3D synaptic organization of layer III of the human anterior cingulate and temporopolar cortex. 2023

Nicolás Cano-Astorga, and Sergio Plaza-Alonso, and Javier DeFelipe, and Lidia Alonso-Nanclares
Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain.

The human anterior cingulate and temporopolar cortices have been proposed as highly connected nodes involved in high-order cognitive functions, but their synaptic organization is still basically unknown due to the difficulties involved in studying the human brain. Using Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB/SEM) to study the synaptic organization of the human brain obtained with a short post-mortem delay allows excellent results to be obtained. We have used this technology to analyze layer III of the anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 24) and the temporopolar cortex, including the temporal pole (Brodmann area 38 ventral and dorsal) and anterior middle temporal gyrus (Brodmann area 21). Our results, based on 6695 synaptic junctions fully reconstructed in 3D, revealed that Brodmann areas 24, 21 and ventral area 38 showed similar synaptic density and synaptic size, whereas dorsal area 38 displayed the highest synaptic density and the smallest synaptic size. However, the proportion of the different types of synapses (excitatory and inhibitory), the postsynaptic targets, and the shapes of excitatory and inhibitory synapses were similar, regardless of the region examined. These observations indicate that certain aspects of the synaptic organization are rather homogeneous, whereas others show specific variations across cortical regions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D006179 Gyrus Cinguli One of the convolutions on the medial surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES. It surrounds the rostral part of the brain and CORPUS CALLOSUM and forms part of the LIMBIC SYSTEM. Anterior Cingulate Gyrus,Brodmann Area 23,Brodmann Area 24,Brodmann Area 26,Brodmann Area 29,Brodmann Area 30,Brodmann Area 31,Brodmann Area 32,Brodmann Area 33,Brodmann's Area 23,Brodmann's Area 24,Brodmann's Area 26,Brodmann's Area 29,Brodmann's Area 30,Brodmann's Area 31,Brodmann's Area 32,Brodmann's Area 33,Cingulate Gyrus,Gyrus Cinguli Anterior,Retrosplenial Complex,Retrosplenial Cortex,Anterior Cingulate,Anterior Cingulate Cortex,Cingular Gyrus,Cingulate Area,Cingulate Body,Cingulate Cortex,Cingulate Region,Gyrus, Cingulate,Posterior Cingulate,Posterior Cingulate Cortex,Posterior Cingulate Gyri,Posterior Cingulate Gyrus,Posterior Cingulate Region,Superior Mesial Regions,24, Brodmann Area,Anterior Cingulate Cortices,Anterior Cingulates,Anterior, Gyrus Cinguli,Anteriors, Gyrus Cinguli,Area 23, Brodmann,Area 23, Brodmann's,Area 24, Brodmann,Area 24, Brodmann's,Area 26, Brodmann,Area 26, Brodmann's,Area 29, Brodmann,Area 29, Brodmann's,Area 30, Brodmann,Area 30, Brodmann's,Area 31, Brodmann,Area 31, Brodmann's,Area 32, Brodmann,Area 32, Brodmann's,Area 33, Brodmann,Area 33, Brodmann's,Area, Cingulate,Body, Cingulate,Brodmanns Area 23,Brodmanns Area 24,Brodmanns Area 26,Brodmanns Area 29,Brodmanns Area 30,Brodmanns Area 31,Brodmanns Area 32,Brodmanns Area 33,Cingulate Areas,Cingulate Bodies,Cingulate Cortex, Anterior,Cingulate Cortex, Posterior,Cingulate Gyrus, Anterior,Cingulate Gyrus, Posterior,Cingulate Region, Posterior,Cingulate Regions,Cingulate, Anterior,Cingulate, Posterior,Cinguli Anterior, Gyrus,Cinguli Anteriors, Gyrus,Complex, Retrosplenial,Cortex, Anterior Cingulate,Cortex, Cingulate,Cortex, Posterior Cingulate,Cortex, Retrosplenial,Gyrus Cinguli Anteriors,Gyrus, Anterior Cingulate,Gyrus, Cingular,Gyrus, Posterior Cingulate,Posterior Cingulate Cortices,Posterior Cingulate Regions,Posterior Cingulates,Region, Cingulate,Region, Posterior Cingulate,Retrosplenial Complices,Retrosplenial Cortices,Superior Mesial Region
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013569 Synapses Specialized junctions at which a neuron communicates with a target cell. At classical synapses, a neuron's presynaptic terminal releases a chemical transmitter stored in synaptic vesicles which diffuses across a narrow synaptic cleft and activates receptors on the postsynaptic membrane of the target cell. The target may be a dendrite, cell body, or axon of another neuron, or a specialized region of a muscle or secretory cell. Neurons may also communicate via direct electrical coupling with ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Several other non-synaptic chemical or electric signal transmitting processes occur via extracellular mediated interactions. Synapse
D013702 Temporal Lobe Lower lateral part of the cerebral hemisphere responsible for auditory, olfactory, and semantic processing. It is located inferior to the lateral fissure and anterior to the OCCIPITAL LOBE. Anterior Temporal Lobe,Brodmann Area 20,Brodmann Area 21,Brodmann Area 22,Brodmann Area 37,Brodmann Area 38,Brodmann Area 52,Brodmann's Area 20,Brodmann's Area 21,Brodmann's Area 22,Brodmann's Area 37,Brodmann's Area 38,Brodmann's Area 52,Inferior Temporal Gyrus,Middle Temporal Gyrus,Parainsular Area,Fusiform Gyrus,Gyrus Fusiformis,Gyrus Temporalis Superior,Inferior Horn of Lateral Ventricle,Inferior Horn of the Lateral Ventricle,Lateral Occipito-Temporal Gyrus,Lateral Occipitotemporal Gyrus,Occipitotemporal Gyrus,Planum Polare,Superior Temporal Gyrus,Temporal Cortex,Temporal Gyrus,Temporal Horn,Temporal Horn of the Lateral Ventricle,Temporal Operculum,Temporal Region,Temporal Sulcus,Anterior Temporal Lobes,Area 20, Brodmann,Area 20, Brodmann's,Area 21, Brodmann,Area 21, Brodmann's,Area 22, Brodmann,Area 22, Brodmann's,Area 37, Brodmann,Area 37, Brodmann's,Area 38, Brodmann,Area 38, Brodmann's,Area 52, Brodmann,Area 52, Brodmann's,Area, Parainsular,Areas, Parainsular,Brodmanns Area 20,Brodmanns Area 21,Brodmanns Area 22,Brodmanns Area 37,Brodmanns Area 38,Brodmanns Area 52,Cortex, Temporal,Gyrus, Fusiform,Gyrus, Inferior Temporal,Gyrus, Lateral Occipito-Temporal,Gyrus, Lateral Occipitotemporal,Gyrus, Middle Temporal,Gyrus, Occipitotemporal,Gyrus, Superior Temporal,Gyrus, Temporal,Horn, Temporal,Lateral Occipito Temporal Gyrus,Lobe, Anterior Temporal,Lobe, Temporal,Occipito-Temporal Gyrus, Lateral,Occipitotemporal Gyrus, Lateral,Operculum, Temporal,Parainsular Areas,Region, Temporal,Sulcus, Temporal,Temporal Cortices,Temporal Gyrus, Inferior,Temporal Gyrus, Middle,Temporal Gyrus, Superior,Temporal Horns,Temporal Lobe, Anterior,Temporal Lobes,Temporal Lobes, Anterior,Temporal Regions

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