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Person-Based Brain Morphometric Similarity is Heritable and Correlates With Biological Features
Gaelle E Doucet1, Dominik A Moser1, Amanda Rodrigue2
1Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|November 22, 2018
Summary
We developed a new method, the person-based similarity index (PBSI), to analyze brain structure variation. This approach reveals meaningful biological and functional differences in brain morphometry across individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Human Variation
Background:
- Understanding interindividual differences in brain morphometry is key in cognitive neuroscience.
- Previous studies focused on regional brain measures, neglecting the brain's integrated nature.
- A novel approach is needed to capture person-specific brain structural profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate the person-based similarity index (PBSI) for brain morphometry.
- To assess the biological and functional significance of person-based brain measures.
- To explore the utility of PBSI in understanding human variation in brain imaging phenotypes.
Main Methods:
- Developed the person-based similarity index (PBSI) using brain structural profiles as single vectors.
- Validated PBSI in two independent cohorts (N=1756 healthy participants).
- Analyzed PBSI scores for subcortical volume and cortical thickness.
Main Results:
- PBSI scores differed between sexes and were heritable.
- PBSI demonstrated robustness against variations in neuroimaging parameters and sample composition.
- PBSI scores correlated with age, body mass index, and fluid intelligence.
Conclusions:
- Person-based brain morphometry measures are biologically and functionally significant.
- PBSI offers a promising tool for studying multivariate brain imaging phenotypes in health and disease.
- This approach advances the understanding of individual differences in brain structure and function.
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