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Borzou A, Miller SN, Hommel JD, Schwarz JM. Cocaine diminishes functional network robustness and destabilizes the energy landscape of neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae092. [PMID: 38476665 PMCID: PMC10929585 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
We present analysis of neuronal activity recordings from a subset of neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats before and after the administration of cocaine. Using an underlying modern Hopfield model as a description for the neuronal network, combined with a machine learning approach, we compute the underlying functional connectivity of the neuronal network. We find that the functional connectivity changes after the administration of cocaine with both functional-excitatory and functional-inhibitory neurons being affected. Using conventional network analysis, we find that the diameter of the graph, or the shortest length between the two most distant nodes, increases with cocaine, suggesting that the neuronal network is less robust. We also find that the betweenness centrality scores for several of the functional-excitatory and functional-inhibitory neurons decrease significantly, while other scores remain essentially unchanged, to also suggest that the neuronal network is less robust. Finally, we study the distribution of neuronal activity and relate it to energy to find that cocaine drives the neuronal network towards destabilization in the energy landscape of neuronal activation. While this destabilization is presumably temporary given one administration of cocaine, perhaps this initial destabilization indicates a transition towards a new stable state with repeated cocaine administration. However, such analyses are useful more generally to understand how neuronal networks respond to perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Borzou
- Department of Physics and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
- CompuFlair, Houston, TX 77064, USA
| | - Sierra N Miller
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Jonathan D Hommel
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Addiction Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - J M Schwarz
- Department of Physics and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
- Indian Creek Farm, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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Zhong XZ, Polimeni JR, Chen JJ. Predicting the macrovascular contribution to resting-state fMRI functional connectivity at 3 Tesla: A model-informed approach. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.13.580143. [PMID: 38405829 PMCID: PMC10888884 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.13.580143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Macrovascular biases have been a long-standing challenge for fMRI, limiting its ability to detect spatially specific neural activity. Recent experimental studies, including our own (Huck et al., 2023; Zhong et al., 2023), found substantial resting-state macrovascular BOLD fMRI contributions from large veins and arteries, extending into the perivascular tissue at 3 T and 7 T. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of predicting, using a biophysical model, the experimental resting-state BOLD fluctuation amplitude (RSFA) and associated functional connectivity (FC) values at 3 Tesla. We investigated the feasibility of both 2D and 3D infinite-cylinder models as well as macrovascular anatomical networks (mVANs) derived from angiograms. Our results demonstrate that: 1) with the availability of mVANs, it is feasible to model macrovascular BOLD FC using both the mVAN-based model and 3D infinite-cylinder models, though the former performed better; 2) biophysical modelling can accurately predict the BOLD pairwise correlation near to large veins (with R 2 ranging from 0.53 to 0.93 across different subjects), but not near to large arteries; 3) compared with FC, biophysical modelling provided less accurate predictions for RSFA; 4) modelling of perivascular BOLD connectivity was feasible at close distances from veins (with R 2 ranging from 0.08 to 0.57), but not arteries, with performance deteriorating with increasing distance. While our current study demonstrates the feasibility of simulating macrovascular BOLD in the resting state, our methodology may also apply to understanding task-based BOLD. Furthermore, these results suggest the possibility of correcting for macrovascular bias in resting-state fMRI and other types of fMRI using biophysical modelling based on vascular anatomy.
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López-León CF, Planet R, Soriano J. Preparation and Mechano-Functional Characterization of PEGylated Fibrin Hydrogels: Impact of Thrombin Concentration. Gels 2024; 10:116. [PMID: 38391447 PMCID: PMC10888336 DOI: 10.3390/gels10020116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) neuronal cultures grown in hydrogels are promising platforms to design brain-like neuronal networks in vitro. However, the optimal properties of such cultures must be tuned to ensure a hydrogel matrix sufficiently porous to promote healthy development but also sufficiently rigid for structural support. Such an optimization is difficult since it implies the exploration of different hydrogel compositions and, at the same time, a functional analysis to validate neuronal culture viability. To advance in this quest, here we present a combination of a rheological protocol and a network-based functional analysis to investigate PEGylated fibrin hydrogel networks with gradually higher stiffness, achieved by increasing the concentration of thrombin. We observed that moderate thrombin concentrations of 10% and 25% in volume shaped healthy networks, although the functional traits depended on the hydrogel stiffness, which was much higher for the latter concentration. Thrombin concentrations of 65% or higher led to networks that did not survive. Our results illustrate the difficulties and limitations in preparing 3D neuronal networks, and stress the importance of combining a mechano-structural characterization of a biomaterial with a functional one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara F López-León
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Universitat de Barcelon, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Planet
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Universitat de Barcelon, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Soriano
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Universitat de Barcelon, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Fotiadis P, Cieslak M, He X, Caciagli L, Ouellet M, Satterthwaite TD, Shinohara RT, Bassett DS. Myelination and excitation-inhibition balance synergistically shape structure-function coupling across the human cortex. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6115. [PMID: 37777569 PMCID: PMC10542365 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41686-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent work has demonstrated that the relationship between structural and functional connectivity varies regionally across the human brain, with reduced coupling emerging along the sensory-association cortical hierarchy. The biological underpinnings driving this expression, however, remain largely unknown. Here, we postulate that intracortical myelination and excitation-inhibition (EI) balance mediate the heterogeneous expression of structure-function coupling (SFC) and its temporal variance across the cortical hierarchy. We employ atlas- and voxel-based connectivity approaches to analyze neuroimaging data acquired from two groups of healthy participants. Our findings are consistent across six complementary processing pipelines: 1) SFC and its temporal variance respectively decrease and increase across the unimodal-transmodal and granular-agranular gradients; 2) increased myelination and lower EI-ratio are associated with more rigid SFC and restricted moment-to-moment SFC fluctuations; 3) a gradual shift from EI-ratio to myelination as the principal predictor of SFC occurs when traversing from granular to agranular cortical regions. Collectively, our work delivers a framework to conceptualize structure-function relationships in the human brain, paving the way for an improved understanding of how demyelination and/or EI-imbalances induce reorganization in brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Fotiadis
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Matthew Cieslak
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Xiaosong He
- Department of Psychology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Lorenzo Caciagli
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Mathieu Ouellet
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Theodore D Satterthwaite
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Russell T Shinohara
- Penn Statistics in Imaging and Visualization Center, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Center for Biomedical Image Computing & Analytics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Dani S Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, USA.
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Brynildsen JK, Rajan K, Henderson MX, Bassett DS. Network models to enhance the translational impact of cross-species studies. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:575-588. [PMID: 37524935 PMCID: PMC10634203 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00720-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Neuroscience studies are often carried out in animal models for the purpose of understanding specific aspects of the human condition. However, the translation of findings across species remains a substantial challenge. Network science approaches can enhance the translational impact of cross-species studies by providing a means of mapping small-scale cellular processes identified in animal model studies to larger-scale inter-regional circuits observed in humans. In this Review, we highlight the contributions of network science approaches to the development of cross-species translational research in neuroscience. We lay the foundation for our discussion by exploring the objectives of cross-species translational models. We then discuss how the development of new tools that enable the acquisition of whole-brain data in animal models with cellular resolution provides unprecedented opportunity for cross-species applications of network science approaches for understanding large-scale brain networks. We describe how these tools may support the translation of findings across species and imaging modalities and highlight future opportunities. Our overarching goal is to illustrate how the application of network science tools across human and animal model studies could deepen insight into the neurobiology that underlies phenomena observed with non-invasive neuroimaging methods and could simultaneously further our ability to translate findings across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Brynildsen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kanaka Rajan
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- The Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael X Henderson
- Parkinson's Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Dani S Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA.
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Ozay M. Editorial: Novel perspectives and improvements in fMRI functional connectivity analysis methods used to investigate brain networks and cognitive mechanisms in humans. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1222586. [PMID: 37325039 PMCID: PMC10265644 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1222586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
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Raj A, Verma P, Nagarajan S. Structure-function models of temporal, spatial, and spectral characteristics of non-invasive whole brain functional imaging. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:959557. [PMID: 36110093 PMCID: PMC9468900 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.959557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We review recent advances in using mathematical models of the relationship between the brain structure and function that capture features of brain dynamics. We argue the need for models that can jointly capture temporal, spatial, and spectral features of brain functional activity. We present recent work on spectral graph theory based models that can accurately capture spectral as well as spatial patterns across multiple frequencies in MEG reconstructions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Raj
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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