PMC

The x- and y-axes show maximum t-values of structural differences in the striatum and thalamus for the three top athletes and the three up-and-coming athletes as compared to their controls.

(A) Template image shows thalamic ROI in blue. (C and D) Regional differences in GMD between each athlete and their respective control sample were projected onto the normalized, individual T1-weighted image of each athlete. No significant differences were observed in the javelin thrower (B). The bars show t-values. L, left, R, right. (E) Variations in thalamic signal intensity for each athlete (icon) and their control group (dots). Each of the three rows of dots corresponds to a case-control comparison: blue = B; green = C; orange = D. Values were derived from individual peak coordinates in the thalamus (B, C and D).

(A) Template image shows striatal ROI in red. (B, C and D) Regional differences in GMD for each athlete, relative to respective control subjects, were projected onto the normalized, individual T1-weighted image of each athlete with a threshold of p < 0.05 FWE corrected. The bars show t-values. L, left, R, right. (E) Variations in striatal signal intensity for each of the three athletes (icons) and their control group (dots). Each of the three rows of dots corresponds to a case-control comparison: blue = B; green = C; orange = D. Values were derived from individual peak coordinates in striatum (B, C and D). (F) Total intracranial volume for each athlete and the control sample. Values were color- and form-coded as in E.

Significantly larger regional GMD in the left fusiform gyrus (blue and brown circles) in each of the two top long jumpers as compared to controls (for A: t = 6.58; x y z coordinate: -32, -70, -8 and for B: t = 6.15; x y z coordinate: -32, -72, -8). The bars show t-values. GMD differences were not observed in the top javelin thrower or the three up-and-coming long jumpers. (C) Variations in fusiform gyrus signal intensity for each athlete (icon) and their control group (dots). Each of the two rows of dots corresponds to a case-control comparison: blue = A; brown = B. Values were derived from individual peak coordinates in the fusiform gyrus (A and B).