{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T17:32:59Z","timestamp":1768584779861,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,8]],"date-time":"2023-06-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1686182400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The mesocortical tract (MCT) and mesolimbic tract (MLT), dopaminergic pathways originating from the ventral tegmental area in the midbrain to the ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens) and prefrontal cortex, play a crucial role in regulating incentive salience. This study aimed to investigate the potential changes in the MCT and MLT pathways following ischemic stroke, such as middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. We enrolled thirty-six patients with MCA infarction and forty healthy individuals with no history of psychiatric or neurological disorders. Using diffusion tensor tractography, we examined the injury to the affected and unaffected MCT and MLT pathways in patients with MCA infarction, comparing them to the control group. Our findings revealed a significant difference in the mean values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and tract volume (TV) of the MCT and MLT pathways between the patient and control groups (p &lt; 0.05). Specifically, the mean FA of the MCT and MLT showed a decrease of 7.94% and 6.33%, respectively, in the affected side compared to the control group (p &lt; 0.05). Similarly, the mean TV of the MCT and MLT showed a decrease of 73.22% and 78.79%, respectively, in the affected side compared to the control group (p &lt; 0.05). These changes were significantly different from those of the unaffected MCT, MLT, and control groups (p &lt; 0.05). Our study suggests that MCA infarction can cause significant damage to the affected MCT and MLT pathways, potentially contributing to our understanding of the pathophysiology of post-stroke depression.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci13060927","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]],"date-time":"2023-06-09T02:59:57Z","timestamp":1686279597000},"page":"927","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Neural Injury of the Dopaminergic Pathways in Patients with Middle Cerebral Artery Territory Infarct: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Jeong Pyo","family":"Seo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1433-0898","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heun Jae","family":"Ryu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2095","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(12)61728-0","article-title":"Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010","volume":"380","author":"Lozano","year":"2012","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Murphy, S.L., Kochanek, K.D., Xu, J., and Arias, E. (2023, April 21). Mortality in the United States, 2020, Available online: https:\/\/stacks.cdc.gov\/view\/cdc\/112079.","DOI":"10.15620\/cdc:135850"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"861","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn2735","article-title":"Plasticity during stroke recovery: From synapse to behaviour","volume":"10","author":"Murphy","year":"2009","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Nogles, T.E., and Galuska, M.A. (2022). StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Dalley, A.F., and Agur, A. (2021). Moore\u2019s Clinically Oriented Anatomy, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. [7th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"927","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2015.02.027","article-title":"Common behavioral clusters and subcortical anatomy in stroke","volume":"85","author":"Corbetta","year":"2015","journal-title":"Neuron"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainresrev.2007.05.004","article-title":"Dopamine reward circuitry: Two projection systems from the ventral midbrain to the nucleus accumbens\u2013olfactory tubercle complex","volume":"56","author":"Ikemoto","year":"2007","journal-title":"Brain Res. Rev."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Nestler, E.J., Hyman, S.E., Holtzman, D.M., and Malenka, R.C. (2015). Molecular Neuropharmacology: A Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience, McGraw-Hill Medical. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"267","DOI":"10.1038\/nn804","article-title":"Reduced prefrontal activity predicts exaggerated striatal dopaminergic function in schizophrenia","volume":"5","author":"Miletich","year":"2002","journal-title":"Nat. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1151","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2005.09.018","article-title":"The mesolimbic dopamine reward circuit in depression","volume":"59","author":"Nestler","year":"2006","journal-title":"Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2012.02.026","article-title":"Exofocal dopaminergic degeneration as antidepressant target in mouse model of poststroke depression","volume":"72","author":"Kronenberg","year":"2012","journal-title":"Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"fcac281","DOI":"10.1093\/braincomms\/fcac281","article-title":"Hyperconnectivity and altered interactions of a nucleus accumbens network in post-stroke depression","volume":"4","author":"Oestreich","year":"2022","journal-title":"Brain Commun."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"2795","article-title":"Deficits in mesolimbic reward pathway underlie social interaction impairments in children with autism","volume":"141","author":"Supekar","year":"2018","journal-title":"Brain"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2006.09.018","article-title":"Probabilistic diffusion tractography with multiple fibre orientations: What can we gain?","volume":"34","author":"Behrens","year":"2007","journal-title":"Neuroimage"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"750","DOI":"10.1038\/nn1075","article-title":"Non-invasive mapping of connections between human thalamus and cortex using diffusion imaging","volume":"6","author":"Behrens","year":"2003","journal-title":"Nat. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.2463\/mrms.3.11","article-title":"The optimal trackability threshold of fractional anisotropy for diffusion tensor tractography of the corticospinal tract","volume":"3","author":"Kunimatsu","year":"2004","journal-title":"Magn. Reson. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S208","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2004.07.051","article-title":"Advances in functional and structural MR image analysis and implementation as FSL","volume":"23","author":"Smith","year":"2004","journal-title":"Neuroimage"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1179","DOI":"10.1007\/s00702-016-1559-9","article-title":"Ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) as a target of the dorsolateral prefrontal modulation by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in drug addiction","volume":"123","author":"Lopes","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Neural Transm."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1007\/s12031-007-0029-0","article-title":"Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based white matter mapping in brain research: A review","volume":"34","author":"Assaf","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Mol. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1002\/jmri.21087","article-title":"Diffusion imaging concepts for clinicians","volume":"27","author":"Neil","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Magn. Reson. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"657","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2008.03.021","article-title":"Voxel-based analysis derived from fractional anisotropy images of white matter volume changes with aging","volume":"41","author":"Pagani","year":"2008","journal-title":"Neuroimage"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.20872","article-title":"Age-related differences in multiple measures of white matter integrity: A diffusion tensor imaging study of healthy aging","volume":"31","author":"Bennett","year":"2010","journal-title":"Hum. Brain Mapp."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.1097\/01.rmr.0000168069.12985.15","article-title":"Quantitative MRI: Hidden age-related changes in brain tissue","volume":"15","author":"Inglese","year":"2004","journal-title":"Top Magn. Reson. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e33370","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000033370","article-title":"Degeneration of nigrostriatal pathway in patients with middle cerebral infarct: A diffusion tensor imaging study","volume":"102","author":"Seo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"729","DOI":"10.1038\/jcbfm.1987.127","article-title":"Small differences in intraischemic brain temperature critically determine the extent of ischemic neuronal injury","volume":"7","author":"Busto","year":"1987","journal-title":"J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.3389\/fnsyn.2018.00018","article-title":"The intersection of central dopamine system and stroke: Potential avenues aiming at enhancement of motor recovery","volume":"10","author":"Gower","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Synaptic Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2487","DOI":"10.3945\/jn.108.095224","article-title":"Dopamine D2 receptor expression is altered by changes in cellular iron levels in PC12 cells and rat brain tissue","volume":"138","author":"Unger","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1095","DOI":"10.1016\/S0278-5846(02)00243-9","article-title":"Dopamine D1 and D2 receptor mRNA up-regulation in the caudate\u2013putamen and nucleus accumbens of rat brains by smoking","volume":"26","author":"Bahk","year":"2002","journal-title":"Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1159\/000281108","article-title":"Corticospinal tract change in the unaffected hemisphere at the early stage of intracerebral hemorrhage: A diffusion tensor tractography study","volume":"63","author":"Kwak","year":"2010","journal-title":"Eur. Neurol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"342","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pneurobio.2005.03.004","article-title":"Inflammation in areas of remote changes following focal brain lesion","volume":"75","author":"Block","year":"2005","journal-title":"Prog. Neurobiol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"356","DOI":"10.1093\/brain\/awh355","article-title":"Sequential loss of myelin proteins during Wallerian degeneration in the human spinal cord","volume":"128","author":"Buss","year":"2005","journal-title":"Brain"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00684925","article-title":"Reaction of the substantia nigra to massive basal ganglia infarction","volume":"62","author":"Forno","year":"1983","journal-title":"Acta Neuropathol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"255","DOI":"10.1148\/radiology.204.1.9205256","article-title":"Secondary thalamic degeneration after cerebral infarction in the middle cerebral artery distribution: Evaluation with MR imaging","volume":"204","author":"Ogawa","year":"1997","journal-title":"Radiology"}],"container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/13\/6\/927\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:51:01Z","timestamp":1760125861000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/13\/6\/927"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,8]]},"references-count":33,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6]]}},"alternative-id":["brainsci13060927"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/brainsci13060927","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3425"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3425","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,8]]}}}