A population-normalized tractographic fiber atlas of the anterior limb of the internal capsule: relevance to surgical neuromodulation

Objective: The anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) is a white matter highway that connects several subcortical structures to the prefrontal cortex. Although surgical interventions in the ALIC have been used to treat a number of psychiatric illnesses, there is significant debate regarding what fibers are targeted for intervention. This debate is partially due to an incomplete understanding of connectivity in the region.

Methods: To better understand this complex structure, the authors employed a novel tractography-based approach to examine how fibers from the thalamus and subthalamic nucleus (STN) traverse the ALIC. Furthermore, the authors analyzed connections from the medial dorsal nucleus, anterior nucleus, and ventral anterior nucleus of the thalamus.

Results: The results showed that there is an organizational gradient of thalamic fibers medially and STN fibers laterally in the ALIC that fades more anteriorly. These findings, in combination with the known corticotopic organization described by previous studies, allow for a more thorough understanding of the organization of the white matter fibers in the ALIC.

Conclusions: These results are important for understanding and targeting of neuromodulatory therapies in the ALIC and may help explain why differences in therapeutic effect are observed for different areas of the ALIC.