Spearman's rank correlation maps between the mean SIRs of each layer in cortices.

<p>(A) Correlation map of Aud for NOSTIM (B) Correlation map of Aud for STIM (C) Correlation map of Sens for NOSTIM (D) Correlation map of Sens for STIM (E) Correlation map of Vis for NOSTIM (F) Correlation map of Vis for STIM. The correlation coefficient, ρ, is indicated with color maps ranging from blue to red; blue and red indicates the weakest and strongest correlation, respectively. A strong correlation between two layers indicates that the manganese accumulations in the two are likely to be linearly proportional to each other.</p

Comparison of SIRs between STIM and NOSTIM in the brain regions of auditory and olfactory pathways.

<p>Mann-Whitney <i>U</i>-tests were used to compare the mean SIRs of brain regions. The <i>z</i>-values were calculated from Mann-Whitney's <i>U</i>-values and their standard deviations. SIR is the normalized signal intensity of each ROI to its adjacent Temporalis muscles.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05.</p

Layer-specific comparison of SIRs between STIM and NOSTIM in the primary visual cortex.

<p>Mann-Whitney <i>U</i>-tests were used to compare the mean SIRs of Vis layers. The <i>z</i>-values were calculated from Mann-Whitney's <i>U</i>-values and their standard deviations. SIR is the normalized signal intensity of each ROI to its adjacent Temporalis muscles.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05.</p

Layer-specific comparison of SIRs between STIM and NOSTIM in the primary auditory cor<i>t</i>ex.

<p>Mann-Whitney <i>U</i>-tests were used to compare the mean SIRs of Aud layers. The <i>z</i>-values were calculated from Mann-Whitney's <i>U</i>-values and their standard deviations. SIR is the normalized signal intensity of each ROI to its adjacent Temporalis muscles.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05.</p

Layer-specific comparison of SIRs between STIM and NOSTIM in the primary sensory cortex.

<p>Mann-Whitney <i>U</i>-tests were used to compare the mean SIRs of Sens layers. The <i>z</i>-values were calculated from Mann-Whitney's <i>U</i>-values and their standard deviations. SIR is the normalized signal intensity of each ROI to its adjacent Temporalis muscles.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05.</p