a specific connectivity pattern for the right SLF III terminating at the right pars triangularis.”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
The right SLF III connectivity pattern is probably involved in spatial awareness functioning.
“According to some authors, this connectivity pattern is probably involved in spatial awareness functioning (7).”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
Wang et al. identified a strong bias in leftward connections between the supramarginal gyrus and the dorsal precentral gyrus and the caudal middle frontal gyrus.
“Wang et al. (7) identified a strong bias in leftward connections between the supramarginal gyrus with the dorsal precentral gyrus and the caudal middle frontal gyrus.”
From Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus: A Review of the Anatomical Descriptions With Functional Correlates (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
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- Authors
- Wang, X., Pathak, S., Stefaneanu, L., Yeh, F.-C., Li, S., & Fernandez-Miranda, J. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Carnegie Mellon University (US)
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Fernandez-Miranda, Juan C.
- Venue
- Brain Structure and Function
- Published
- 2015-03-18
- Volume
- 221
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 2075-2092
- ISSN
- 1863-2653 (ISSN-L)
- 1863-2661
- OpenAlex
- W2049658101
- Cited by
- 257
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 13.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Brain Structure and Function (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anatomy › Medical and Biological Sciences
- Keywords
- superior longitudinal fasciculus, cingulum, hemispheric lateralization, white matter connectivity, angular gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, pars opercularis, pars triangularis, diffusion spectrum imaging, tractography
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Male, Neural Pathways, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Young Adult, Connectome, White Matter
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