Deconvoluting human Brodmann area 8 based on its unique structural and functional connectivity.

Brodmann area 8 (BA8) is traditionally defined as the prefrontal region of the human cerebrum just anterior to the premotor cortices and enveloping most of the superior frontal gyrus. Early studies have suggested the frontal eye fields are situated at its most caudal aspect, causing many to consider BA8 as primarily an ocular center which controls contralateral gaze and attention. However, years of refinement in cytoarchitectural studies have challenged this traditional anatomical definition, providing a refined definition of its boundaries with neighboring cortical areas and the presence of meaningful subdivisions. Furthermore, functional imaging studies have suggested its involvement in a diverse number of higher-order functions, such as motor, cognition, and language. Thus, our traditional working definition of BA8 has likely been insufficient to truly understand the complex structural and functional significance of this area. Recently, large-scale multi-modal neuroimaging approaches have allowed for improved mapping of the neural connectivity of the human brain. Insight into the structural and functional connectivity of the brain connectome, comprised of large-scale brain networks, has allowed for greater understanding of complex neurological functioning and pathophysiological diseases states. Simultaneously, the structural and functional connectivity of BA8 has recently been highlighted in various neuroimaging studies and detailed anatomic dissections. However, while Brodmann's nomenclature is still widely used today, such as for clinical discussions and the communication of research findings, the importance of the underlying connectivity of BA8 requires further review.

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Copyright © 2023 Dadario, Tanglay and Sughrue.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

ND has no disclosures. OT was an employee of Omniscient Neurotechnology. MS was a co-founder of Omniscient Neurotechnology. No aspects related to these products were discussed in the current work. The remaining author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.