據(jù)一篇發(fā)表在Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences的研究報(bào)告，通過對(duì)人腦和猴腦功能解剖的比較研究,，發(fā)現(xiàn)這兩者之間大腦網(wǎng)絡(luò)在進(jìn)化過程中高度相似,。這項(xiàng)研究是由紐約大學(xué)朗格尼醫(yī)學(xué)中心的研究人員主持的。
課題組對(duì)大腦的楔前頁(yè)(precuneus)的連接模式研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，楔前頁(yè)實(shí)際上可以劃分為4個(gè)不同的功能區(qū),。該研究所采用的研究方法是功能性磁共振成像技術(shù)(functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,fMRI)。
由于楔前葉位于頭頂葉內(nèi)側(cè)部分,，因此關(guān)于楔前葉的神經(jīng)影像學(xué)以及神經(jīng)心理學(xué)文獻(xiàn)相對(duì)較少,。但是通過近期的腦功能成像研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，楔前葉與許多高水平的認(rèn)知功能有關(guān),，如情景記憶,，自我相關(guān)的信息處理，以及意識(shí)的各個(gè)方面,。
這項(xiàng)發(fā)現(xiàn)證實(shí)了大腦中高級(jí)指令相關(guān)區(qū)域(higher order association areas)的復(fù)發(fā)功能結(jié)構(gòu)在進(jìn)化過程中是高度保守的,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PNAS November 10, 2009, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0905314106
Precuneus shares intrinsic functional architecture in humans and monkeys
Daniel S. Marguliesa,b, Justin L. Vincentc,d, Clare Kellye, Gabriele Lohmannb, Lucina Q. Uddinf, Bharat B. Biswalg,h, Arno Villringera,b, F. Xavier Castellanose,h, Michael P. Milhame,1 and Michael Petridesi,1
aBerlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt Universit?t, 10099 Berlin, Germany;
bMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04303 Leipzig, Germany;
cDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138;
dAthinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129;
ePhyllis Green and Randolph Cowen Institute for Pediatric Neuroscience, New York University Child Study Center, New York, NY, 10016;
fDepartment of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304;
gDepartment of Radiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103;
hNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962; and
iMontreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 2B4
Evidence from macaque monkey tracing studies suggests connectivity-based subdivisions within the precuneus, offering predictions for similar subdivisions in the human. Here we present functional connectivity analyses of this region using resting-state functional MRI data collected from both humans and macaque monkeys. Three distinct patterns of functional connectivity were demonstrated within the precuneus of both species, with each subdivision suggesting a discrete functional role: (i) the anterior precuneus, functionally connected with the superior parietal cortex, paracentral lobule, and motor cortex, suggesting a sensorimotor region; (ii) the central precuneus, functionally connected to the dorsolateral prefrontal, dorsomedial prefrontal, and multimodal lateral inferior parietal cortex, suggesting a cognitive/associative region; and (iii) the posterior precuneus, displaying functional connectivity with adjacent visual cortical regions. These functional connectivity patterns were differentiated from the more ventral networks associated with the posterior cingulate, which connected with limbic structures such as the medial temporal cortex, dorsal and ventromedial prefrontal regions, posterior lateral inferior parietal regions, and the lateral temporal cortex. Our findings are consistent with predictions from anatomical tracer studies in the monkey, and provide support that resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) may in part reflect underlying anatomy. These subdivisions within the precuneus suggest that neuroimaging studies will benefit from treating this region as anatomically (and thus functionally) heterogeneous. Furthermore, the consistency between functional connectivity networks in monkeys and humans provides support for RSFC as a viable tool for addressing cross-species comparisons of functional neuroanatomy.
