PMC5287967_01
(A) Brain MR images at 10 weeks and 16 months after onset show no abnormal lesions. (B) Results of diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) for the ascending reticular activation system (ARAS). On 10-week DTT, decreased neural connectivity of the intralaminar thalamic nucleus to the prefrontal cortex and basal forebrain is observed in both hemispheres (purple arrows). However, no significant abnormality is observed in the dorsal and ventral lower ARAS. On 16-month DTT, the upper portion of the left dorsal lower ARAS shows partial tearing (red arrow) and the ventral lower ARAS shows thinning in both hemispheres and partial tearing in the right hemisphere (blue arrows). Results of DTT for the ARAS in a health subject (45 year-old male). ARAS = ascending reticular activation system, DTT = diffusion tensor tractography, ILN = intralaminar thalamic nucleus.
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F1
By contrast, on 16-month DTT, the upper portion of the left dorsal lower ARAS showed partial tearing and the ventral lower ARAS showed thinning (both sides) and partial tearing (right side) (Fig. 1).