Neurological Underpinning of Cortical Folding in the Human Fetal Brain Using In-utero MRI-Informed Computational Modeling

Motivation: Computational models may help to decipher the neuroscientific mechanisms of cortical folding. Past simulations relied on histology or ex-vivo MRI data, which may not fully capture the complexity of in-utero brain development. Goal(s): To build a simulation model leveraging in-utero MRI data to elucidate how cortical microstructures impact fetal brain gyrification. Approach: Based on diffusion MRI-measured microstructures, we simulated cortical folding in the right temporal lobe using a computational model. Results: Differences in fiber density between sulci and gyri are critical for folding initialization and development, linked to regional differences in dendritic arborization. Simulation results agreed with experimentally measured fetal brain morphology. Impact: Our work introduced a novel computational model that utilized in-utero MRI data to simulate the cortical folding process of the human fetal brain, suggesting local differences in dendritic arborization may be one of the driving forces of cortical folding.