Functional Organization of Frontoparietal Cortex in the Marmoset Investigated with Awake Resting-State fMRI

Authors

Yuki Hori, Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada.
Justine C. Cléry, Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada.
David J. Schaeffer, Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Ravi S. Menon, Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada.
Stefan Everling, Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-13-2021

Journal

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)

URL with Digital Object Identifier

10.1093/cercor/bhab328

Abstract

Frontoparietal networks contribute to complex cognitive functions in humans and macaques, such as working memory, attention, task-switching, response suppression, grasping, reaching, and eye movement control. However, there has been no comprehensive examination of the functional organization of frontoparietal networks using functional magnetic resonance imaging in the New World common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus), which is now widely recognized as a powerful nonhuman primate experimental animal. In this study, we employed hierarchical clustering of interareal blood oxygen level-dependent signals to investigate the hypothesis that the organization of the frontoparietal cortex in the marmoset follows the organizational principles of the macaque frontoparietal system. We found that the posterior part of the lateral frontal cortex (premotor regions) was functionally connected to the anterior parietal areas, while more anterior frontal regions (frontal eye field [FEF]) were connected to more posterior parietal areas (the region around the lateral intraparietal area [LIP]). These overarching patterns of interareal organization are consistent with a recent macaque study. These findings demonstrate parallel frontoparietal processing streams in marmosets and support the functional similarities of FEF-LIP and premotor-anterior parietal pathways between marmoset and macaque.