Correlation between uncinate fasciculus and memory tasks in healthy individual using diffusion tensor tractography

Abstract

Tractography is a procedure that can track and demonstrate the 3D neural tracts of the white matter of the brain. The images of the brain are obtained by analyzing the diffusion tensor, identification of which can provide the anatomical connections of the brain. Studying these connections is integral to the understanding of the brain function. Specifically, the uncinate fasciculus (UF), which is the white matter in the human brain, is said to be related to cognitive function. The UF tractography is calculated using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameter. Studies have shown that the DTI parameter of dementia patients is lower than that of healthy individuals. It is also suggested that the DTI parameter of healthy individuals decreases with age. In addition, the WMS-R score, which is indicative of general memory, verbal memory and other cognitive functions, of the elderly are lower than of the young. However, there is no report yet that has holistically investigated DTI parameter and the memory functions. Thus, in this research, we have calculated the correlation coefficient between the DTI parameter of UF and WMS-R score. Our result shows that the correlation coefficient of diffusivity of the fiber direction and visual memory of a left UF is -0.226 at the maximum. Correlation between DTI measurement and memory performance suggests the relationships between the UF and function in memory tasks lateralization. Our finding matches previous reports on the correlation between FA in the left, or L1 in the right UF, and performance on visual memory.