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Abstract #2826

Functional Connectivity Based Clustering of White Matter

Clare Kelly1, Greg J. Siegle2, Michael P. Milham3, 4

1NYU Child Study Center, New York, NY, United States; 2University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; 3Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, NY, United States; 4Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, United States


Studies applying clustering methods to intrinsic (resting-state) functional connectivity (iFC) data have largely avoided white matter (WM), reflecting skepticism regarding the fidelity of WM BOLD signal. In light of mounting evidence supporting the neurophysiological veracity of WM BOLD, we parcellated WM on the basis of iFC, using a multi-site large-n dataset. We obtained a symmetrical topography consistent with DTI tractography atlases. For example, the corpus callosum, the internal capsule, and the superior longitudinal fasciculus were stably identified across sites. We suggest that iFC measures may have utility for the investigation of WM in clinical disorders characterized by WM alterations.