Regional correlations between cortical thickness and surface area asymmetries: A surface-based morphometry study of 250 adults
Neuropsychologia. 2016-12-01; 93: 350-364
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.03.025
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Maingault S(1), Tzourio-Mazoyer N(1), Mazoyer B(1), Crivello F(2).
Author information:
(1)Université de Bordeaux, GIN, IMN UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France; Centre National
de la Recherche Scientifique, GIN, IMN UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France; CEA, GIN, IMN
UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France.
(2)Université de Bordeaux, GIN, IMN UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France; Centre National
de la Recherche Scientifique, GIN, IMN UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France; CEA, GIN, IMN
UMR 5293, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: .
We report on the patterns of asymmetries of various MRI-derived cortical
phenotypes, namely cortical thickness (CT), cortical surface area (CSA),
cortical volume (CV) and sulcal depth (SULC), as well as on their
cross-relationships. A surface-based approach was designed to obtain cortical
asymmetry maps unbiased for inter-hemispheric structural positional
misalignment. Accurate vertex-wise asymmetries of CT, CSA, CV, and SULC were so
obtained in 250 individuals including 120 left-handers that had been selected
from a larger population as having a typical leftward language lateralization.
We found no significant effect of handedness on CT, CSA or CV asymmetries,
although a trend for a significant difference in the SULC asymmetry of the
Rolandic genu was present (leftward in right-handers, rightward in
left-handers). At the hemispheric level, we found rightward CT and CSA
asymmetries that were not correlated. At the regional level, asymmetry patterns
of CT and CSA were marked by a spatial overlap of both concordant and opposite
CT and CSA asymmetries. Half of these regions of overlap presented a significant
association (positive or negative) between CT and CSA asymmetries. Strikingly,
the 3 regions showing positive correlations between CT and CSA asymmetries were
those known to exhibit robust asymmetries across methodologies, such as the
leftward asymmetrical planum temporale and the rightward asymmetrical superior
temporal sulcus and cingulate cortex. This study demonstrates that regional
correlations between CT and CSA asymmetries are a characteristic of brain
structural organization that could be of significance in the choice of
structural markers in studies dealing with the genetic basis of brain
lateralization.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.03.025
PMID: 27020136 [Indexed for MEDLINE]