Catlas: An magnetic resonance imaging-based three-dimensional cortical atlas and tissue probability maps for the domestic cat (Felis catus)

Abstract

Brain atlases play an important role in effectively communicating results from neuroimaging studies in a standardized coordinate system. Furthermore, brain atlases extend analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data by delineating regions of interest over which to evaluate the extent of functional activation as well as measures of inter-regional connectivity. Here, we introduce a three-dimensional atlas of the cat cerebral cortex based on established cytoarchitectonic and electrophysiological findings. In total, 71 cerebral areas were mapped onto the gray matter (GM) of an averaged T1-weighted structural MRI acquired at 7 T from eight adult domestic cats. In addition, a nonlinear registration procedure was used to generate a common template brain as well as GM, white matter, and cerebral spinal fluid tissue probability maps to facilitate tissue segmentation as part of the standard preprocessing pipeline for MRI data analysis. The atlas and associated files can also be used for planning stereotaxic surgery and for didactic purposes.

Keywords: RRID: SCR_001622; RRID: SCR_005619; RRID: SCR_007037; brain atlas; cat; cerebral cortex; magnetic resonance imaging; tissue probability map.