Creating a population-averaged standard brain template for Japanese macaques (M. fuscata)

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Comparative Anatomy
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Modern digital anatomy techniques are increasingly applied to non-human primate brains using structural Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging.
• Voxel-based quantitative techniques necessitate species-specific standardized brain templates for accurate analysis.
• The Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) is a prevalent model in neuroscience research, particularly for higher cognitive functions, yet lacks a standardized MRI template.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, high-resolution, standardized brain template for the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata).
• To provide a tool for spatially normalizing Japanese macaque brains into a standard stereotactic space.
• To facilitate advanced neuroimaging research and quantitative analysis in this primate species.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of high-resolution 4T MR images (T1/T2* weighted) from 16 adult male Japanese macaques.
• Correction of signal inequalities using T1/T2* images to account for surface coil usage.
• Creation of population-averaged probability maps for grey matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid based on the acquired MR images.

Main Results:

• Development of a comprehensive brain template for the Japanese macaque.
• Generation of probability maps for key brain tissue types (grey matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid).
• The template is available online for researchers worldwide.

Conclusions:

• The newly developed Japanese macaque brain template is a valuable resource for the neuroscience community.
• This standardized template will significantly enhance the accuracy and comparability of neuroimaging studies in Macaca fuscata.
• It is expected to accelerate research into higher cognitive brain functions using this primate model.