Asymmetry of parietal interhemispheric connections in humans

Visuospatial abilities are preferentially mediated by the right hemisphere. Although this asymmetry of function is thought to be due to an unbalanced interaction between cerebral hemispheres, the underlying neurophysiological substrate is still largely unknown. Here, using a method of trifocal trans...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of neuroscience Vol. 31; no. 24; p. 8967
Main Authors: Koch, Giacomo, Cercignani, Mara, Bonnì, Sonia, Giacobbe, Viola, Bucchi, Giulia, Versace, Viviana, Caltagirone, Carlo, Bozzali, Marco
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 15.06.2011
Subjects:
Adult
Anisotropy
Brain Mapping
Corpus Callosum - physiology
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Electric Stimulation
Female
Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Male
Neuronavigation - methods
Parietal Lobe - physiology
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Space Perception - physiology
Time Factors
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - methods
Young Adult
ISSN:1529-2401, 1529-2401
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:Visuospatial abilities are preferentially mediated by the right hemisphere. Although this asymmetry of function is thought to be due to an unbalanced interaction between cerebral hemispheres, the underlying neurophysiological substrate is still largely unknown. Here, using a method of trifocal transcranial magnetic stimulation, we show that the right, but not left, human posterior parietal cortex exerts a strong inhibitory activity over the contralateral homologous area by a short-latency connection. We also clarify, using diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging, that such an interaction is mediated by direct transcallosal projections located in the posterior corpus callosum. We argue that this anatomo-functional network may represent a possible neurophysiological basis for the ongoing functional asymmetry between parietal cortices, and that its damage could contribute to the clinical manifestations of neglect.
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ISSN:1529-2401
1529-2401
DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6567-10.2011