Effect of music on cortical GM FBA metrics
CORTEX
In addition to the WM, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the music intervention on the cortical GM regions undergoing significant longitudinal maturational changes. For that, fixel masks containing the cortical regions showing a significant FC increase and FD and FDC decreases, from the 33rd week GA to term-equivalent age, were used for computing FBA metrics longitudinal changes. The fixel masks used comprised (as described in When comparing the FBA metrics longitudinal changes between groups, in comparison to PTC, PTM had a significantly superior FC increase in the left temporal pole (F(1,32)= 4.507, p = 0.042), left orbito-frontal cortex (F(1,35)= 4.253, p = 0.047), right middle temporal gyrus (F(1,35)= 4.852, p = 0.034), left insula (F(1,35)= 5.068, p = 0.031) and right precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus (F(1,35)= 4.599, p = 0.039) (Cortical GM regions with a significantly superior longitudinal increase of FC in PTM in comparison to PTC, from the 33rd week GA to term-equivalent age. A. Longitudinal graph per region - FC values were averaged across the GM cortical masks (left temporal pole, left orbito-frontal cortex, right middle temporal gyrus, left insula and right precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus) for each subject and plotted against age. Multivariate repeated measures ANCOVA with correction for gestational age at MRI time-point 1, delta of the time between the two MRI and sex was performed. Mean and 95% confidence intervals are illustrated in blue for PTM and in red for PTC infants. B. Population template sagittal views, from the left to right hemisphere, including the cortical brain regions with significant superior longitudinal FC increase in PTM in comparison to PTC – left insulo-orbito-temporopolar complex (red), right precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus (orange) and right middle temporal gyrus (yellow).