Corpus callosum microstructure in chimpanzees (pan troglodytes): associations with age, handedness and cognition

Studies on the human brain have emphasized the loss of gray matter volume and decreased thickness during normal aging, along with variations in the density of small axon fibers across different regions of the corpus callosum (CC). Here, we investigated age-related changes in white matter connectivity in the CC and their association with handedness and cognitive decline in chimpanzees. To this end, microstructural measures of CC morphology were obtained from a sample of 49 chimpanzees. Initial assessments included quantifying streamline density, fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) values, which were then correlated with age and cognitive measures using the Primate Cognition Test Battery. We found an inverse association between streamline density and age in chimpanzees, particularly in the anterior and central CC regions. We also found an inverse association between FA and age in the splenium. Lastly, after controlling for age and sex, chimpanzees with higher cognition values also had higher FA values in anterior regions of the CC. Collectively, our results show that chimpanzees diverged from the typical human pattern, suggesting stronger interhemispheric connectivity integrity in frontal cortical brain regions compared to humans.