Genetic Effects on Fine-Grained Human Cortical Regionalization.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Genetics
• Human Brain Anatomy

Background:

• Human brain parcellation traditionally relies on structural and functional features like cytoarchitecture and connectivity.
• The intrinsic genetic architecture of the cortex at a fine-grained level remains largely unexplored.
• Understanding genetic influences is crucial for detailed brain mapping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the fine-grained intrinsic genetic architecture of the human cortex.
• To develop a novel method for cortical subregion parcellation based on genetic correlations.
• To assess the reproducibility and functional relevance of genetically defined subregions.

Main Methods:

• Cortical regions were parcellated into subregions using genetic correlations of surface area between cortical locations.
• Genetic correlations were estimated using bivariate twin models comparing monozygotic and dizygotic twins.
• Analyses were performed on two independent datasets to ensure reproducibility.

Main Results:

• Genetic subdivisions of cortical regions were reproducible across independent datasets.
• The genetically defined subregions closely corresponded to fine-grained functional specializations.
• Subregional genetic correlation profiles showed consistency with functional connectivity patterns.

Conclusions:

• Genetic covariance in brain anatomy can delineate functional subregions of the brain.
• This genetic approach offers a new perspective for understanding cortical organization.
• Findings may inform the development of next-generation human brain atlases.