Volumetric assessment of cerebral asymmetries in dogs

Abstract

In the present study we quantified volumetric brain asymmetries from computed tomography (CT) scans in 12 healthy dogs, using a semi-automated technique for assessing in vivo structure asymmetry. Volumetric assessment of asymmetrical cerebral lateral ventricle (ALV) was also investigated. Our results showed that seven dogs exhibited a right hemisphere significantly greater than the left, two dogs had a left-greater-than-right hemisphere asymmetry, and finally two dogs displayed no significant brain volumetric asymmetry. This right-biased hemispheric asymmetry supports data reported previously using post-mortem morphological studies in both dogs and other mammalian species.

Keywords:

• Laterality
• Asymmetry
• Dog
• Brain
• Computed tomography

Acknowledgements

This research is part of the project “Cerebral lateralisation in dogs” supported by the University of Bari, Italy through a financial grantship.