Schedule of Events | Symposia

Using neuroanatomical features to predict receptive language selectivity in middle frontal gyrus in individual brains

Poster Session E - Monday, March 31, 2025, 2:30 – 4:30 pm EDT, Back Bay Ballroom/Republic Ballroom

Rebecca Belisle¹ (rbelisle@bu.edu), Emily Stephen¹, Tyler Perrachione¹; ¹Boston University

Strictly selective and highly focal nodes of a receptive language network can be reliably localized in individual brains. In particular, a language-selective area situated proximal to posterior middle frontal gyrus (pMFG) and precentral gyrus, is prominent in individual brain maps but often missing from group averages because its precise location varies considerably across individuals with respect to macroanatomical landmarks. Here, we aimed to characterize the structural underpinnings of this functionally defined region that is of particular interest due to its potential correspondence with Area 55b, a region recently implicated in language. Inspired by work showing that structural connectivity can predict the location of functionally specialized visual areas in individual brains, we used an elastic net linear regression framework to predict the location of individuals’ pMFG language area using cortico-cortical connectivity, cortico-subcortical connectivity, and local cytoarchitectural features (e.g., intracortical myelin) in N=25 adults with normal language abilities. We estimated the optimal hyperparameters and generalization error using nested leave-one-subject-out cross-validation. Our model based on individual neuroanatomical features predicted the location of language-selective tissue near pMFG with an AUC significantly above chance, consistently outperforming group-average fMRI maps. Features positively predictive of the pMFG language area included connectivity with the insula and inferior parietal lobule, and negatively predictive features included intracortical myelin and connectivity to areas associated with visuomotor functions. These findings suggest that specific structural features may be linked to the precise location of receptive language areas in individual brains.

Topic Area: NEUROANATOMY