Two new stable anatomical landmarks on the Central Sulcus: definition, automatic detection, and their relationship with primary motor functions of the hand

Abstract

We present a method to automatically detect two new stable anatomical landmarks L(1) and L(2) on the Central Sulcus (CS). Those landmarks are shown to be representative of the Central Sulcus morphology and linked to the functional primary motor area of the hand. Detection is performed after introducing a new morphological characteristic, the sulcal profile. We show that when matching explicitly L(1) and L(2) across individuals the inter-subject matching of the central sulcus anatomy is improved, as well as the inter-subject matching of the primary motor area of the hand. This opens possibilities for morphological studies of the CS, more precise functional studies of primary motor function, and a better understanding of motor representations along the CS.