Species -Shared and -Unique Gyral Peaks on Human and Macaque Brains

Abstract

Cortical folding is an important feature of primate brains that plays a crucial role in various cognitive and behavioral processes. Extensive research has revealed both similarities and differences in folding morphology and brain function among primates including macaque and human. The folding morphology is the basis of brain function, making cross-species studies on folding morphology important for understanding brain function and species evolution. However, prior studies on cross-species folding morphology mainly focused on partial regions of the cortex instead of the entire brain. Previously, we defined a whole-brain landmark based on folding morphology: the gyral peak. It was found to exist stably across individuals and ages in both human and macaque brains. In this study, we identified shared and unique gyral peaks in human and macaque, and investigated the similarities and differences in the spatial distribution, anatomical morphology, and functional connectivity of them.