Abstract #0531

Impact of environmental range size on hippocampal structure in chimpanzees

Maelig Chauvel¹, Evgeniya Kirilina¹, Ilona Lipp¹, Pierre-Louis Bazin², Carsten Jäger^1,3, Kerrin Pine¹, Luke Edwards¹, Tobias Gräßle^4,5, Catherine Crockford^6,7,8, Roman Wittig^6,7,8, and Nikolaus Weiskopf^1,9,10

¹Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany, ²Full brain picture Analytics, Leiden, Netherlands, ³Paul Flechsig Institute - Center of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, ⁴Ecology and Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases, Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Greifswald, Germany, ⁵Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany, ⁶Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany, ⁷Ape Social Mind Lab, Institute of Cognitive Science Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, CNRS, Lyon, France, ⁸Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire, ⁹Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany, ¹⁰Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

Synopsis

Keywords: Large Animals, Nonhuman Primates, Neuroscience, Chimpanzee hippocampus

Motivation: Understanding how environmental factors influence hippocampal structure is critical for enhancing our knowledge of spatial cognitive adaptations in primates.

Goal(s): This study aims to investigate the differences in hippocampal volume between wild and captive chimpanzees experiencing different sizes of home ranging areas and how these differences correlate with age.

Approach: High-resolution 7T MRI scans were used to assess the hippocampal morphology of 16 chimpanzees (7 captive, 9 wild) and analyze their volumetric differences.

Results: Wild chimpanzees exhibited significantly larger right hippocampal volumes compared to captives, while age correlated negatively with hippocampal volume across both groups.

Impact: This research reveals that the ranging area size affects hippocampal structure linked to spatial memory in chimpanzees, contributing to our understanding of cognitive adaptations and the neural mechanisms underlying spatial navigation in primates.

How to access this content:

For one year after publication, abstracts and videos are only open to registrants of this annual meeting. Registrants should use their existing login information. Non-registrant access can be purchased via the ISMRM E-Library.

After one year, current ISMRM & ISMRT members get free access to both the abstracts and videos. Non-members and non-registrants must purchase access via the ISMRM E-Library.

After two years, the meeting proceedings (abstracts) are opened to the public and require no login information. Videos remain behind password for access by members, registrants and E-Library customers.

Click here for more information on becoming a member.