The DTI study on visual cortex V6 of human brain

The connectivity between functionally distinct areas in the human brain is unknown because of the limitations posed by current postmortem anatomical labeling techniques. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has previously been used to define large white matter tracts based on well-known anatomical landmarks in the living human brain. In the present study, we used DTI coupled with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess neuronal connections between human striate and functionally defined human V6 areas. Functional areas were identified with conventional fMRI mapping procedures and then used as seeding points in a DTI analysis to ascertain connectivity patterns between cortical areas, thus yielding the pattern of connections.