Hello,

I tried a between group comparison using mri_glmfit, correcting for multiple comparisons using the z-based monte carlo method.  This differed from previous similar analyses I had run in that I did not constrain the analysis with a ROI (not in the glmfit, but I did in surfcluster when outputting corrected results).   It seems like something is buggy about this output, but it may actually be correct but I just don't know how to interpret it correctly.   The negative CWPLow probability values for certain clusters are what seems puzzling.  I don't know what a negative p value could possibly mean
[ it is beyond impossible for the cluster to be unreal? : ) ], though I'm sure it's not a real p value.  These are not significant clusters regardless, but these are impossible statistics and so I was concerned that something was breaking down in the process that would invalidate the other results. 

The second part of what I tried possibly shows that there is something going wrong in the code, just because it is drastically different when I would only expect a minor difference (and probably in the opposite direction actually).  I ran surfcluster with no ROI, and the same cluster became much more significant than it was reported as being before. 

This seems strange, so I don't know whether the other results in the same unconstrained analysis are correct.   I have included some of the surfcluster output (and attached both of the example files), and the environment and commands. 

Thanks,
Rob

before correcting for multiple comparisons

rh ASvfix 8s BwGroupError5
ClusterNo  Max   VtxMax   Size(mm^2)  TalX   TalY   TalZ    NVtxs
   1       -3.474   14231   1786.39      6.3   30.8   20.9  2551
   2       -1.476   42121     13.60      3.2   -6.6   21.6    27
   3       -1.354  106598      3.66     10.3   -9.8   32.2     8

after correcting for multiple comparisons
rh ASvfix 8s BwGroupError5
ClusterNo  Max   VtxMax   Size(mm^2)  TalX   TalY   TalZ    CWP    CWPLow    CWPHi   NVtxs
   1       -3.474   14231   1190.92      6.3   30.8   20.9  0.07400  0.07070  0.07740  2551
   2       -1.476   42121      9.07      3.2   -6.6   21.6  1.00000  -0.00010  1.00000    27
   3       -1.354  106598      2.44     10.3   -9.8   32.2  1.00000  -0.00010  1.00000     8


some of the output when running surfcluster without using an ROI
# ClusterNo  Max   VtxMax   Size(mm^2)  TalX   TalY   TalZ    CWP    CWPLow    CWPHi   NVtxs
   1       -3.474   14231   2007.09      6.3   30.8   20.9  0.00160  0.00110  0.00210  3998
   2       -3.362  125672    356.48      4.5  -25.9   21.3  0.99010  0.98880  0.99140   907
   3       -2.749   95384    360.56      8.3  -38.6  -12.7  0.98830  0.98690  0.98970   993
   4       -2.572  132812    143.54     26.1   37.5   27.5  1.00000  -0.00010  1.00000   415
   5       -2.531   48150    242.73     20.1  -10.2  -24.3  1.00000  -0.00010  1.00000   563
   6       -2.373   80761    156.38      2.6  -32.6   29.3  1.00000  -0.00010  1.00000   421
...


-------- freesurfer-Linux-centos4_x86_64-dev-20070729 --------
Setting up environment for FreeSurfer/FS-FAST (and FSL)
FREESURFER_HOME   /usr/local/freesurfer/dev
FSFAST_HOME       /usr/local/freesurfer/dev/fsfast
FSF_OUTPUT_FORMAT nii
SUBJECTS_DIR      /space/ventzl/1/users/SUBJECTS_DIR
MNI_DIR           /usr/local/freesurfer/dev/mni
FSL_DIR           /usr/local/freesurfer/dev/fsl

hostname: vantz
pwd: $SUBJECTS_DIR


# rh: perform analysis


/space/greve/1/users/greve/freesurfer/bin/mri_glmfit \
--really-use-average7 \
--y rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.mgh \
--fsgd fsgd_and_contrast_files/BwGroupError5.fsgd \
--glmdir BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir \
--surf average7 rh \
--pca \
--C fsgd_and_contrast_files/BwGroupError5.mat \
--fwhm 4.6

# rh: report clusters found in analysis before threshold

mri_surfcluster \
--really-use-average7 \
--src BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.mgh \
--sum BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.sum \
--ocp BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.mgh \
--clabel average7/label/dACC_rACC_final-rh.label \
--hemi rh \
--srcsubj average7 \
--thmin 1.3 \
--thmax infinity

# rh: apply simulation data to get cluster size threshold


mri_surfcluster \
--src BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.mgh \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM01-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM02-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM03-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM04-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM05-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM06-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM07-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM08-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM09-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM10-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM11-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM12-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM13-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM14-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM15-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM16-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM17-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM18-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM19-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM20-BwGroupError5.csd \
--clabel average7/label/dACC_rACC_final-rh.label \
--sum BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.clusterMCSIM_rh.sum \
--ocp BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.clusterMCSIM_rh.mgh \
--thmax infinity

# rh: apply simulation data to get cluster size threshold (no ROI)

mri_surfcluster \
--src BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.mgh \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM01-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM02-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM03-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM04-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM05-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM06-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM07-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM08-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM09-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM10-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM11-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM12-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM13-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM14-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM15-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM16-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM17-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM18-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM19-BwGroupError5.csd \
--csd BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/ASevASc_8s_p05_z_rhMCSIM20-BwGroupError5.csd \
--sum BwGroupError5_wholebrain_mriglmfit/rh.ASvfix_8s_BwGroupError5.fsfast.glmdir/BwGroupError5/sig.clusterMCSIM_rh_noroi.sum \
--thmax infinity


-- 

Robert P. Levy, B.A.
Research Assistant, Manoach Lab
Massachusetts General Hospital
Charlestown Navy Yard
149 13th St., Room 2656
Charlestown, MA 02129
email: levy@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
phone: 617-726-1908
fax: 617-726-4078

http://nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/manoachlab