The locus coeruleus (LC), which exhibits extensive projections with cortical and In the modulation of these cortical attention networks by brainstem nuclei ( Aston-Jones et al., 2000 Bouret and Sara,Ģ005 Corbetta et al., 2008 Coull et al., 1999 D'Ardenne et al.,Ģ008 Mohanty et al., 2008 Shea-Brown et al., 2008 Usher et al.,ġ999). Understanding of attention systems in normal and clinical populations.Ī large body of work has described cortical networks that support different dimensions ofĪttention (see Posner, 2004) and there is a growing interest This map can be used to test hypothesesĪbout the LC in human structural and functional imaging studies. Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) coordinate space. The elevated T1-TSE signal was used to produce a probabilistic map of the LC in standard T1-TSE signal was observed in the rostral pons that was strongly correlated with the position andĬoncentration of LC cells previously reported in a study of post-mortem brains ( r = Were aligned into standard space, while preserving variations in LC signal intensity. Utilizing a study-specific brainstem template, the individual brainstems Resonance imaging (MRI) (in plane resolution of 0.4 mm × 0.4 mm) was used in this study toĬharacterize the location and distribution probability of the LC across 44 adults ranging in ageįrom 19–79 years. High resolution T1-turbo spin echo (T1-TSE) magnetic LC activation can be difficult to interpret because of uncertainty about whether brainstem activityĬan be accurately localized to the LC. In both normal attention and clinical populations affected by disrupted attention would be advancedīy having in vivo functional and structural markers of the human LC. Sub-cortical projections to modulate states of attention.

The locus coeruleus (LC) is a brainstem structure that has widespread cortical and

Napadow et al. human brain mapping 2007