Multivariate Concavity Amplitude Index (MCAI) for characterizing Heschl's gyrus shape
- Author(s)
- Josué Luiz Dalboni da Rocha, Olga Kepinska, Peter Schneider, Jan Benner, Giulio Degano, Letitia Schneider, Narly Golestani
- Abstract
Heschl's gyrus (HG), which includes primary auditory cortex, is highly variable in its shape (i.e. gyrification patterns), between hemispheres and across individuals. Differences in HG shape have been observed in the context of phonetic learning skill and expertise, and of professional musicianship, among others. Two of the most common configurations of HG include single HG, where a single transverse temporal gyrus is present, and common stem duplications (CSD), where a sulcus intermedius (SI) arises from the lateral aspect of HG. Here we describe a new toolbox, called 'Multivariate Concavity Amplitude Index' (MCAI), which automatically assesses the shape of HG. MCAI works on the output of TASH, our first toolbox which automatically segments HG, and computes continuous indices of concavity, which arise when sulci are present, along the outer perimeter of an inflated representation of HG, in a directional manner. Thus, MCAI provides a multivariate measure of shape, which is reproducible and sensitive to small variations in shape. We applied MCAI to structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of N=181 participants, including professional and amateur musicians and from non-musicians. Former studies have shown large variations in HG shape in the former groups. We validated MCAI by showing high correlations between the dominant (i.e. highest) lateral concavity values and continuous visual assessments of the degree of lateral gyrification of the first gyrus. As an application of MCAI, we also replicated previous visually obtained findings showing a higher likelihood of bilateral CSDs in musicians. MCAI opens a wide range of applications in evaluating HG shape in the context of individual differences, expertise, disorder and genetics.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology
- External organisation(s)
- Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Université de Genève, Universität Wien, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Journal
- NeuroImage
- Volume
- 272
- No. of pages
- 12
- ISSN
- 1053-8119
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120052
- Publication date
- 03-2023
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 301409 Neuroanatomy, 501030 Cognitive science, 206001 Biomedical engineering, 302043 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neurology, Cognitive Neuroscience
- Portal url
- https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/multivariate-concavity-amplitude-index-mcai-for-characterizing-heschls-gyrus-shape(9a8b76c7-3f8f-424c-b1fe-97e22df83d99).html