Data from: Auditory functional magnetic resonance imaging in dogs – normalization and group analysis and the processing of pitch in the canine auditory pathways

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. Conclusion: 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.