Nucleus accumbens stereotactic surgery: Achieving accuracy through area M

Abstract

The nucleus accumbens(NA), a major pleasure center of the human brain, is a limbic-motor interface involved in several neurological and psychiatric disorders. During the last decade, this nucleus is also a deep brain stimulation target for selected patients. Purpose of this paper is to comment on the article entitled Stereotactic anatomy of the human nucleus accumbens: from applied mathematics to microsurgical accuracy which was recently published in Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy and is one of the latest articles on NA anatomy and surgery. The described results included a probabilitybased guide for in vivo(side-depended) stereotactic localization of the human NA and a standard for the NA, specific stereotactic zone of the human brain(which can be used in combination for an accurate stereotactic NA targeting). Furthermore, two specific stereotactically standard NA areas were found which could be used as abundant stereotactic guides for targeting of the anterior limb of the internal capsule, with electrode's contact 0(lowest) placed in the vicinity of the NA. However, the most important finding of this paper was standard area M(Mavridis' area), which is the most reliable stereotactically standard area of the human NA, regardless of side or gender, useful for highly accurate stereotacticNA targeting.