Creating a population-averaged standard brain template for Japanese macaques (M. fuscata)

A number of modern digital anatomy techniques, based on structural MR brain images, have recently become applicable to the non-human primate brain. Such voxel-based quantitative techniques require a species-specific standardized brain template. Here we present a brain template for the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata). The template was designed to be used as a tool for spatially normalising Japanese macaque brains into a standard space. Although this species of macaque monkey is widely used in neuroscience research, including studies of higher cognitive brain functions, no standard MRI template of its brain is presently available. The template presented here is based on T1/T2* weighted, high-resolution 4 T MR images obtained from 16 male adult Japanese macaque monkeys. T1/T2* images were used to correct the signal inequalities resulting from the use of a surface coil. Based on these images, population-averaged probability maps were created for grey matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid. The new template presented here should facilitate future brain research using the Japanese macaque monkey. Whole brain templates are available at http://brainatlas.brain.riken.jp/jm/modules/xoonips/listitem.php?index_id=9.