The importance of a human 3D database and atlas for studies of prefrontal and thalamic functions

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This chapter discusses the inter-individual variability in the brain regions and the need for a probabilistic atlas instead of the Talairach atlas. This point is illustrated for a few prefrontal cortical areas and for the thalamus. It is reported, in view of the very large inter-individual variability of brain regions, the cortical areas in particular, establishing a probabilistic 3-D atlas for microscopically defined brain areas is required. It is then possible to localize the functional activity of individual persons and/or a group of subjects in an appropriate, probabilistic way. This also improve the view of which cortical systems are involved in mental disorders and specific cognitive functions and lead to appropriate hypotheses on the underlying brain circuits. Without a probabilistic atlas, it is very well possible that the wrong conclusions are drawn about the cortical areas involved in certain processes. Until this probabilistic 3-D atlas becomes available, it is unavoidable to use a description with reference to the macroscopically visible sulci and gyri.

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