2/ The rodent A13, located within the zona incerta (ZI), drives sensorimotor integration, appetitive behaviors, & resilience to neurodegeneration.
We leveraged our work mapping the human ZI to guide our search for an A13 homologue.
doi.org/10.1002/hbm....
doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
7/ Finally, we performed a gradient-based analysis, identifying a principal rostral-caudal axis of organization for the ZI, within which the A13 emerges as a local molecular specialization.
3/ We generated gene expression maps from the @alleninstitute.org Human Brain Atlas, identifying a TH-enriched ZI subregion, consistent with the expected (relative) location of the rodent A13.
5/ Thus, we sought confirmation. For an independent tissue specimen, we acquired 15.2T MRI then histology, confirming a TH+ cluster in the ZI.
Further to this, we found the distribution was more spatially specific, and restricted to dorsal to the H2 field of Forel.
4/ However, the spatial specificity and interpretability of this localization depends on the accuracy of the AHBA sample coordinates, which has been shown by @yohanyee.ca to be of variable quality and dependent on the methods used for sample alignment.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/ A deep brain region known as the A13 plays a central role across a diverse range of behavioural functions (in rodents).
To our knowledge, no human homologue has been identified to date.
In this #preprint, we map the human A13!🎯
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
8/ Altogether, these findings provide a foundation for human investigations into the function of the A13, previously only possible in animal models.
Huge thanks to the team who made this possible!🙏
@jclauneuro.bsky.social @neuroak.bsky.social @royhaast.bsky.social @jasonkai.com @alaat.bsky.social
6/ Could this identified human A13 region be identified in vivo? Yes! We found using 7T MRI data acquired @cfmm.bsky.social that the A13 had distinct T1 and T2* properties, separable from surrounding structures.
Violet Liu
Violet Liu
Violet Liu
Violet Liu
Violet Liu
Violet Liu
Violet Liu
Violet Liu
The Allen Human Brain Atlas has been a tremendously impactful resource in neuroimaging. The usefulness of this resource in neuroimaging arises from spatial coordinates of dissected tissue samples bein...
