Brain parcellation for TMD neuroimaging: a critical narrative review

PURPOSE: To analyze modern brain mapping for neurobiological mechanisms of temporomandibular disorders, with particular emphasis on structural and functional alterations, employing advanced neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI and DTI. Furthermore, this study aims to identify the most appropriate combination of brain parcellation schemes that comprehensively cover cortical, subcortical, and brainstem structures to enhance the accuracy and standardization of neuroimaging protocols in TMD research. METHODS: Scientific sources were searched in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar as of 29.06.2025, 689 records were identified for PRISMA workflow, of which 676 records remained for screening after the removing duplicates and irrelevant items, 630 records were excluded per prespecified criteria (inappropriate diagnoses, insufficiently described rapid studies, metabolic disorders), and 46 studies were included in the qualitative analysis. RESULTS: We compare anatomical, functional, and multimodal atlases (Desikan-Killiany, Destrieux, Schaefer, HCP-MMP1.0, Brainnetome, SUIT, Brainstem atlases) in terms of fMRI/DTI compatibility and relevance of regions of interest. CONCLUSIONS: The authors suggest that the use of a combined parcellation scheme: HCP-MMP1.0 for the highly detailed cortex, SUIT for the cerebellum, specialized brainstem atlases-which cover corticocortical, cerebellar, and brainstem connections-increases mapping accuracy and meets modern requirements for the standardization of neuroimaging protocols in studies of the TMD.