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I. Cytoarchitectonic Analysis in Normal Persons

David Eidelberg, MD; Albert M. Galaburda, MD

Arch Neurol. 1982;39(6):325-332.

Abstract
• We parceled the posterior thalami of nine normal human brains according to cytoarchitectonic criteria, measured relevant nuclear volumes, and sought leftright asymmetries. We found that thalamic zones with multiple projections to the cerebral cortex, using the centromedianparafascicular nucleus as a prototype, were mostly symmetric. This group includes the medial, lateral, and inferior pulvinar nuclei. Thalamic zones that project discretely to a few, clearly defined cortical receptor fields (using the medial geniculate nucleus [MG] as a prototype) closely reflected the asymmetry of the cortical fields to which they project. Hence, the MG showed a slight right-sided bias, and the lateralis posterior nucleus (related to the grossly asymmetric inferior parietal lobule) showed a significant leftsided bias in eight of the nine brains measured. This asymmetry may partially explain the apparent language specialization of the dominant thalamus.

Author Affiliations
From the Neurological Units of the Beth Israel Hospital (Drs Eidelberg and Galaburda) and Boston City Hospital (Dr Galaburda); Departments of Neurology, Harvard Medical School (Drs Eidelberg and Galaburda) and Boston University School of Medicine (Dr Galaburda); and the Dana Research Institute of the Beth Israel Hospital (Drs Eidelberg and Galaburda), Boston.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Sept 10, 1981.

Reprint requests to Neurological Unit, Beth Israel Hospital, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215 (Dr Galaburda).

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