BrainMap: Brent Vogt, PhD. Mapping Cingulate Areas: Is OCT a Viable Approach?

Brent Vogt, Ph.D.

Research Professor, Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology

Talk title: Mapping Cingulate Areas: Is OCT a Viable Approach?

Abstract: This visit is part of an effort to map cingulate cytoarchitectural areas with OCT. The talk will begin with a general overview of cingulate mapping reports including connection studies of human brain and the inherent problems in each including our flat map of cingulate areas. The structure and connections of the cingulate premotor areas, including area 24d with the largest cingulate pyramids in layer Vb, will be reviewed as this is where our mapping studies begin. A brief review will consider the Jülich probability mapping strategy including grey level analysis and the claim of “investigator independence.” A preliminary OCT mapping project will be discussed interactively with participants in terms of possible qualitative and quantitative endpoints. Technical issues such as scan depth, section thickness for immunohistochemistry and identifying area borders starting with centroids will be presented. A quantitative, multivariate approach based on cytoarchitecture rather than grey level indices will be discussed in terms of an Alzheimer’s disease study (Vogt et al., 1998; Exper Neurol 153:8-22). This study used principal components analysis to analyze disease subtypes with neuron densities, neurofibrillary tangles and ApoE genotyping. A direct comparison of the pluses and minuses of each strategy will be discussed. Finally, a few applications of OCT area localizations will be made in terms of pain research.