Connectivity-based parcellation of subcortical structures using diffusion tractography is a common paradigm. Typically, these analyses imply voxel-level specificity of connectivity, and spatial coherence is taken as imaging-based evidence for anatomically distinct subnuclei. However, by spatially permuting diffusion parameters and repeating the parcellation, we demonstrate that internal structure in diffusion anisotropy is not necessary for a plausible parcellation to be obtained. This suggests that such parcellations should be interpreted with some caution.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.