TY - JOUR AU - Wan, Bin AU - Saberi, Amin AU - Paquola, Casey AU - Schaare, H. Lina AU - Hettwer, Meike D. AU - Royer, Jessica AU - John, Alexandra AU - Dorfschmidt, Lena AU - Bayrak, Şeyma AU - Bethlehem, Richard A. I. AU - Eickhoff, Simon B. AU - Bernhardt, Boris C. AU - Valk, Sofie L. TI - Microstructural asymmetry in the human cortex JO - Nature Communications VL - 15 IS - 1 SN - 2041-1723 CY - [London] PB - Nature Publishing Group UK M1 - FZJ-2024-06852 SP - 10124 PY - 2024 AB - The human cerebral cortex shows hemispheric asymmetry, yet the microstructural basis of this asymmetry remains incompletely understood. Here, we probe layer-specific microstructural asymmetry using one post-mortem male brain. Overall, anterior and posterior regions show leftward and rightward asymmetry respectively, but this pattern varies across cortical layers. A similar anterior-posterior pattern is observed using in vivo Human Connectome Project (N = 1101) T1w/T2w microstructural data, with average cortical asymmetry showing the strongest similarity with post-mortem-based asymmetry of layer III. Moreover, microstructural asymmetry is found to be heritable, varies as a function of age and sex, and corresponds to intrinsic functional asymmetry. We also observe a differential association of language and markers of mental health with microstructural asymmetry patterns at the individual level, illustrating a functional divergence between inferior-superior and anterior-posterior microstructural axes, possibly anchored in development. Last, we could show concordant evidence with alternative in vivo microstructural measures: magnetization transfer (N = 286) and quantitative T1 (N = 50). Together, our study highlights microstructural asymmetry in the human cortex and its functional and behavioral relevance. LB - PUB:(DE-HGF)16 C6 - 39578424 UR - <Go to ISI:>//WOS:001362461900022 DO - DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-54243-9 UR - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/1034022 ER -