The modular nature of long-association pathways in the human brain.

ABSTRACT: Human brain functions are organized within large-scale networks, yet the long-range structural pathways that support them remain only partly understood. Diffusion MRI tractography has enabled non-invasive mapping of these connections but its low resolution has also contributed to a view of white matter association bundles as monolithic entities linking distant cortical regions. This contrasts with anatomical studies in non-human primates and humans, which show these bundles act as conduits for complex systems of short- and long-range projections. Here we investigate the dorsal branch of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF-I), the proposed structural backbone of the dorsal attention network, whose anatomy in humans is debated. Using anatomic tracing, polarization-sensitive optical coh

SUBMITTER: Maffei C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12803271 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature