Callosal microstructure affects the timing of electrophysiological left-right differences

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Patrick Friedrich - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Sebastian Ocklenburg - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Nina Heins - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Caroline Schlüter - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Christoph Fraenz - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Christian Beste - , Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, National Institute of Mental Health (Author)
  • Onur Güntürkün - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Erhan Genç - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)

Abstract

The neural architecture of the corpus callosum shows pronounced inter-individual differences. These differences are thought to affect timing of interhemispheric interactions and, in turn, functional hemispheric asymmetries. The present study aimed at elucidating the neuronal mechanisms underlying this relationship. To this end, we used a combined DTI and EEG study design. In 103 right-handed and healthy adult participants, we determined the microstructural integrity of the posterior third of the corpus callosum and examined in how far this microstructural integrity was related to between-hemisphere timing differences in neurophysiological correlates of attentional processes in the dichotic listening task. The results show that microstructural integrity of the posterior callosal third correlated with attentional timing differences in a verbal dichotic listening condition but not in a noise control condition. Hence, this association between callosal microstructure and between-hemisphere timing differences is specific for stimuli, which trigger hemispheric bottom-up processing in an asymmetric fashion. Specifically, higher microstructural integrity was associated with decreased left-right differences in the latency of the N1 event-related potential component and hence more symmetric processing of dichotic stimuli between the two hemispheres. Our data suggest that microstructure of the posterior callosal third affects functional hemispheric asymmetries by modulating the timing of interhemispheric interactions.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)310-318
Number of pages9
JournalNeuroImage
Volume163
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2017
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 28951351
ORCID /0000-0002-2989-9561/work/160952451

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Corpus callosum, DTI, EEG, Hemispheric asymmetries, Interhemispheric interaction