Les gliomes diffus de bas grade sont des tumeurs cérébrales des jeunes adultes. Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à la segmentation et à la modélisation de ces tumeurs. Dans la première partie du manuscrit, nous étudions la segmentation des gliomes diffus de bas grade à base de différentes méthodes manuelles et semi-automatiques. La délimitation de ces tumeurs peut être problématique en raison de leur caractère très infiltrant et inhomogène. En pratique clinique, le suivi des gliomes diffus de bas grade repose sur l'estimation du volume tumoral, soit par une segmentation suivie d'une reconstruction logicielle, soit par la méthode des trois diamètres. Pour la segmentation, elle est manuelle et est exécutée par des praticiens sur des IRM en pondération FLAIR ou T2. La méthode des trois diamètres est rapide mais s'avère difficile à implémenter dans le cas de gliomes diffus de bas grade très infiltrants ou en post-traitement. La solution par segmentation manuelle et reconstruction logicielle du volume est chronophage mais demeure plus précise en comparaison de la méthode des trois diamètres. Nous étudions ici la reproductibilité de la segmentation manuelle avec le logiciel OsiriX en réalisant un test subjectif dans le Living Lab PROMETEE de TELECOM Nancy. Les résultats de cette étude montrent que ni la spécialité du praticien ni le nombre d’années d’expérience ne semblent impacter significativement la qualité de la segmentation. Nous comparons par ailleurs les résultats obtenus à ceux d'un deuxième test où nous appliquons la méthode des trois diamètres. Enfin, nous explorons deux algorithmes de segmentation semi-automatique basés, respectivement, sur les contours actifs et sur la méthode des level set. Même si la segmentation automatique semble être une voie prometteuse, nous recommandons aujourd’hui l’utilisation de la segmentation manuelle du fait notamment du caractère diffus des gliomes de bas grade qui rend le contour complexe à délimiter. La seconde partie du manuscrit est consacrée à la modélisation des gliomes diffus de bas grade eux-mêmes ou, plus exactement, à la modélisation de l'évolution du diamètre tumoral en phase de chimiothérapie. La prise en charge thérapeutique des patients atteints de ces tumeurs inclut en effet souvent une chimiothérapie. Pour ce travail, nous nous intéressons à la chimiothérapie par Témozolomide en première ligne de traitement. Une fois le traitement entamé, les praticiens aimeraient déterminer l'instant optimal d'arrêt de traitement. Nous proposons une modélisation statistique du diamètre tumoral sous chimiothérapie. Cette modélisation s'appuie sur des modèles de régression linéaire et exponentielle. Elle permet de prédire le diamètre tumoral à partir d'un jeu de données d'apprentissage et d'alerter le clinicien sur l'état d'évolution du diamètre sous traitement. Nous espérons que ces modèles pourront un jour être utilisés comme un outil dans la planification de la chimiothérapie en milieu clinique. / Diffuse low-grade gliomas are brain tumors of young adults. In this thesis, we focus on the segmentation and on the modeling of these tumors. In the first part of the manuscript, we study the segmentation of diffuse low-grade gliomas based on different manual and semi-automatic methods. The delineation of these tumors can be problematic because of their very infiltrating and inhomogeneous nature. In clinical practice, the monitoring of diffuse low-grade gliomas is based on the estimation of tumor volume, obtained either through a segmentation followed by a software reconstruction or through the three diameters method. As for the segmentation, it is manual and it is performed by practitioners on FLAIR-weighted or T2-weighted MRI.The three diameters approach is fast but it is difficult to implement in the case of highly infiltrating diffuse low grade gliomas or after a treatment. The manual segmentation and software-based volume reconstruction solution is time-consuming but it remains more accurate in comparison with the three diameters method. We investigate in this work the reproducibility of the manual segmentation with the OsiriX software by performing a subjective test in the Living Lab PROMETEE in TELECOM Nancy. The results of this study show that neither the practitioners' specialty nor their number of years of experience seem to have a significant impact on the quality of the segmentation. We also compare the results to those of a second test where we apply the three diameters method. Finally, we explore two semi-automatic segmentation algorithms which are, respectively, based on active contours and on the level set method. Even if automatic segmentation seems to be a promising avenue, we recommend for now the use of manual segmentation because of the diffuse nature of low-grade gliomas, which makes the tumor's contours complex to delineate. The second part of the manuscript is dedicated to the modeling of diffuse low-grade gliomas themselves or, to be more precise, to the modeling of the evolution of the tumor's diameter during chemotherapy. The therapeutic management of patients with these tumors often includes indeed chemotherapy. For this work, we focus on Temozolomide chemotherapy in first-line treatment. After the beginning of the treatment, the practitioners would like to determine the optimum time of discontinuation. We propose a statistical modeling of tumor diameter under chemotherapy. This modeling is based on linear and exponential regression models. It can predict the tumor diameter from a set of training dataset and can alert the clinician on the state of change in diameter under treatment. We hope that these models will, eventually, be used as a tool in the planning of chemotherapy in a clinical environment.

Background: Gliomas are neuroepithelial tumours classified by cell type and grade. In adults, low-grade gliomas are comprised mainly of astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas grade II. The aim was to non-invasively characterise suspected low-grade gliomas through use of 11C-methionine-PET and physiological MRI in order to facilitate treatment decisions. Materials and methods: Patients with suspected low-grade glioma were prospectively and consecutively included after referral to the Neurosurgical Department, Uppsala University Hospital, between February 2010 and February 2014. All patients underwent morphological MRI, perfusion MRI, diffusion MRI and 11C-methionine PET. The institutional review board approved the study, and written informed consent was obtained prior to participation from each patient. Results: 11C-methionine PET hot spot regions corresponded spatially with regions of maximum relative cerebral blood volume in dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion MRI. The skewness of the transfer constantin dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) perfusion MRI, and the standard deviation of relative cerebral blood flow in DSC perfusion MRI could most efficiently discriminate between glioma grades II and III. In diffusion MRI, tumour fractional anisotropy differed between suspected low-grade gliomas of different neuropathological types. Quantitative diffusion tensor tractography was applicable for the evaluation of tract segment infiltration. Conclusion: PET and physiological MRI are able to characterise low-grade gliomas and are promising tools for guiding therapy and clinical decisions before neuropathological diagnosis has been obtained.

Gliomas are common primary brain tumours that occur as low-grade (LGG) and high-grade gliomas (HGG). Typically occurring in younger adults, LGG has an indolent course with a median survival of 5-10 years, but carries an inherent potential for transforming into HGG. The thesis focused on LGG in adults, with the aim of identifying prognostic biomarkers for LGG. Paper I. Epileptic seizures are common symptoms in LGG. In a retrospective study, the correlation between 11C-methionine (MET) uptake, measured by Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and seizure activity was assessed in 101 patients with LGG. Although there was no correlation between MET uptake and seizure activity, survival was longer in patients who were seizure-free before surgery. Paper II. This finding prompted the search for common genetic pathways for both tumour and seizure development and a review of genetic polymorphisms in focal epilepsy and glioma risk. Cell cycle and immune response genes affecting both glioma and seizure risk were identified, and genes involved in synaptic transmission presented potential candidates for future studies. Paper III. The transcription factor PROX1 plays a pivotal role in normal development and carcinogenesis of various organs. The prognostic value of PROX1, together with established clinical and molecular prognostic factors for survival, was retrospectively assessed in 116 patients with LGG. High PROX1 expression in the tumour was associated with shorter survival. Paper IV. DNA repair enzymes, such as ERCC6, are crucial for maintaining genomic stability in glioma response to radiotherapy. An association between the polymorphism rs4253079, mapped to ERCC6, and longer survival in patients with LGG and HGG was identified. Paper V. As LGG typically presented as non-contrast enhancing tumours on morphological MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), the value of combined MET PET with physiological MRI for preoperative diagnosis was assessed in a prospective study of 32 patients with suspected LGG. Representative tumour areas were identified through a combination of perfusion-MRI with MET PET, which can be used as a baseline investigation for follow-up over time. Conclusions: The parameters seizure-freedom before surgery, the polymorphism rs4253079 in ERCC6 and low PROX1 expression in the tumor were identified as favorable prognostic biomarkers.

Imaging instruments are required for accurate tumor resection during neurosurgery, especially in the case of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) - the most common and aggressive malignant glioma. However, current intraoperative imaging techniques for detection of glioma either suffer low sensitivity and low specificity or require a significant capital cost. Advances in diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy have offered high sensitivity and high specificity in differentiating tumors from normal tissues with much lower capital cost. Whereas diffuse reflectance spectroscopy alone and fluorescence spectroscopy alone has been used in limited studies to differentiate normal brain tissues from brain tumors with moderate sensitivity and specificity, low specificity and sensitivity were usually observed when studying high grade glioma (HGG) such as GBM. Furthermore, optical properties and diffuse reflectance signal of HGG and low grade glioma (LGG) have not been observed separately, and thus a relation between optical properties and glioma progression has not been established. Intraoperative differentiation of GBM and LGG can be helpful in making treatment plan at the first surgery. This thesis focuses on characterizing a previous integrated system of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy to extract optical properties and fluorescence properties of LGG and GBM. First, tissue-simulating phantom models were developed to calibrate the integrated system. The direct method and Mie theory were used to calculate optical scattering of the phantoms while Beer-Lambert’s law was used to calculate optical absorption. Second, an experimental method was introduced to recover intrinsic fluorescence because the measured fluorescence signal is likely distorted by the presence of scatterers and absorbers in tissue (i.e. hemoglobin). Third, an experimental method was developed to recover optical properties of both GBM and LGG. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of the integrated system was optimized. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

INTRODUÇÃO: Os gliomas são tumores neuroepiteliais e correspondem a aproximadamente 24,6% de todos os tumores primários cerebrais. Na última década, grande esforço tem sido feito em meio acadêmico para caracterização molecular dos gliomas na tentativa de descrever comportamento clínico, definir prognóstico e predizer resposta terapêutica. Ferramentas de bioinformática estimam que os microRNAs possam regular cerca de 60% dos genes humanos, incluindo um número significativo de oncogenes, genes supressores tumorais e genes relacionados a quimio e radioressistência. Uma problemática atual na prática clínica é a ausência de ferramentas moleculares para predizer a evolução dos gliomas classificados como baixo grau, uma vez que, durante o seguimento clínico-radiológico pós-cirúrgico, esses pacientes podem ter recidiva tumoral e confirmação histopatológica de glioma de alto grau. A transformação tumoral em glioma de alto grau implica em pior prognóstico e redução das possibilidades terapêuticas. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a expressão dos microRNAs miR-124a, miR-138, miR-155, miR-1275 em amostras de tumor primário humano e sangue periférico de pacientes com diagnóstico de gliomas de baixo e alto graus (astrocitoma grau I,astrocitoma grau II, astrocitoma grau III, glioblastoma, oligodendroglioma grau II e oligodendroglioma grau III). PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: As análises da expressão dos microRNAs foram realizadas utilizando-se a técnica de PCR em tempo real. Foram analisados 65 pacientes adultos (entre 18 e 65 anos de idade) com diagnóstico histopatológico confirmado de glioma com material biológico tumoral criopreservado armazenado junto ao Banco de Tumores do Sistema Nervoso Central do HCFMRP. Foram coletadas informações contidas no prontuário médico referentes às características clínicas, epidemiológicas, de evolução clínica e radiológica e tempo para recidiva e óbito. Considerando-se um nível de significância de 5%, a associação das variáveis qualitativas categóricas e expressão de microRNAs foi realizada pelo teste de Mann-Whitney. A análise de sobrevida foi realizada pelo método não-paramétrico de Kaplan-Meier. RESULTADOS: Os microRNAs em estudo não apresentaram hiperexpressão em tecido tumoral de pacientes diagnosticados com Glioblastoma. Apenas o miR-1275 apresentou expressão aumentada em pacientes com diagnóstico de astrocitoma pilocítico e oligodendroglioma grau II. Além disso, tumores de linhagem oligodendroglial, de baixo e alto graus, demonstraram hiperexpressão do miR-1275. Em sangue periférico, observou-se significativa hipoexpressão dos miR-1275, miR-124 e miR-138 em amostra de glioblastoma. Observou-se, ainda, acentuada hipoexpressão do miR-138 em amostras de oligodendroglioma grau III. CONCLUSÃO: Os microRNAs miR-124a, miR-138, miR-155 e miR-1275 não apresentaram hiperexpressão em tecido tumoral de pacientes diagnosticados com GBM. O miR-1275 apresentou expressão aumentada em pacientes com diagnóstico de astrocitoma pilocítico e o miR-155 foi hiperexpresso apenas em amostras de oligodendroglioma grau II. Além disso, tumores de linhagem oligodendroglial, de baixo e alto graus, demonstraram hiperexpressão do miR1275 e miR-124a. Em sangue periférico, observou-se significativa hipoexpressão dos miR-1275, miR-124 e miR-138 em amostra de glioblastoma assim como acentuada hipoexpressão do miR-138 em amostras de oligodendroglioma grau III / INTRODUCTION: Gliomas are neuroepithelial tumors and correspond to approximately 24.6% of all primary brain tumors. In the last decade, great effort has been made in academic circles to characterize gliomas in an attempt to describe clinical behavior, define prognosis and predict therapeutic response. Bioinformatics tools estimate that microRNAs can regulate about 60% of human genes, including a significant number of oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and chemo and radioresistance genes. A current problem in clinical practice is the absence of molecular tools to predict the evolution of gliomas classified as low grade, since during postoperative radiological follow-up these patients may have tumor recurrence with histopathological confirmation of high glioma degree. Tumor transformation in high-grade glioma has a worsening of prognosis and reduction of therapeutic possibilities OBJECTIVES: The objective of this project is to analyze the expression of miR124a, miR-138, miR-155, miR-1275 in human primary and peripheral blood samples from patients diagnosed with low and high grade gliomas (astrocytoma grade I, astrocytoma grade II, astrocytoma grade III, glioblastoma, oligodendroglioma grade II and oligodendroglioma grade III). PATIENTS AND METHODS: MicroRNA expression analyzes were performed using the real-time PCR technique. Sixty-five adult patients (18-65 years of age) with confirmed histopathological diagnosis of glioma with cryopreserved tumor biological material stored at the Bank of Tumors of the Central Nervous System of HCFMRP were analyzed. Information collected in the medical records regarding clinical, epidemiological, clinical and radiological characteristics and time for recurrence and death were collected. Considering a level of significance of 5%, the association of categorical qualitative variables and microRNA expression were performed by the Mann-Whitney test. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier non-parametric method. RESULTS: The microRNAs under study did not present hyperexpression in tumor tissue of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. Only miR-1275 showed increased expression in patients diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma and grade II oligodendroglioma. In addition, tumors of low and high grade oligodendroglial lineage demonstrated overexpression of miR-1275. In peripheral blood, significant hypoexpression of miR-1275, miR-124 and miR-138 were observed in a glioblastoma sample. There was also a marked hypoexpression of miR-138 in samples of grade III oligodendroglioma. CONCLUSION: The microRNAs miR-124a, miR-138, miR155 and miR-1275 did not show hyperexpression in tumor tissue of patients diagnosed with GBM. MiR-1275 showed increased expression in patients diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma and miR-155 was hyperexpressed only in samples of grade II oligodendroglioma. In addition, tumors of oligodendroglial lineage, of low and high grades, demonstrated hyperexpression of miR-1275 and miR-124a. In peripheral blood, significant hypoexpression of miR-1275, miR-124 and miR-138 were observed in the GBM sample as well as marked hypoexpression of miR-138 in samples of grade III oligodendroglioma

La classification OMS des tumeurs cérébrales de l'enfant distingue les tumeurs gliales des tumeurs glioneuronales, les gliomes circonscrits des infiltrants. Elle représente le meilleur indicateur pronostic mais se heurte pourtant à des limites de reproductibilité. Pour mieux préciser le diagnostic, mieux définir des sous-groupes de pronostic différent, et mieux orienter le thérapeutique, nous avons recherché les profils moléculaires de 108 tumeurs cérébrales circonscrites de l'enfant : astrocytome pilocytique (PA), tumeurs neuroépithéliales dysembryoplasiques (DNT), xanthoastrocytomes pléïomorphes (PXA) et gangliogliomes (GG). Aucune différence n'est retrouvée entre les gliomes corticaux de grade II (GC) et les DNT concernant IDH1 et 2, TP53 et la délétion1p19q. Les DNT non spécifiques et les GC partagent le même profil incluant CD34 et la mutation V600E de BRAF dans 50% des cas. Le PXA exprime la mutation V600E de BRAF dans plus de 50 % des cas et se rapproche du groupe des tumeurs glioneuronales. Concernant le PA, nous confirmons le caractère péjoratif de la topographie hypothalamo-chiasmatique, de l'histologie pilomyxoide, de l'âge inférieur à 36 mois et de l'exérèse partielle. A l'opposé des tumeurs infiltrantes qui appartiendraient au groupe " histones dépendantes", les tumeurs circonscrites pourraient être regroupées sous le terme "MAPKinases dépendantes". On y distinguerait alors les tumeurs avec fusion KIAA1543-BRAF de celles avec mutation V600E de BRAF. Ce travail a permis de mieux caractériser les tumeurs gliales et glioneuronales de l'enfant, reposant sur le transfert en routine de marqueurs moléculaires simples. / The OMS classification for pediatric brain tumors includes glial tumors and mixed glial and glioneuronal tumors, diffuse and no diffuse glioma. All strategic decision making are based on this current classification but it drives to some limits of diagnosis reproductibility.The goal of our study was to define molecular profils for low grade no diffuse pediatric brain tumors including pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), dysembryoplasic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT), pleiomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) and benign gangliogliome (GG), to improve the quality of diagnosis, define different subgroups with different prognosis and then to improve treatment strategy decision making.No molecular difference was found between cortical grade II glioma (GC) and DNT regarding IDH1 and 2 TP53 alterations and 1p19q deletion. Similarly 50 % of no specific form of DNT share the same molecular profil with GC with CD34 expression and V600E mutation of BRAF. PXA demonstrated BRAFV600E mutation in 60 % of cases. PXA could then be very close glioneuronal tumors. Finally in PA we confirmed the negative impact of hypothalochiasmatic location, pilomyxoid diagnosis and age lower than 36 months and partial resection. We could work on the elaboration of a new classification and define the group named “Histone dependant” for tumors with histone aberrations and the group named “MAPKinases dependant” for tumors with either KIAA 1543-BRAF fusion or V600E BRAF mutation.In conclusion, this work has led to improve the molecular profil characteristics of glioneuronal tumors of childhood with different easy diagnostic markers that can be used in routine practice, and could potentially replace DNA sequencing.

<p>Grade 2 gliomas are malignant brain tumours affecting otherwise healthy adults. Although the long-term prognosis is poor, many patients are well and may have a high quality of life for several years. There is, however, a large variability in the natural course of the disease which makes it essential to identify patients who might benefit from early surgery or radio-therapy. The aim of the present thesis was to define new and clinically useful prognostic markers that may assist in the initial treatment decision and in patient follow-up.</p><p>A retrospective study of 189 patients with gliomas WHO grade 2 showed no advantage in survival of early tumour resection or radiotherapy, and confirmed that histological subtype and patient age are the most important predictors of survival (I). In 89 patients, the pre-treatment uptake of 11C-methionine (MET) measured with positron emission tomography (PET) was identified as a prognostic marker for survival (II). At the time of tumour progression, irradiated tumours demonstrated signs of a residual radiotherapeutic effect that correlated with the pre-treatment uptake of MET (III). Pre-treatment uptake of MET may, therefore, be important both in predicting the natural course of the disease and the response after treatment. Immunohistochemical staining of 40 tumour samples showed an inverse association between the number of tumour cells expressing platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor (PDGFRa) and survival (IV). Also, a reduction was observed in the number of receptor-positive cells after malignant transformation, supporting the prognostic value of PDGFRa.</p><p>Lumbar puncture was performed in eight patients with newly diagnosed low-grade gliomas to identify three important growth factors in tumour development. Neither PDGF nor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) was measurable at extremely low concentrations in two of the patients (V). A proteome screening of the CSF, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, detected alpha 2-HS glycoprotein at significantly higher concentrations than in a control group (VI). This glycoprotein emerges as a novel substance in glioma research and may be of great interest because of its suggested involvement in the embryonic development of the neocortex.</p>

Grade 2 gliomas are malignant brain tumours affecting otherwise healthy adults. Although the long-term prognosis is poor, many patients are well and may have a high quality of life for several years. There is, however, a large variability in the natural course of the disease which makes it essential to identify patients who might benefit from early surgery or radio-therapy. The aim of the present thesis was to define new and clinically useful prognostic markers that may assist in the initial treatment decision and in patient follow-up. A retrospective study of 189 patients with gliomas WHO grade 2 showed no advantage in survival of early tumour resection or radiotherapy, and confirmed that histological subtype and patient age are the most important predictors of survival (I). In 89 patients, the pre-treatment uptake of 11C-methionine (MET) measured with positron emission tomography (PET) was identified as a prognostic marker for survival (II). At the time of tumour progression, irradiated tumours demonstrated signs of a residual radiotherapeutic effect that correlated with the pre-treatment uptake of MET (III). Pre-treatment uptake of MET may, therefore, be important both in predicting the natural course of the disease and the response after treatment. Immunohistochemical staining of 40 tumour samples showed an inverse association between the number of tumour cells expressing platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor (PDGFRa) and survival (IV). Also, a reduction was observed in the number of receptor-positive cells after malignant transformation, supporting the prognostic value of PDGFRa. Lumbar puncture was performed in eight patients with newly diagnosed low-grade gliomas to identify three important growth factors in tumour development. Neither PDGF nor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) was measurable at extremely low concentrations in two of the patients (V). A proteome screening of the CSF, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, detected alpha 2-HS glycoprotein at significantly higher concentrations than in a control group (VI). This glycoprotein emerges as a novel substance in glioma research and may be of great interest because of its suggested involvement in the embryonic development of the neocortex.

A disease has consequences not only for the afflicted person but also for those who interact with him or her. A low-grade glioma is a brain tumour whose regarding its psychosocial implications for adult patients and their next of kin has received little attention in the literature. In the light of this the overall aim of the present thesis was to provide increased knowledge about how patients with low-grade glioma and their next of kin experience and deal with everyday life. The methods of the studies were mainly qualitative. Thirty-nine patients and 28 next of kin were interviewed and all except one next of kin completed a quality of life questionnaire. The onset of low-grade glioma was described from the patients’ perspective as a process, either rapid (up to a few months) or prolonged over several years. This phase of low-grade glioma encompassed repeated visits to physicians and care institutions. The onset of low-grade glioma was accompanied by stress, anxiety and uncertainty in the case of both the patients and those nearest. The symptoms and problems the patients experienced covered a broad range of consequences, physical, psychological and social. The patients presented a wide range of ways to cope with illness-related problems. The next of kin were often deeply involved in the patients’ situation and many of them experienced extremely stressful emotions mainly in the early period of the illness. They had experience of positive encounters in health care but more often they had had a sense both of powerlessness and of being invisible and neglected. Relations and roles changed in ways that mostly were experienced as negative. Enabling strength in everyday life had to do with alleviation of strain and having a positive outlook upon life. By means of the questionnaire Subjective estimation of Quality of Life (SQoL) the patients and those nearest estimated their quality of life as being comparatively high. Only one variable, among the patients the absence of work/meaningful occupation and among the next of kin the absence of own children, being estimated at below 60% of the maximum score.

Comprendre comment le cerveau humain engendre les formes les plus élaborées de comportements est profondément lié à nos connaissances générales sur son organisation anatomique et fonctionnelle. Jusqu'à récemment encore, on pensait que les fonctions cognitives n'étaient rien d'autre que le sous-produit de l'activité neurale de régions corticales discrètes et hyper-fonctionnalisées. Les découvertes majeures obtenues ces dix dernières années dans le champ de la neuro-imagerie, et plus particulièrement de la connectomique, invitent cependant à complexifier nos représentations sur les liens qu'entretiennent structures et fonctions cérébrales. Le cerveau semble en effet être organisé en systèmes neurocognitifs complexes, hautement distribués et plastiques. C'est dans cet esprit qu'a été réalisé ce travail de thèse dont l'ambition première a été de repenser les modèles actuels de la cognition sociale, et en particulier ceux ayant trait à la fonction de mentalisation, à travers l'étude comportementale des patients porteurs d'un gliome diffus de bas-grade. Cette tumeur neurologique rare constitue un excellent modèle physiopathologique en vue du démasquage des structures maîtresses des systèmes cognitifs complexes, en ce qu'elle induit des phénomènes majeurs de réorganisation fonctionnelle, et s'infiltre préférentiellement le long de la connectivité axonale associative. Des corrélations anatomo-cliniques ont été réalisées suivant une approche topologique classique (analyse de groupe en régions d'intérêt, cartographie voxel-based lesion-symptom, stimulation électrique corticale intra-opératoire) mais également hodologique (degré de déconnection des faisceaux d'association, stimulation électrique de la connectivité axonale). Les résultats principaux de nos différents travaux nous permettent de jeter les premières bases d'un modèle à double voie dynamique (plastique) et hodotopique (contraint par la réalité anatomique) de l'organisation anatomo-fonctionnelle des processus de mentalisation. Spécifiquement, une voie dorsale, interconnectant le aires corticales fronto-pariétales « miroirs » via le système périsylvien de substance blanche associative (faisceau arqué et faisceau longitudinal supérieur latéral), sous-tendrait les processus perceptifs de « bas-niveau » nécessaires à l'identification préréflexive des états mentaux ; une voie cingulo-médiane, interconnectant les régions préfrontales médiales et rostro-cingulaires aux régions pariétales postérieures médiales via le faisceau cingulaire, sous-tendrait les processus de «haut-niveau » nécessaires aux inférences mentalistiques conscientes. Ces découvertes constituent une avancée substantielle en neurosciences sociales, ont des implications importantes pour la prise en charge clinique des patients, et peuvent permettre de mieux comprendre certaines psychopathologies caractérisées à la fois par un trouble de la mentalisation et des anomalies structurales de la connectivité associative (troubles du spectre autistique). / Understanding how the brain produces sophisticated behaviours strongly depends of our knowledge on its anatomical and functional organization. Until recently, it was believed that high-level cognition was merely the by-product of the neural activity of discrete and highly specialized cortical areas. Major findings obtained in the past decade from neuroimaging, particularly from the field of connectomics, prompt now researchers to revise drastically their conceptions about the links between brain structures and functions. The brain seems indeed organized in complex, highly distributed and plastic neurocognitive networks. This is in this state of mind that our work has been carried out. Its foremost ambition was to rethink actuals models of social cognition, especially mentalizing, through the behavioural study of patients harbouring a diffuse low-grade glioma. Because this rare neurological tumour induces major functional reorganization phenomena and migrates preferentially along axonal associative connectivity, it constitutes an excellent pathophysiological model for unmasking the core structures subserving complex cognitive systems. Anatomo-clinical correlations were conducted according to both a classical topological approach (region of interest analyses, voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping, intraoperative cortical electrostimulation) and a hodological approach (degree of disconnection of associative white matter fasciculi, intraoperative axonal connectivity mapping). The main results of our different studies enable us to lay the foundation of a dynamic (plastic) and hodotopical (connectivity) dual-stream model of mentalizing. Specifically, a dorsal stream, interconnecting mirror frontoparietal areas via the perisylvian network (arcuate fasciculus and lateral superior longitudinal fasciculus), may subserve low-level perceptual processes required in rapid and pre-reflective identification of mental states; a cingulo-medial stream, interconnecting medial prefrontal and rostro-cingulated areas with medial posterior parietal areas via the cingulum, may subserve higher-level processes required in reflective mentalistic inferences. These original findings represents a great step in social neuroscience, have major implications in clinical practice, and opens new opportunities in understanding certain pathological conditions characterized by both mentalizing deficits and aberrant structural connectivity (e.g. autism spectrum disorders).