White matter integrity associated with residual ventral stream function after posterior cerebral artery stroke

Motivation: Microstructural changes of white matter tracts on ventral stream function deficits after posterior cerebral artery (PCA) stroke remain poorly understood. Goal(s): This study investigates the association between the integrity of six essential white matter tracts and residual ventral stream functions in PCA stroke survivors. Approach: We used tractography and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess microstructural integrity along tracts of interest, with principal component analysis to capture significant spatial variations for white matter microstructure. Results: White matter integrity correlates with residual ventral stream functions, specifically in colour perception, fine shape discrimination, and face recognition. Impact: This study demonstrates that applying principal component analysis to along-tract DTI metrics is an effective approach to evaluate white matter integrity, aiding in the assessment of ventral stream function loss after stroke.