  We introduce a regression model for data on non-linear manifolds. The model
describes the relation between a set of manifold valued observations, such as
shapes of anatomical objects, and Euclidean explanatory variables. The approach
is based on stochastic development of Euclidean diffusion processes to the
manifold. Defining the data distribution as the transition distribution of the
mapped stochastic process, parameters of the model, the non-linear analogue of
design matrix and intercept, are found via maximum likelihood. The model is
intrinsically related to the geometry encoded in the connection of the
manifold. We propose an estimation procedure which applies the Laplace
approximation of the likelihood function. A simulation study of the performance
of the model is performed and the model is applied to a real dataset of Corpus
Callosum shapes.
