A 3-hinge gyrus, a conjunction of cortical folds coming from three directions, is a promising metric to characterize brain folding patterns and has potential to transform the study of the brain structure-function relationship. However, there are several significant gaps in understanding its significance, for example, why a growing brain preferentially develops 3-hinge gyral patterns as opposed to many other possible folding patterns; what fundamental mechanisms contribute to this complex process; and whether 3-hinge gyri can serve as hubs in brain networks and show cross-subject similarity. The goal of this project is to explore the fundamental mechanism of 3-hinge gyral formations and their role in brain networks. The study will help reveal fundamental principles of brain architecture and produce a unified theoretical framework relating between cortical folding, axonal wiring, and 3-hinge gyral formation.
The long-term goal of this project is to offer a novel model to describe the relationships among brain morphology, connectivity, and function. The investigators will employ an integrated computational modeling and data-mining methodology to understand 3-hinge gyral pattern formation and its structure-function relationship in the cerebral cortex. The specific objectives are as follows: (1) Develop a computational mechanical model to explain 3-hinge gyral formation and the specific roles of geometrical parameters and axonal fibers. (2) Conduct neuroimaging studies to examine the potential role of cortical 3-hinge gyri as hubs in brain networks. (3) Perform imaging data analysis to test whether cortical 3-hinge gyri link the cross-subject similarity of cortical folding patterns to the correspondences of structural brain wiring diagrams and brain functions. By exploring the complementary information provided by cortical folding and 3-hinge gyral patterns, this project will offer a unique perspective to treat brain anatomy and connectivity collectively and better understand their relationships.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
