TY - JOUR A1 - Axer, Markus A1 - Amunts, Katrin A1 - Gräßel, David A1 - Palm, Christoph A1 - Dammers, Jürgen A1 - Axer, Hubertus A1 - Pietrzyk, Uwe A1 - Zilles, Karl T1 - Novel Approach to the Human Connectome BT - Ultra-High Resolution Mapping of Fiber Tracts in the Brain JF - NeuroImage N2 - Signal transmission between different brain regions requires connecting fiber tracts, the structural basis of the human connectome. In contrast to animal brains, where a multitude of tract tracing methods can be used, magnetic resonance (MR)-based diffusion imaging is presently the only promising approach to study fiber tracts between specific human brain regions. However, this procedure has various inherent restrictions caused by its relatively low spatial resolution. Here, we introduce 3D-polarized light imaging (3D-PLI) to map the three-dimensional course of fiber tracts in the human brain with a resolution at a submillimeter scale based on a voxel size of 100 μm isotropic or less. 3D-PLI demonstrates nerve fibers by utilizing their intrinsic birefringence of myelin sheaths surrounding axons. This optical method enables the demonstration of 3D fiber orientations in serial microtome sections of entire human brains. Examples for the feasibility of this novel approach are given here. 3D-PLI enables the study of brain regions of intense fiber crossing in unprecedented detail, and provides an independent evaluation of fiber tracts derived from diffusion imaging data. KW - Connectome KW - Human brain KW - Method KW - Polarized light imaging KW - Tractography KW - Systems biology KW - Bildgebendes Verfahren KW - Dreidimensionale Bildverarbeitung KW - Polarisiertes Licht KW - Gehirnkarte Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.08.075 VL - 54 IS - 2 SP - 1091 EP - 1101 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Axer, Markus A1 - Axer, Hubertus A1 - Palm, Christoph A1 - Gräßel, David A1 - Zilles, Karl A1 - Pietrzyk, Uwe T1 - Visualization of Nerve Fibre Orientation in the Visual Cortex of the Human Brain by Means of Polarized Light T2 - Biomedizinische Technik KW - Sehrinde KW - Nervenfaser KW - Ausrichtung KW - Visualisierung KW - Polarisiertes Licht Y1 - 2007 VL - 52 IS - Suppl. SP - 1569048-041 ER -