Convergently evolved arcuate fasciculus in marmosets with humans
Presented During:
Friday, June 27, 2025: 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Room:
M1 & M2 (Mezzanine Level)
Poster No:
1776
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Yufan Wang1, Luqi Cheng2, Deying Li1, Yuheng Lu3, Chet Sherwood4, Congying Chu1, Cirong Liu5, Lingzhong Fan1
Institutions:
1Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 2Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, 3Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 4The George Washington University, Washington, WA, 5Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
White matter connections coordinate functional brain activity by interconnecting various brain regions, weaving together a complex pattern with functional specializations refined throughout ontogeny and phylogeny (Thiebaut de Schotten & Forkel, 2022). Comparative analysis of white matter connections including a broader range of species could provide valuable insights into the mechanisms involved in human-specific cognitive functions. As a highly vocal Platyrrhine monkey that shares key anatomical and functional features with humans, marmosets provide a unique opportunity to chart white matter tracts for investigating brain evolution in the primate lineage.
Methods:
The anatomical landmarks for each tract were delineated in the MBMv3 template and registered into individual space for diffusion tractography using XTRACT, in a way corresponding to the same bundles in other primate brains (Bryant, Li, Eichert, & Mars, 2020; Warrington et al., 2020). 24 marmosets from the Marmoset Brain Mapping Project were used to reconstruct these tracts. The arcuate fasciculus (AF) was also reconstructed using ultra-high-resolution dMRI data for validation (Calabrese et al., 2014; Eichner et al., 2024; Liu et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2021).
Connectivity blueprints for marmosets, macaques, chimpanzees, and humans were generated to explore connectivity divergence between species (Mars et al., 2018). Connectivity patterns of AF across the four species were aligned into human space using an extended myelin-based approach for further quantitative analysis (Eichert et al., 2020).
Connectivity blueprints for marmosets, macaques, chimpanzees, and humans were generated to explore connectivity divergence between species (Mars et al., 2018). Connectivity patterns of AF across the four species were aligned into human space using an extended myelin-based approach for further quantitative analysis (Eichert et al., 2020).
Results:
24 white matter tracts, defined similarly to those available for other primates, are shown in Figure 1A. Using a connectivity blueprint approach, regions with different connectivity patterns between humans and nonhuman primates were examined (Figure 1B). Notably, the connection between AF and vPFC was stronger in marmosets than in macaques and chimpanzees (Figure 1C), suggesting the marmoset AF has continuously evolved gradually and become more similar to humans during evolution. "Virtually lesioning" the AF in all four species led to varying changes of connectivity divergences, especially in the A45c, where the KL divergence between humans and marmosets exhibited the smallest change (Figure 1D).
We next comprehensively investigated the connectivity patterns of AF across species by registering brains into a common space based on myelin maps. The actual AF connection maps and those registered into human space are shown in Figure 1E and 1F. The overlap similarity and human-specific extension were quantitatively examined (Figure 1G). The weighted local correlation map between the actual and registered tract connection maps localized where the AF showed similarity across species. Focusing on A45c, marmosets exhibited higher similarity to humans than to chimpanzees and macaques (Figure 1H).
We also provided solid evidence supporting the existence of an AF homolog in marmosets using ultra-high-resolution dMRI data. We found a clear dorsal pathway between the vPFC and pSTG (Figure 2A), which is distinct from the three different branches of SLF (Figure 2B). Finally, AF in all four species showed generally consistent arched shapes that interconnect vPFC and pSTG (Figure 2C). These findings collectively suggested the existence of an AF homolog in marmosets.
We next comprehensively investigated the connectivity patterns of AF across species by registering brains into a common space based on myelin maps. The actual AF connection maps and those registered into human space are shown in Figure 1E and 1F. The overlap similarity and human-specific extension were quantitatively examined (Figure 1G). The weighted local correlation map between the actual and registered tract connection maps localized where the AF showed similarity across species. Focusing on A45c, marmosets exhibited higher similarity to humans than to chimpanzees and macaques (Figure 1H).
We also provided solid evidence supporting the existence of an AF homolog in marmosets using ultra-high-resolution dMRI data. We found a clear dorsal pathway between the vPFC and pSTG (Figure 2A), which is distinct from the three different branches of SLF (Figure 2B). Finally, AF in all four species showed generally consistent arched shapes that interconnect vPFC and pSTG (Figure 2C). These findings collectively suggested the existence of an AF homolog in marmosets.
·Marmoset white matter tract atlas and comparison of AF across four species.
·Validation of AF using ultra-high-resolution dMRI data
Conclusions:
We reconstructed white matter tracts in marmosets and explored the (dis)similarities in cortical connection patterns across species, showing that the AF's termination in vPFC of marmosets is more similar to that in humans than to others, which was reconfirmed by quantitative analyses after registering all four species into a common space. Combined with validation using ultra-high-resolution dMRI datasets that supported the existence of an AF homolog in marmosets, our results suggested an earlier-emerged dorsal pathway in marmosets that convergently evolved with humans along the phylogenetic tree.
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Connectivity (eg. functional, effective, structural)
Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:
White Matter Anatomy, Fiber Pathways and Connectivity 1
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
Diffusion MRI 2
Keywords:
Cross-Species Homologues
MRI
Tractography
White Matter
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
Abstract Information
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Provide references using APA citation style.
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