title: Plasticity of the superior and middle cerebellar peduncles in musicians revealed by quantitative analysis of volume and number of streamlines based on diffusion tensor tractography.
abstract: This work was conducted to study the plasticity of superior (SCP) and middle (MCP) cerebellar peduncles in musicians. The cerebellum is well known to support several musically relevant motor, sensory and cognitive functions. Previous studies reported increased cerebellar volume and grey matter (GM) density in musicians. Here, we report on plasticity of white matter (WM) of the cerebellum. Our cohort included 10/10 gender and handedness-matched musicians and controls. Using diffusion tensor imaging, fibre tractography of SCP and MCP was performed. The fractional anisotropy (FA), number of streamlines and volume of streamlines of SCP/MCP were compared between groups. Automatic measurements of GM and WM volumes of the right/left cerebellar hemispheres were also compared. Musicians have significantly increased right SCP volume (p = 0.02) and number of streamlines (p = 0.001), right MCP volume (p = 0.004) and total WM volume of the right cerebellum (p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in right MCP number of streamlines, left SCP/MCP volume and number of streamlines, SCP/MCP FA values, GM volume of the right cerebellum and GM/WM volumes of the left cerebellum. We propose that increased volume and number of streamlines of the right cerebellar peduncles represent use-dependent structural adaptation to increased sensorimotor and cognitive functional demands on the musician's cerebellum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. Ihssan.abdulkareem@liv.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ihssan A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Abdul-Kareem
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stancak
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Parkes
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Ameen
authors.forename: Jamaan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alghamdi
authors.forename: Faten M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Aldhafeeri
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Embleton
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sluming
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016880:Anisotropy; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult