neuroVIISAS-based construction of a stereotactic rhesus monkey brain atlas for connectome research

Digital brain atlases are indispensable for primate connectomics, providing precise stereotactic references that enable reproducible mapping of structural and functional data. Here, we present a comprehensive reconstruction of the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) stereotactic atlas within the neuroVIISAS framework. Using polygon-based segmentation, we systematically digitized 1722 anatomical contours from the Paxinos atlas, including cortical, subcortical, and non-neuronal regions, and embedded them into a stereotactic coordinate system. Mirroring procedures ensured full bilateral representation, while volumetric and surface calculations yielded quantitative benchmarks spanning nuclei of less than 0.1 mm^3 to cortical regions exceeding 2000 mm^3. Validation against stereological data and comparison with independent resources (SARM, ONPRC18) confirmed the reliability of delineations while highlighting methodological differences across atlases. The atlas supports advanced visualization in 2D and 3D, including interactive rotation, transparency, and connectivity overlays, facilitating structural exploration and connectome simulations. Integration with neuroVIISAS enables hierarchical ontologies, quantitative analyses, and direct interfacing with simulation environments. Together, these methodological advances establish a reproducible, bilaterally complete, and volumetrically validated stereotactic reference for the rhesus monkey brain, enhancing both experimental design and translational connectomics.EACH ARCHIVE FILE CONTAINS (JRE: Java Runtime Environment):neuroVIISAS installers (Unix: *.sh, Windows: *.exe)Atlas image directory: ../images/*.pngMonkey project file for neuroVIISAS: ../data/macaque.brain <br>