title: Auditory functional magnetic resonance imaging in dogs--normalization and group analysis and the processing of pitch in the canine auditory pathways.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an advanced and frequently used technique for studying brain functions in humans and increasingly so in animals. A key element of analyzing fMRI data is group analysis, for which valid spatial normalization is a prerequisite. In the current study we applied normalization and group analysis to a dataset from an auditory functional MRI experiment in anesthetized beagles. The stimulation paradigm used in the experiment was composed of simple Gaussian noise and regular interval sounds (RIS), which included a periodicity pitch as an additional sound feature. The results from the performed group analysis were compared with those from single animal analysis. In addition to this, the data were examined for brain regions showing an increased activation associated with the perception of pitch.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the group analysis, significant activations matching the position of the right superior olivary nucleus, lateral lemniscus and internal capsule were identified, which could not be detected in the single animal analysis. In addition, a large cluster of activated voxels in the auditory cortex was found. The contrast of the RIS condition (including pitch) with Gaussian noise (no pitch) showed a significant effect in a region matching the location of the left medial geniculate nucleus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By using group analysis additional activated areas along the canine auditory pathways could be identified in comparison to single animal analysis. It was possible to demonstrate a pitch-specific effect, indicating that group analysis is a suitable method for improving the results of auditory fMRI studies in dogs and extending our knowledge of canine neuroanatomy.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kleintiere, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany. jbach@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Jan-Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.affiliation: Fachgebiet für Allgemeine Radiologie und Medizinische Physik, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany. matthias.luepke@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lüpke
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kleintiere, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany. peter.dziallas@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dziallas
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kleintiere, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany. wefstaedt@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wefstaedt
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany. stefan.uppenkamp@uni-oldenburg.de.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uppenkamp
authors.affiliation: Fachgebiet für Allgemeine Radiologie und Medizinische Physik, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany. hermann.seifert@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kleintiere, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany. ingo.nolte@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nolte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001306:Auditory Pathways; D004285:Dogs; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D010898:Pitch Perception