A neuroimaging atlas of the nigrosomes in the substantia nigra based on 3D histology.
A neuroimaging atlas of the nigrosomes in the substantia nigra based on 3D histology.
Where did the research take place?
The study site has not been established. Author addresses may differ from where the research occurred.
Leipzig, DE · Author affiliation
Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstr. 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. malte.brammerloh@chuv.ch.Location evidence
Lausanne, CH · Author affiliation
Microstructure Mapping Lab, University Hospital Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland. malte.brammerloh@chuv.ch.Location evidence
Amsterdam, NL · Author affiliation
Integrative Model-based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129B, 1001, NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.Location evidence
Leiden, NL · Author affiliation
Full Brain Picture Analytics, Lage Morsweg 73, 2332, XB, Leiden, The Netherlands.Location evidence
BE · Author affiliation · country only
1Sleep and Health Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-Human Imaging Unit, University of Liége (ULiége), Allée du Six Août, 8 (B30), 4000, Sart Tilman, Liége, Belgium.Location evidence
Maastricht, NL · Author affiliation
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229, HA, Maastricht, Netherlands.Location evidence
Düsseldorf, DE · Author affiliation
C. & O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Merowingerplatz 1A, 0225, Düsseldorf, Germany.Location evidence
Jülich, DE · Author affiliation
Forschungszentrum Jülich, INM-1, 52425, Jülich, Germany.Location evidence
London, GB · Author affiliation
Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AR, UK.Location evidence
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Original abstract
Nigrosomes are formed by clusters of pigmented dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra that critically contribute to dopaminergic function. The ever-increasing resolution of ultra-high-field MRI brings clinical imaging of these clusters into reach, promising unprecedented insight into the functional role of the nigrosomes and their early degeneration in Parkinson's disease. However, due to the nigrosomes' small extents and intricate shapes, they are not included in current MRI brain atlases, preventing nigrosome-specific MRI data analysis. We provide a comprehensive 3D histological atlas of the five nigrosomes co-aligned to the widely-used MNI152 2009b space. This atlas is based on 3D-reconstructed, ultra-high-resolution block-face images and gold-standard nigrosome delineations in calbindin-D28K immunohistochemistry. We validated the atlas's accuracy using the multimodal ultra-high-resolution post mortem BigBrain dataset and demonstrated its consistency with qualitative nigrosome atlases based on classical 2D histology. We provide detailed usage instructions for applying our atlas to ultra-high-resolution and -field MRI data. The openly available atlas enables neuroimaging studies of the nigrosomes, opening a new avenue toward understanding the differential involvement of the nigrosomes in the healthy and diseased brain and the development of neuroimaging biomarkers of dopaminergic neurodegeneration.