Can Preexisting Differences in Neuroanatomy Predict Training Performance? An In-Vivo MRI study of Adult Mice Trained on a Spatial Maze

Jurgen Germann¹, P. Steadman¹, D. Vousden¹, J. Dazai¹, S. Spring¹, C. Laliberte¹, L. Cahill¹, R. M. Henkelman¹, J. P. Lerch¹

The famous London taxi driver study demonstrated that some hippocampal regions are larger in taxi drivers compared to matched controls. These anatomical differences are likely related to extensive experience. What, however, is the influence of preexisting anatomical differences on subsequent learning performance. In our study we imaged mice prior to spatial navigation training. Our results show that local variance in brain shape predicts subsequent learning performance. The relevant regions differ depending on the learning condition. Whole brain live MRI is capable of detecting and characterizing preexisting anatomical differences and instrumental in studying brain behavior relationship.