Item

Abstract

The most characteristic feature of the cerebral cortex is its rich connectivity in itself, based predominantly on excitatory connections. These are comprised of short- and middle-range connections within the grey matter and long-range connections via the white matter. I will show data on the global connectivity of the mouse cortex, and then focus on the human cortical white matter. I will give an estimate of the number of fibers in the intrahemispheric bundles connecting the cortical lobes and present electron microscopic data on axonal thickness in these bundles from man and monkey. Such data are relevant for testing diffusion magnetic resonance imaging methods aiming at the investigation of white matter data in vivo, and, in particular, they are highly relevant for understanding functional interactions within the cortical network and the role of conduction times in it.