Population-averaged standard template brain atlas for the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Primate Neuroscience
• Comparative Anatomy

Background:

• Voxel-wise statistical analysis, including voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and functional MRI, is crucial for cognitive brain research in humans and non-human primates.
• Advancements in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging allow for high-resolution analysis of smaller animal models.
• The common marmoset is a widely used non-human primate model in neuroscience, necessitating species-specific tools for advanced analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present the first tissue-segmented, population-averaged standard brain template for the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).
• To facilitate advanced voxel-wise neuroimaging analyses in marmoset research.
• To provide a valuable resource for the neuroscience community studying this primate model.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of high-resolution anatomical T(1)-weighted images from 22 adult common marmosets at 7-Tesla with an isotropic voxel size of (0.2 mm)(3).
• Utilized the DARTEL algorithm within SPM8 for template construction.
• Tissue segmentation and population averaging to create a standardized brain template.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated a high-resolution, tissue-segmented, population-averaged standard brain template for the common marmoset.
• The template provides a species-specific reference for voxel-wise neuroimaging analyses.
• The template is available online via the International Neuroinformatics Japan Node website.

Conclusions:

• The developed common marmoset brain template is a significant advancement for primate neuroscience research.
• This resource will enable more sophisticated and standardized voxel-wise analyses in marmoset models.
• Facilitates comparative neuroimaging studies and enhances the utility of marmosets in understanding brain function and disorders.