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A new area in the human brain associated with learning and memory: immunohistochemical and functional MRI analysis

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages 1018–1022 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Previous studies identified a new brain area, the marginal division (MrD), at the caudomedial border of the neostriatum in the brain of the rat, cat and monkey. The MrD was distinguishable from the rest of the striatum by the presence of spindle-shaped neurons, specific connections, and dense immunoreactivity for neuropeptides and monoamines in fibers, terminals and neuronal somata. Behavioral testing demonstrated that the MrD contributes to learning and memory in the rat. In the present study, the structure and the function of the MrD were investigated in the human brain. The presence of spindle-shaped neurons and the distribution of neurotransmitters in the MrD were evaluated by immunocytochemical methods. The function of the MrD was identified with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of healthy volunteers tested with an auditory digital working memory task. Highly active areas were observed in the prefrontal cortex and MrD with left sided predominance during performance of the task, but other parts of the neostriatum were not excited and the MrD was not activated in a control test of non-working memory. The results of the present investigation therefore indicate the existence of a new area associated with learning and memory function in the human brain. The MrD probably plays an important role in the execution of digital working memory and appears to link the limbic system and the basal nucleus of Meynert. The MrD may also be involved in the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Brian Leonard very much for his advice during the course of this project and for very helpful comments. We thank Dr Nicholas Spitzer very much for his helpful comments and editing the English presentation of the manuscript. We thank Dr Lajtha and Dr Zaborsky for their helpful suggestions. We express our gratitude to the volunteers for their participation in the fMRI tests and to the relatives of the deceased patients for their contribution to this medical research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Neuroscience of the First Military Medical University, Zhu-Jiang Hospital, Guangzhou, China

    S Y Shu, Y M Wu, X M Bao, S X Li, Q Z Fu & Q Ning

  2. Department of Radiology of Zhu-Jiang Hospital, Guangzhou, China

    Z B Wen & F H Huang

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  1. S Y Shu
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  2. Y M Wu
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Correspondence to S Y Shu.

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Shu, S., Wu, Y., Bao, X. et al. A new area in the human brain associated with learning and memory: immunohistochemical and functional MRI analysis. Mol Psychiatry 7, 1018–1022 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001155

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