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Northoff G, Zilio F, Zhang J. Beyond task response-Pre-stimulus activity modulates contents of consciousness. Phys Life Rev 2024; 49:19-37. [PMID: 38492473 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The current discussion on the neural correlates of the contents of consciousness (NCCc) focuses mainly on the post-stimulus period of task-related activity. This neglects the substantial impact of the spontaneous or ongoing activity of the brain as manifest in pre-stimulus activity. Does the interaction of pre- and post-stimulus activity shape the contents of consciousness? Addressing this gap in our knowledge, we review and converge two recent lines of findings, that is, pre-stimulus alpha power and pre- and post-stimulus alpha trial-to-trial variability (TTV). The data show that pre-stimulus alpha power modulates post-stimulus activity including specifically the subjective features of conscious contents like confidence and vividness. At the same time, alpha pre-stimulus variability shapes post-stimulus TTV reduction including the associated contents of consciousness. We propose that non-additive rather than merely additive interaction of the internal pre-stimulus activity with the external stimulus in the alpha band is key for contents to become conscious. This is mediated by mechanisms on different levels including neurophysiological, neurocomputational, neurodynamic, neuropsychological and neurophenomenal levels. Overall, considering the interplay of pre-stimulus intrinsic and post-stimulus extrinsic activity across wider timescales, not just evoked responses in the post-stimulus period, is critical for identifying neural correlates of consciousness. This is well in line with both processing and especially the Temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Northoff
- University of Ottawa, Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada.
| | - Federico Zilio
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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2
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Secara MT, Oliver LD, Gallucci J, Dickie EW, Foussias G, Gold J, Malhotra AK, Buchanan RW, Voineskos AN, Hawco C. Heterogeneity in functional connectivity: Dimensional predictors of individual variability during rest and task fMRI in psychosis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 132:110991. [PMID: 38484928 PMCID: PMC11034852 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.110991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) often demonstrate cognitive impairments, associated with poor functional outcomes. While neurobiological heterogeneity has posed challenges when examining social cognition in SSD, it provides a unique opportunity to explore brain-behavior relationships. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between individual variability in functional connectivity during resting state and the performance of a social task and social and non-social cognition in a large sample of controls and individuals diagnosed with SSD. METHODS Neuroimaging and behavioral data were analyzed for 193 individuals with SSD and 155 controls (total n = 348). Individual variability was quantified through mean correlational distance (MCD) of functional connectivity between participants; MCD was defined as a global 'variability score'. Pairwise correlational distance was calculated as 1 - the correlation coefficient between a given pair of participants, and averaging distance from one participant to all other participants provided the mean correlational distance metric. Hierarchical regressions were performed on variability scores derived from resting state and Empathic Accuracy (EA) task functional connectivity data to determine potential predictors (e.g., age, sex, neurocognitive and social cognitive scores) of individual variability. RESULTS Group comparison between SSD and controls showed greater SSD MCD during rest (p = 0.00038), while no diagnostic differences were observed during task (p = 0.063). Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated the persistence of a significant diagnostic effect during rest (p = 0.008), contrasting with its non-significance during the task (p = 0.50), after social cognition was added to the model. Notably, social cognition exhibited significance in both resting state and task conditions (both p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Diagnostic differences were more prevalent during unconstrained resting scans, whereas the task pushed participants into a more common pattern which better emphasized transdiagnostic differences in cognitive abilities. Focusing on variability may provide new opportunities for interventions targeting specific cognitive impairments to improve functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria T Secara
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lindsay D Oliver
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Julia Gallucci
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Erin W Dickie
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - George Foussias
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James Gold
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anil K Malhotra
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital Division of Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
| | - Robert W Buchanan
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aristotle N Voineskos
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Colin Hawco
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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3
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Spencer C, Mill RD, Bhanji JP, Delgado MR, Cole MW, Tricomi E. Acute psychosocial stress modulates neural and behavioral substrates of cognitive control. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26716. [PMID: 38798117 PMCID: PMC11128779 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26716] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute psychosocial stress affects learning, memory, and attention, but the evidence for the influence of stress on the neural processes supporting cognitive control remains mixed. We investigated how acute psychosocial stress influences performance and neural processing during the Go/NoGo task-an established cognitive control task. The experimental group underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) acute stress induction, whereas the control group completed personality questionnaires. Then, participants completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) Go/NoGo task, with self-report, blood pressure and salivary cortisol measurements of induced stress taken intermittently throughout the experimental session. The TSST was successful in eliciting a stress response, as indicated by significant Stress > Control between-group differences in subjective stress ratings and systolic blood pressure. We did not identify significant differences in cortisol levels, however. The stress induction also impacted subsequent Go/NoGo task performance, with participants who underwent the TSST making fewer commission errors on trials requiring the most inhibitory control (NoGo Green) relative to the control group, suggesting increased vigilance. Univariate analysis of fMRI task-evoked brain activity revealed no differences between stress and control groups for any region. However, using multivariate pattern analysis, stress and control groups were reliably differentiated by activation patterns contrasting the most demanding NoGo trials (i.e., NoGo Green trials) versus baseline in the medial intraparietal area (mIPA, affiliated with the dorsal attention network) and subregions of the cerebellum (affiliated with the default mode network). These results align with prior reports linking the mIPA and the cerebellum to visuomotor coordination, a function central to cognitive control processes underlying goal-directed behavior. This suggests that stressor-induced hypervigilance may produce a facilitative effect on response inhibition which is represented neurally by the activation patterns of cognitive control regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrystal Spencer
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Ravi D. Mill
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityNewarkNew JerseyUSA
| | - Jamil P. Bhanji
- Department of PsychologyRutgers UniversityNewarkNew JerseyUSA
| | - Mauricio R. Delgado
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityNewarkNew JerseyUSA
- Department of PsychologyRutgers UniversityNewarkNew JerseyUSA
| | - Michael W. Cole
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityNewarkNew JerseyUSA
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Coronel‐Oliveros C, Gómez RG, Ranasinghe K, Sainz‐Ballesteros A, Legaz A, Fittipaldi S, Cruzat J, Herzog R, Yener G, Parra M, Aguillon D, Lopera F, Santamaria‐Garcia H, Moguilner S, Medel V, Orio P, Whelan R, Tagliazucchi E, Prado P, Ibañez A. Viscous dynamics associated with hypoexcitation and structural disintegration in neurodegeneration via generative whole-brain modeling. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:3228-3250. [PMID: 38501336 PMCID: PMC11095480 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13788] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) lack mechanistic biophysical modeling in diverse, underrepresented populations. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a high temporal resolution, cost-effective technique for studying dementia globally, but lacks mechanistic models and produces non-replicable results. METHODS We developed a generative whole-brain model that combines EEG source-level metaconnectivity, anatomical priors, and a perturbational approach. This model was applied to Global South participants (AD, bvFTD, and healthy controls). RESULTS Metaconnectivity outperformed pairwise connectivity and revealed more viscous dynamics in patients, with altered metaconnectivity patterns associated with multimodal disease presentation. The biophysical model showed that connectome disintegration and hypoexcitability triggered altered metaconnectivity dynamics and identified critical regions for brain stimulation. We replicated the main results in a second subset of participants for validation with unharmonized, heterogeneous recording settings. DISCUSSION The results provide a novel agenda for developing mechanistic model-inspired characterization and therapies in clinical, translational, and computational neuroscience settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Coronel‐Oliveros
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI)University of California San Francisco (UCSFA)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Trinity College DublinDublinIreland
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV)Universidad de ValparaísoValparaísoChile
| | - Raúl Gónzalez Gómez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Center for Social and Cognitive NeuroscienceSchool of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo IbáñezSantiagoChile
| | - Kamalini Ranasinghe
- Memory and Aging CenterDepartment of NeurologyUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Agustina Legaz
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Provincia de Buenos AiresVictoriaArgentina
| | - Sol Fittipaldi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI)University of California San Francisco (UCSFA)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Trinity College DublinDublinIreland
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Provincia de Buenos AiresVictoriaArgentina
| | - Josephine Cruzat
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
| | - Rubén Herzog
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
| | - Gorsev Yener
- Izmir University of Economics, Faculty of Medicine, Fevzi Çakmak, Balçova/İzmirSakaryaTurkey
- Dokuz Eylül University, Brain Dynamics Multidisciplinary Research Center, KonakAlsancakTurkey
| | - Mario Parra
- School of Psychological Sciences and HealthUniversity of StrathclydeGlasgowScotland
| | - David Aguillon
- Neuroscience Research Group, University of AntioquiaBogotáColombia
| | - Francisco Lopera
- Neuroscience Research Group, University of AntioquiaBogotáColombia
| | - Hernando Santamaria‐Garcia
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, PhD Program of NeuroscienceBogotáColombia
- Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Center for Memory and Cognition IntellectusBogotáColombia
| | - Sebastián Moguilner
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Provincia de Buenos AiresVictoriaArgentina
| | - Vicente Medel
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversidad de Chile, IndependenciaSantiagoChile
| | - Patricio Orio
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV)Universidad de ValparaísoValparaísoChile
- Instituto de NeurocienciaFacultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Playa AnchaValparaísoChile
| | - Robert Whelan
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI)University of California San Francisco (UCSFA)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Trinity College DublinDublinIreland
| | - Enzo Tagliazucchi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Buenos Aires Physics Institute and Physics DepartmentUniversity of Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160 – Ciudad UniversitariaBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Pavel Prado
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Odontología y Ciencias de la RehabilitaciónUniversidad San Sebastián, Región MetropolitanaSantiagoChile
| | - Agustín Ibañez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat)Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, PeñalolénSantiagoChile
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI)University of California San Francisco (UCSFA)San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Trinity College DublinDublinIreland
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Provincia de Buenos AiresVictoriaArgentina
- Trinity College Institute of NeuroscienceTrinity College DublinDublinIreland
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Taguchi T, Kitazono J, Sasai S, Oizumi M. Association of bidirectional network cores in the brain with conscious perception and cognition. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.30.591001. [PMID: 38746271 PMCID: PMC11092575 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The brain comprises a complex network of interacting regions. To understand the roles and mechanisms of this complex network, its structural features related to specific cognitive functions need to be elucidated. Among such relationships, recent developments in neuroscience highlight the link between network bidirectionality and conscious perception. Given the essential roles of both feedforward and feedback signals in conscious perception, it is surmised that subnetworks with bidirectional interactions are critical. However, the link between such subnetworks and conscious perception remains unclear due to the network's complexity. In this study, we propose a framework for extracting subnetworks with strong bidirectional interactions-termed the "cores" of a network-from brain activity. We applied this framework to resting-state and task-based fMRI data to identify regions forming strongly bidirectional cores. We then explored the association of these cores with conscious perception and cognitive functions. The central cores predominantly included cerebral cortical regions, which are crucial for conscious perception, rather than subcortical regions. Furthermore, the cores were composed of previously reported regions in which electrical stimulation altered conscious perception. These results suggest a link between the bidirectional cores and conscious perception. A meta-analysis and comparison of the core structure with a cortical functional connectivity gradient suggested that the central cores were related to lower-order sensorimotor functions. An ablation study emphasized the importance of incorporating bidirectionality, not merely interaction strength for these outcomes. The proposed framework provides novel insight into the roles of network cores with strong bidirectional interactions in conscious perception and lower-order sensorimotor functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoya Taguchi
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jun Kitazono
- Graduate School of Data Science, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Masafumi Oizumi
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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6
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Kay K, Prince JS, Gebhart T, Tuckute G, Zhou J, Naselaris T, Schutt H. Disentangling signal and noise in neural responses through generative modeling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.22.590510. [PMID: 38712051 PMCID: PMC11071385 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Measurements of neural responses to identically repeated experimental events often exhibit large amounts of variability. This noise is distinct from signal , operationally defined as the average expected response across repeated trials for each given event. Accurately distinguishing signal from noise is important, as each is a target that is worthy of study (many believe noise reflects important aspects of brain function) and it is important not to confuse one for the other. Here, we introduce a principled modeling approach in which response measurements are explicitly modeled as the sum of samples from multivariate signal and noise distributions. In our proposed method-termed Generative Modeling of Signal and Noise (GSN)-the signal distribution is estimated by subtracting the estimated noise distribution from the estimated data distribution. We validate GSN using ground-truth simulations and demonstrate the application of GSN to empirical fMRI data. In doing so, we illustrate a simple consequence of GSN: by disentangling signal and noise components in neural responses, GSN denoises principal components analysis and improves estimates of dimensionality. We end by discussing other situations that may benefit from GSN's characterization of signal and noise, such as estimation of noise ceilings for computational models of neural activity. A code toolbox for GSN is provided with both MATLAB and Python implementations.
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7
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Rai S, Graff K, Tansey R, Bray S. How do tasks impact the reliability of fMRI functional connectivity? Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26535. [PMID: 38348730 PMCID: PMC10884875 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26535] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
While there is growing interest in the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging-functional connectivity (fMRI-FC) for biomarker research, low measurement reliability of conventional acquisitions may limit applications. Factors known to impact FC reliability include scan length, head motion, signal properties, such as temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR), and the acquisition state or task. As tasks impact signal in a region-wise fashion, they likely impact FC reliability differently across the brain, making task an important decision in study design. Here, we use the densely sampled Midnight Scan Club (MSC) dataset, comprising 5 h of rest and 6 h of task fMRI data in 10 healthy adults, to investigate regional effects of tasks on FC reliability. We further considered how BOLD signal properties contributing to tSNR, that is, temporal mean signal (tMean) and temporal standard deviation (tSD), vary across the brain, associate with FC reliability, and are modulated by tasks. We found that, relative to rest, tasks enhanced FC reliability and increased tSD for specific task-engaged regions. However, FC signal variability and reliability is broadly dampened during tasks outside task-engaged regions. From our analyses, we observed signal variability was the strongest driver of FC reliability. Overall, our findings suggest that the choice of task can have an important impact on reliability and should be considered in relation to maximizing reliability in networks of interest as part of study design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shefali Rai
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research ProgramUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Hotchkiss Brain InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Kirk Graff
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research ProgramUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Hotchkiss Brain InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Ryann Tansey
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research ProgramUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Hotchkiss Brain InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Signe Bray
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research ProgramUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Hotchkiss Brain InstituteUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
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8
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Chen R, Singh M, Braver TS, Ching S. Dynamical models reveal anatomically reliable attractor landscapes embedded in resting state brain networks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575745. [PMID: 38293124 PMCID: PMC10827065 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Analyses of functional connectivity (FC) in resting-state brain networks (RSNs) have generated many insights into cognition. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of FC and RSNs are still not well-understood. It remains debated whether resting state activity is best characterized as noise-driven fluctuations around a single stable state, or instead, as a nonlinear dynamical system with nontrivial attractors embedded in the RSNs. Here, we provide evidence for the latter, by constructing whole-brain dynamical systems models from individual resting-state fMRI (rfMRI) recordings, using the Mesoscale Individualized NeuroDynamic (MINDy) platform. The MINDy models consist of hundreds of neural masses representing brain parcels, connected by fully trainable, individualized weights. We found that our models manifested a diverse taxonomy of nontrivial attractor landscapes including multiple equilibria and limit cycles. However, when projected into anatomical space, these attractors mapped onto a limited set of canonical RSNs, including the default mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal control network (FPN), which were reliable at the individual level. Further, by creating convex combinations of models, bifurcations were induced that recapitulated the full spectrum of dynamics found via fitting. These findings suggest that the resting brain traverses a diverse set of dynamics, which generates several distinct but anatomically overlapping attractor landscapes. Treating rfMRI as a unimodal stationary process (i.e., conventional FC) may miss critical attractor properties and structure within the resting brain. Instead, these may be better captured through neural dynamical modeling and analytic approaches. The results provide new insights into the generative mechanisms and intrinsic spatiotemporal organization of brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Chen
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108
| | - Matthew Singh
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108
| | - Todd S. Braver
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108
| | - ShiNung Ching
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108
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9
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Benisty H, Barson D, Moberly AH, Lohani S, Tang L, Coifman RR, Crair MC, Mishne G, Cardin JA, Higley MJ. Rapid fluctuations in functional connectivity of cortical networks encode spontaneous behavior. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:148-158. [PMID: 38036743 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01498-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Experimental work across species has demonstrated that spontaneously generated behaviors are robustly coupled to variations in neural activity within the cerebral cortex. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data suggest that temporal correlations in cortical networks vary across distinct behavioral states, providing for the dynamic reorganization of patterned activity. However, these data generally lack the temporal resolution to establish links between cortical signals and the continuously varying fluctuations in spontaneous behavior observed in awake animals. Here, we used wide-field mesoscopic calcium imaging to monitor cortical dynamics in awake mice and developed an approach to quantify rapidly time-varying functional connectivity. We show that spontaneous behaviors are represented by fast changes in both the magnitude and correlational structure of cortical network activity. Combining mesoscopic imaging with simultaneous cellular-resolution two-photon microscopy demonstrated that correlations among neighboring neurons and between local and large-scale networks also encode behavior. Finally, the dynamic functional connectivity of mesoscale signals revealed subnetworks not predicted by traditional anatomical atlas-based parcellation of the cortex. These results provide new insights into how behavioral information is represented across the neocortex and demonstrate an analytical framework for investigating time-varying functional connectivity in neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadas Benisty
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Daniel Barson
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andrew H Moberly
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sweyta Lohani
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lan Tang
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ronald R Coifman
- Program in Applied Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael C Crair
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gal Mishne
- Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jessica A Cardin
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael J Higley
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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10
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Betzel RF, Faskowitz J, Sporns O. Living on the edge: network neuroscience beyond nodes. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:1068-1084. [PMID: 37716895 PMCID: PMC10592364 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Network neuroscience has emphasized the connectional properties of neural elements - cells, populations, and regions. This has come at the expense of the anatomical and functional connections that link these elements to one another. A new perspective - namely one that emphasizes 'edges' - may prove fruitful in addressing outstanding questions in network neuroscience. We highlight one recently proposed 'edge-centric' method and review its current applications, merits, and limitations. We also seek to establish conceptual and mathematical links between this method and previously proposed approaches in the network science and neuroimaging literature. We conclude by presenting several avenues for future work to extend and refine existing edge-centric analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard F Betzel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Network Science Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Joshua Faskowitz
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Olaf Sporns
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Network Science Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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11
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Steinberg SN, King TZ. Within-Individual BOLD Signal Variability and its Implications for Task-Based Cognition: A Systematic Review. Neuropsychol Rev 2023:10.1007/s11065-023-09619-x. [PMID: 37889371 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09619-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Within-individual blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal variability, intrinsic moment-to-moment signal fluctuations within a single individual in specific voxels across a given time course, is a relatively new metric recognized in the neuroimaging literature. Within-individual BOLD signal variability has been postulated to provide information beyond that provided by mean-based analysis. Synthesis of the literature using within-individual BOLD signal variability methodology to examine various cognitive domains is needed to understand how intrinsic signal fluctuations contribute to optimal performance. This systematic review summarizes and integrates this literature to assess task-based cognitive performance in healthy groups and few clinical groups. Included papers were published through October 17, 2022. Searches were conducted on PubMed and APA PsycInfo. Studies eligible for inclusion used within-individual BOLD signal variability methodology to examine BOLD signal fluctuations during task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and/or examined relationships between task-based BOLD signal variability and out-of-scanner behavioral measure performance, were in English, and were empirical research studies. Data from each of the included 19 studies were extracted and study quality was systematically assessed. Results suggest that variability patterns for different cognitive domains across the lifespan (ages 7-85) may depend on task demands, measures, variability quantification method used, and age. As neuroimaging methods explore individual-level contributions to cognition, within-individual BOLD signal variability may be a meaningful metric that can inform understanding of neurocognitive performance. Further research in understudied domains/populations, and with consistent quantification methods/cognitive measures, will help conceptualize how intrinsic BOLD variability impacts cognitive abilities in healthy and clinical groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Steinberg
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Urban Life Building, 11th Floor, 140 Decatur St, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Tricia Z King
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Urban Life Building, 11th Floor, 140 Decatur St, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA.
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12
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Li B, Zhang C, Cao L, Chen P, Liu T, Gao H, Wang L, Yan B, Tong L. Brain Functional Representation of Highly Occluded Object Recognition. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1387. [PMID: 37891756 PMCID: PMC10605645 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101387] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognizing highly occluded objects is believed to arise from the interaction between the brain's vision and cognition-controlling areas, although supporting neuroimaging data are currently limited. To explore the neural mechanism during this activity, we conducted an occlusion object recognition experiment using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). During magnet resonance examinations, 66 subjects engaged in object recognition tasks with three different occlusion degrees. Generalized linear model (GLM) analysis showed that the activation degree of the occipital lobe (inferior occipital gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and occipital fusiform gyrus) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) was related to the occlusion degree of the objects. Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) further unearthed a considerable surge in classification precision when dACC activation was incorporated as a feature. This suggested the combined role of dACC and the occipital lobe in occluded object recognition tasks. Moreover, psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis disclosed that functional connectivity (FC) between the dACC and the occipital lobe was enhanced with increased occlusion, highlighting the necessity of FC between these two brain regions in effectively identifying exceedingly occluded objects. In conclusion, these findings contribute to understanding the neural mechanisms of highly occluded object recognition, augmenting our appreciation of how the brain manages incomplete visual data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Li Tong
- Henan Key Laboratory of Imaging and Intelligent Processing, PLA Strategic Support Force Information Engineering University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (B.L.); (C.Z.); (T.L.)
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13
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Sanchez-Romero R, Ito T, Mill RD, Hanson SJ, Cole MW. Causally informed activity flow models provide mechanistic insight into network-generated cognitive activations. Neuroimage 2023; 278:120300. [PMID: 37524170 PMCID: PMC10634378 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain activity flow models estimate the movement of task-evoked activity over brain connections to help explain network-generated task functionality. Activity flow models have been shown to accurately generate task-evoked brain activations across a wide variety of brain regions and task conditions. However, these models have had limited explanatory power, given known issues with causal interpretations of the standard functional connectivity measures used to parameterize activity flow models. We show here that functional/effective connectivity (FC) measures grounded in causal principles facilitate mechanistic interpretation of activity flow models. We progress from simple to complex FC measures, with each adding algorithmic details reflecting causal principles. This reflects many neuroscientists' preference for reduced FC measure complexity (to minimize assumptions, minimize compute time, and fully comprehend and easily communicate methodological details), which potentially trades off with causal validity. We start with Pearson correlation (the current field standard) to remain maximally relevant to the field, estimating causal validity across a range of FC measures using simulations and empirical fMRI data. Finally, we apply causal-FC-based activity flow modeling to a dorsolateral prefrontal cortex region (DLPFC), demonstrating distributed causal network mechanisms contributing to its strong activation during a working memory task. Notably, this fully distributed model is able to account for DLPFC working memory effects traditionally thought to rely primarily on within-region (i.e., not distributed) recurrent processes. Together, these results reveal the promise of parameterizing activity flow models using causal FC methods to identify network mechanisms underlying cognitive computations in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Sanchez-Romero
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
| | - Takuya Ito
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Ravi D Mill
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Stephen José Hanson
- Rutgers University Brain Imaging Center (RUBIC), Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Michael W Cole
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
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14
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Natraj N, Seko S, Abiri R, Yan H, Graham Y, Tu-Chan A, Chang EF, Ganguly K. Flexible regulation of representations on a drifting manifold enables long-term stable complex neuroprosthetic control. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.11.551770. [PMID: 37645922 PMCID: PMC10462094 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.11.551770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The nervous system needs to balance the stability of neural representations with plasticity. It is unclear what is the representational stability of simple actions, particularly those that are well-rehearsed in humans, and how it changes in new contexts. Using an electrocorticography brain-computer interface (BCI), we found that the mesoscale manifold and relative representational distances for a repertoire of simple imagined movements were remarkably stable. Interestingly, however, the manifold's absolute location demonstrated day-to-day drift. Strikingly, representational statistics, especially variance, could be flexibly regulated to increase discernability during BCI control without somatotopic changes. Discernability strengthened with practice and was specific to the BCI, demonstrating remarkable contextual specificity. Accounting for drift, and leveraging the flexibility of representations, allowed neuroprosthetic control of a robotic arm and hand for over 7 months without recalibration. Our study offers insight into how electrocorticography can both track representational statistics across long periods and allow long-term complex neuroprosthetic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhilesh Natraj
- Dept. of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF - Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sarah Seko
- Dept. of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF - Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Reza Abiri
- Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Hongyi Yan
- Dept. of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF - Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yasmin Graham
- Dept. of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF - Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Adelyn Tu-Chan
- Dept. of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF - Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Edward F Chang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Karunesh Ganguly
- Dept. of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- UCSF - Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
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15
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Naik S, Adibpour P, Dubois J, Dehaene-Lambertz G, Battaglia D. Event-related variability is modulated by task and development. Neuroimage 2023; 276:120208. [PMID: 37268095 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In carefully designed experimental paradigms, cognitive scientists interpret the mean event-related potentials (ERP) in terms of cognitive operations. However, the huge signal variability from one trial to the next, questions the representability of such mean events. We explored here whether this variability is an unwanted noise, or an informative part of the neural response. We took advantage of the rapid changes in the visual system during human infancy and analyzed the variability of visual responses to central and lateralized faces in 2-to 6-month-old infants compared to adults using high-density electroencephalography (EEG). We observed that neural trajectories of individual trials always remain very far from ERP components, only moderately bending their direction with a substantial temporal jitter across trials. However, single trial trajectories displayed characteristic patterns of acceleration and deceleration when approaching ERP components, as if they were under the active influence of steering forces causing transient attraction and stabilization. These dynamic events could only partly be accounted for by induced microstate transitions or phase reset phenomena. Importantly, these structured modulations of response variability, both between and within trials, had a rich sequential organization, which in infants, was modulated by the task difficulty and age. Our approaches to characterize Event Related Variability (ERV) expand on classic ERP analyses and provide the first evidence for the functional role of ongoing neural variability in human infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Naik
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit U992, NeuroSpin Center, F-91190 Gif/Yvette, France
| | - Parvaneh Adibpour
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit U992, NeuroSpin Center, F-91190 Gif/Yvette, France
| | - Jessica Dubois
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit U992, NeuroSpin Center, F-91190 Gif/Yvette, France; Université de Paris, NeuroDiderot, Inserm, F-75019 Paris, France
| | | | - Demian Battaglia
- Institute for System Neuroscience U1106, Aix-Marseille Université, F-13005 Marseille, France; University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Studies (USIAS), F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
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16
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Zhang C, Wang Y, Jing X, Yan JH. Brain mechanisms of mental processing: from evoked and spontaneous brain activities to enactive brain activity. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2023; 3:kkad010. [PMID: 38666106 PMCID: PMC10917368 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Within the context of the computer metaphor, evoked brain activity acts as a primary carrier for the brain mechanisms of mental processing. However, many studies have found that evoked brain activity is not the major part of brain activity. Instead, spontaneous brain activity exhibits greater intensity and coevolves with evoked brain activity through continuous interaction. Spontaneous and evoked brain activities are similar but not identical. They are not separate parts, but always dynamically interact with each other. Therefore, the enactive cognition theory further states that the brain is characterized by unified and active patterns of activity. The brain adjusts its activity pattern by minimizing the error between expectation and stimulation, adapting to the ever-changing environment. Therefore, the dynamic regulation of brain activity in response to task situations is the core brain mechanism of mental processing. Beyond the evoked brain activity and spontaneous brain activity, the enactive brain activity provides a novel framework to completely describe brain activities during mental processing. It is necessary for upcoming researchers to introduce innovative indicators and paradigms for investigating enactive brain activity during mental processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Yifeng Wang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Xiujuan Jing
- Tianfu College of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 610052, China
| | - Jin H Yan
- Sports Psychology Department, China Institute of Sport Science, Beijing 100061, China
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17
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Yu Y, Gratton C, Smith DM. From correlation to communication: Disentangling hidden factors from functional connectivity changes. Netw Neurosci 2023; 7:411-430. [PMID: 37397894 PMCID: PMC10312287 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
While correlations in the BOLD fMRI signal are widely used to capture functional connectivity (FC) and its changes across contexts, its interpretation is often ambiguous. The entanglement of multiple factors including local coupling of two neighbors and nonlocal inputs from the rest of the network (affecting one or both regions) limits the scope of the conclusions that can be drawn from correlation measures alone. Here we present a method of estimating the contribution of nonlocal network input to FC changes across different contexts. To disentangle the effect of task-induced coupling change from the network input change, we propose a new metric, "communication change," utilizing BOLD signal correlation and variance. With a combination of simulation and empirical analysis, we demonstrate that (1) input from the rest of the network accounts for a moderate but significant amount of task-induced FC change and (2) the proposed "communication change" is a promising candidate for tracking the local coupling in task context-induced change. Additionally, when compared to FC change across three different tasks, communication change can better discriminate specific task types. Taken together, this novel index of local coupling may have many applications in improving our understanding of local and widespread interactions across large-scale functional networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Yu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Caterina Gratton
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Derek M. Smith
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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18
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Li A, Liu H, Lei X, He Y, Wu Q, Yan Y, Zhou X, Tian X, Peng Y, Huang S, Li K, Wang M, Sun Y, Yan H, Zhang C, He S, Han R, Wang X, Liu B. Hierarchical fluctuation shapes a dynamic flow linked to states of consciousness. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3238. [PMID: 37277338 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38972-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Consciousness arises from the spatiotemporal neural dynamics, however, its relationship with neural flexibility and regional specialization remains elusive. We identified a consciousness-related signature marked by shifting spontaneous fluctuations along a unimodal-transmodal cortical axis. This simple signature is sensitive to altered states of consciousness in single individuals, exhibiting abnormal elevation under psychedelics and in psychosis. The hierarchical dynamic reflects brain state changes in global integration and connectome diversity under task-free conditions. Quasi-periodic pattern detection revealed that hierarchical heterogeneity as spatiotemporally propagating waves linking to arousal. A similar pattern can be observed in macaque electrocorticography. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of principal cortical gradient preferentially recapitulated the genetic transcription levels of the histaminergic system and that of the functional connectome mapping of the tuberomammillary nucleus, which promotes wakefulness. Combining behavioral, neuroimaging, electrophysiological, and transcriptomic evidence, we propose that global consciousness is supported by efficient hierarchical processing constrained along a low-dimensional macroscale gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ang Li
- State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Haiyang Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Qinghai Provincial Traffic Hospital, Xining, 810001, China
| | - Xu Lei
- Sleep and Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yini He
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Qian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xiaohan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yingjie Peng
- State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Shangzheng Huang
- State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Kaixin Li
- State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Meng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yuqing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Hao Yan
- Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, 100191, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- The Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Sheng He
- State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ruquan Han
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Xiaoqun Wang
- State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Bing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206, China.
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19
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Claron J, Provansal M, Salardaine Q, Tissier P, Dizeux A, Deffieux T, Picaud S, Tanter M, Arcizet F, Pouget P. Co-variations of cerebral blood volume and single neurons discharge during resting state and visual cognitive tasks in non-human primates. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112369. [PMID: 37043356 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
To better understand how the brain allows primates to perform various sets of tasks, the ability to simultaneously record neural activity at multiple spatiotemporal scales is challenging but necessary. However, the contribution of single-unit activities (SUAs) to neurovascular activity remains to be fully understood. Here, we combine functional ultrasound imaging of cerebral blood volume (CBV) and SUA recordings in visual and fronto-medial cortices of behaving macaques. We show that SUA provides a significant estimate of the neurovascular response below the typical fMRI spatial resolution of 2mm3. Furthermore, our results also show that SUAs and CBV activities are statistically uncorrelated during the resting state but correlate during tasks. These results have important implications for interpreting functional imaging findings while one constructs inferences of SUA during resting state or tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Claron
- Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, INSERM U1208, Bron, France; Paris Brain Institute, Institut du Cerveau, INSERM 1127, CNRS 7225 Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | | | - Quentin Salardaine
- Paris Brain Institute, Institut du Cerveau, INSERM 1127, CNRS 7225 Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Tissier
- Paris Brain Institute, Institut du Cerveau, INSERM 1127, CNRS 7225 Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Dizeux
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Deffieux
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Serge Picaud
- Institut de la Vision, CNRS, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Mickael Tanter
- Physics for Medicine, ESPCI, INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
| | - Fabrice Arcizet
- Institut de la Vision, CNRS, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
| | - Pierre Pouget
- Paris Brain Institute, Institut du Cerveau, INSERM 1127, CNRS 7225 Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
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20
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Scheeringa R, Bonnefond M, van Mourik T, Jensen O, Norris DG, Koopmans PJ. Relating neural oscillations to laminar fMRI connectivity in visual cortex. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:1537-1549. [PMID: 35512361 PMCID: PMC9977363 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Laminar functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) holds the potential to study connectivity at the laminar level in humans. Here we analyze simultaneously recorded electroencephalography (EEG) and high-resolution fMRI data to investigate how EEG power modulations, induced by a task with an attentional component, relate to changes in fMRI laminar connectivity between and within brain regions in visual cortex. Our results indicate that our task-induced decrease in beta power relates to an increase in deep-to-deep layer coupling between regions and to an increase in deep/middle-to-superficial layer connectivity within brain regions. The attention-related alpha power decrease predominantly relates to reduced connectivity between deep and superficial layers within brain regions, since, unlike beta power, alpha power was found to be positively correlated to connectivity. We observed no strong relation between laminar connectivity and gamma band oscillations. These results indicate that especially beta band, and to a lesser extent, alpha band oscillations relate to laminar-specific fMRI connectivity. The differential effects for alpha and beta bands indicate that they relate to different feedback-related neural processes that are differentially expressed in intra-region laminar fMRI-based connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Scheeringa
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe Zollverein, University of Duisburg-Essen, Kokereiallee 7, 45141 Essen, Germany.,High-Field and Hybrid MR Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.,Lyon Neuroscience Research Center; CRNL, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, University of Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, Bâtiment 462 - Neurocampus, 95 Bd Pinel, 69500 Bron, France.,Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Trigon 204, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mathilde Bonnefond
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center; CRNL, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, University of Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, Bâtiment 462 - Neurocampus, 95 Bd Pinel, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Tim van Mourik
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Trigon 204, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ole Jensen
- School of Psychology, Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Hills Building, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - David G Norris
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe Zollverein, University of Duisburg-Essen, Kokereiallee 7, 45141 Essen, Germany.,Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Trigon 204, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter J Koopmans
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe Zollverein, University of Duisburg-Essen, Kokereiallee 7, 45141 Essen, Germany.,High-Field and Hybrid MR Imaging, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany.,Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Trigon 204, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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21
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Liu W, Liu X. Pre-stimulus network responses affect information coding in neural variability quenching. Neurocomputing 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
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22
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Ito T, Murray JD. Multitask representations in the human cortex transform along a sensory-to-motor hierarchy. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:306-315. [PMID: 36536240 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01224-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Human cognition recruits distributed neural processes, yet the organizing computational and functional architectures remain unclear. Here, we characterized the geometry and topography of multitask representations across the human cortex using functional magnetic resonance imaging during 26 cognitive tasks in the same individuals. We measured the representational similarity across tasks within a region and the alignment of representations between regions. Representational alignment varied in a graded manner along the sensory-association-motor axis. Multitask dimensionality exhibited compression then expansion along this gradient. To investigate computational principles of multitask representations, we trained multilayer neural network models to transform empirical visual-to-motor representations. Compression-then-expansion organization in models emerged exclusively in a rich training regime, which is associated with learning optimized representations that are robust to noise. This regime produces hierarchically structured representations similar to empirical cortical patterns. Together, these results reveal computational principles that organize multitask representations across the human cortex to support multitask cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Ito
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - John D Murray
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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23
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Optimal Control Costs of Brain State Transitions in Linear Stochastic Systems. J Neurosci 2023; 43:270-281. [PMID: 36384681 PMCID: PMC9838695 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1053-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is a system that performs numerous functions by controlling its states. Quantifying the cost of this control is essential as it reveals how the brain can be controlled based on the minimization of the control cost, and which brain regions are most important to the optimal control of transitions. Despite its great potential, the current control paradigm in neuroscience uses a deterministic framework and is therefore unable to consider stochasticity, severely limiting its application to neural data. Here, to resolve this limitation, we propose a novel framework for the evaluation of control costs based on a linear stochastic model. Following our previous work, we quantified the optimal control cost as the minimal Kullback-Leibler divergence between the uncontrolled and controlled processes. In the linear model, we established an analytical expression for minimal cost and showed that we can decompose it into the cost for controlling the mean and covariance of brain activity. To evaluate the utility of our novel framework, we examined the significant brain regions in the optimal control of transitions from the resting state to seven cognitive task states in human whole-brain imaging data of either sex. We found that, in realizing the different transitions, the lower visual areas commonly played a significant role in controlling the means, while the posterior cingulate cortex commonly played a significant role in controlling the covariances.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The brain performs many cognitive functions by controlling its states. Quantifying the cost of this control is essential as it reveals how the brain can be optimally controlled in terms of the cost, and which brain regions are most important to the optimal control of transitions. Here, we built a novel framework to quantify control cost that takes account of stochasticity of neural activity, which is ignored in previous studies. We established the analytical expression of the stochastic control cost, which enables us to compute the cost in high-dimensional neural data. We identified the significant brain regions for the optimal control in cognitive tasks in human whole-brain imaging data.
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24
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Whole-brain modeling explains the context-dependent effects of cholinergic neuromodulation. Neuroimage 2023; 265:119782. [PMID: 36464098 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Integration and segregation are two fundamental principles of brain organization. The brain manages the transitions and balance between different functional segregated or integrated states through neuromodulatory systems. Recently, computational and experimental studies suggest a pro-segregation effect of cholinergic neuromodulation. Here, we studied the effects of the cholinergic system on brain functional connectivity using both empirical fMRI data and computational modeling. First, we analyzed the effects of nicotine on functional connectivity and network topology in healthy subjects during resting-state conditions and during an attentional task. Then, we employed a whole-brain neural mass model interconnected using a human connectome to simulate the effects of nicotine and investigate causal mechanisms for these changes. The drug effect was modeled decreasing both the global coupling and local feedback inhibition parameters, consistent with the known cellular effects of acetylcholine. We found that nicotine incremented functional segregation in both empirical and simulated data, and the effects are context-dependent: observed during the task, but not in the resting state. In-task performance correlates with functional segregation, establishing a link between functional network topology and behavior. Furthermore, we found in the empirical data that the regional density of the nicotinic acetylcholine α4β2 correlates with the decrease in functional nodal strength by nicotine during the task. Our results confirm that cholinergic neuromodulation promotes functional segregation in a context-dependent fashion, and suggest that this segregation is suited for simple visual-attentional tasks.
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25
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Lundqvist M, Rose J, Brincat SL, Warden MR, Buschman TJ, Herman P, Miller EK. Reduced variability of bursting activity during working memory. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15050. [PMID: 36064880 PMCID: PMC9445015 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18577-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memories have long been thought to be maintained by persistent spiking. However, mounting evidence from multiple-electrode recording (and single-trial analyses) shows that the underlying spiking is better characterized by intermittent bursts of activity. A counterargument suggested this intermittent activity is at odds with observations that spike-time variability reduces during task performance. However, this counterargument rests on assumptions, such as randomness in the timing of the bursts, which may not be correct. Thus, we analyzed spiking and LFPs from monkeys’ prefrontal cortex (PFC) to determine if task-related reductions in variability can co-exist with intermittent spiking. We found that it does because both spiking and associated gamma bursts were task-modulated, not random. In fact, the task-related reduction in spike variability could largely be explained by a related reduction in gamma burst variability. Our results provide further support for the intermittent activity models of working memory as well as novel mechanistic insights into how spike variability is reduced during cognitive tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Lundqvist
- Department of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden. .,The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Jonas Rose
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Faculty of Psychology, Neural Basis of Learning, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Scott L Brincat
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Melissa R Warden
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Timothy J Buschman
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Rd., Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA
| | - Pawel Herman
- Department of Computational Science and Technology, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Digital Futures, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Earl K Miller
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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26
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Singh MF, Cole MW, Braver TS, Ching S. Developing control-theoretic objectives for large-scale brain dynamics and cognitive enhancement. ANNUAL REVIEWS IN CONTROL 2022; 54:363-376. [PMID: 38250171 PMCID: PMC10798814 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcontrol.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The development of technologies for brain stimulation provides a means for scientists and clinicians to directly actuate the brain and nervous system. Brain stimulation has shown intriguing potential in terms of modifying particular symptom clusters in patients and behavioral characteristics of subjects. The stage is thus set for optimization of these techniques and the pursuit of more nuanced stimulation objectives, including the modification of complex cognitive functions such as memory and attention. Control theory and engineering will play a key role in the development of these methods, guiding computational and algorithmic strategies for stimulation. In particular, realizing this goal will require new development of frameworks that allow for controlling not only brain activity, but also latent dynamics that underlie neural computation and information processing. In the current opinion, we review recent progress in brain stimulation and outline challenges and potential research pathways associated with exogenous control of cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew F Singh
- Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, 63130, MO, USA
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, 07102, NJ, USA
- Psychological and Brain Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, 63130, MO, USA
| | - Michael W Cole
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, 07102, NJ, USA
| | - Todd S Braver
- Psychological and Brain Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, 63130, MO, USA
| | - ShiNung Ching
- Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, 63130, MO, USA
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27
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Lake EMR, Higley MJ. Building bridges: simultaneous multimodal neuroimaging approaches for exploring the organization of brain networks. NEUROPHOTONICS 2022; 9:032202. [PMID: 36159712 PMCID: PMC9506627 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.9.3.032202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Brain organization is evident across spatiotemporal scales as well as from structural and functional data. Yet, translating from micro- to macroscale (vice versa) as well as between different measures is difficult. Reconciling disparate observations from different modes is challenging because each specializes within a restricted spatiotemporal milieu, usually has bounded organ coverage, and has access to different contrasts. True intersubject biological heterogeneity, variation in experiment implementation (e.g., use of anesthesia), and true moment-to-moment variations in brain activity (maybe attributable to different brain states) also contribute to variability between studies. Ultimately, for a deeper and more actionable understanding of brain organization, an ability to translate across scales, measures, and species is needed. Simultaneous multimodal methods can contribute to bettering this understanding. We consider four modes, three optically based: multiphoton imaging, single-photon (wide-field) imaging, and fiber photometry, as well as magnetic resonance imaging. We discuss each mode as well as their pairwise combinations with regard to the definition and study of brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn M. R. Lake
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Michael J. Higley
- Yale School of Medicine, Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
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28
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Weninger L, Srivastava P, Zhou D, Kim JZ, Cornblath EJ, Bertolero MA, Habel U, Merhof D, Bassett DS. Information content of brain states is explained by structural constraints on state energetics. Phys Rev E 2022; 106:014401. [PMID: 35974521 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.106.014401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Signal propagation along the structural connectome of the brain induces changes in the patterns of activity. These activity patterns define global brain states and contain information in accordance with their expected probability of occurrence. Being the physical substrate upon which information propagates, the structural connectome, in conjunction with the dynamics, determines the set of possible brain states and constrains the transition between accessible states. Yet, precisely how these structural constraints on state transitions relate to their information content remains unexplored. To address this gap in knowledge, we defined the information content as a function of the activation distribution, where statistically rare values of activation correspond to high information content. With this numerical definition in hand, we studied the spatiotemporal distribution of information content in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the Human Connectome Project during different tasks, and report four key findings. First, information content strongly depends on cognitive context; its absolute level and spatial distribution depend on the cognitive task. Second, while information content shows similarities to other measures of brain activity, it is distinct from both Neurosynth maps and task contrast maps generated by a general linear model applied to the fMRI data. Third, the brain's structural wiring constrains the cost to control its state, where the cost to transition into high information content states is larger than that to transition into low information content states. Finally, all state transitions-especially those to high information content states-are less costly than expected from random network null models, thereby indicating the brains marked efficiency. Taken together, our findings establish an explanatory link between the information contained in a brain state and the energetic cost of attaining that state, thereby laying important groundwork for our understanding of large-scale cognitive computations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Weninger
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Institute of Imaging & Computer Vision, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, Germany
| | - Pragya Srivastava
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Dale Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Jason Z Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Eli J Cornblath
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Maxwell A Bertolero
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 10, Research Centre Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dorit Merhof
- Institute of Imaging & Computer Vision, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, Germany
| | - Dani S Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, USA
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29
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Oscillations and variability in neuronal systems: interplay of autonomous transient dynamics and fast deterministic fluctuations. J Comput Neurosci 2022; 50:331-355. [PMID: 35653072 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-022-00819-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal systems are subject to rapid fluctuations both intrinsically and externally. These fluctuations can be disruptive or constructive. We investigate the dynamic mechanisms underlying the interactions between rapidly fluctuating signals and the intrinsic properties of the target cells to produce variable and/or coherent responses. We use linearized and non-linear conductance-based models and piecewise constant (PWC) inputs with short duration pieces. The amplitude distributions of the constant pieces consist of arbitrary permutations of a baseline PWC function. In each trial within a given protocol we use one of these permutations and each protocol consists of a subset of all possible permutations, which is the only source of uncertainty in the protocol. We show that sustained oscillatory behavior can be generated in response to various forms of PWC inputs independently of whether the stable equilibria of the corresponding unperturbed systems are foci or nodes. The oscillatory voltage responses are amplified by the model nonlinearities and attenuated for conductance-based PWC inputs as compared to current-based PWC inputs, consistent with previous theoretical and experimental work. In addition, the voltage responses to PWC inputs exhibited variability across trials, which is reminiscent of the variability generated by stochastic noise (e.g., Gaussian white noise). Our analysis demonstrates that both oscillations and variability are the result of the interaction between the PWC input and the target cell's autonomous transient dynamics with little to no contribution from the dynamics in vicinities of the steady-state, and do not require input stochasticity.
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30
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McCormick EM, Arnemann KL, Ito T, Hanson SJ, Cole MW. Latent functional connectivity underlying multiple brain states. Netw Neurosci 2022; 6:570-590. [PMID: 35733420 PMCID: PMC9208020 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional connectivity (FC) studies have predominantly focused on resting state, where ongoing dynamics are thought to reflect the brain's intrinsic network architecture, which is thought to be broadly relevant because it persists across brain states (i.e., is state-general). However, it is unknown whether resting state is the optimal state for measuring intrinsic FC. We propose that latent FC, reflecting shared connectivity patterns across many brain states, better captures state-general intrinsic FC relative to measures derived from resting state alone. We estimated latent FC independently for each connection using leave-one-task-out factor analysis in seven highly distinct task states (24 conditions) and resting state using fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project. Compared with resting-state connectivity, latent FC improves generalization to held-out brain states, better explaining patterns of connectivity and task-evoked activation. We also found that latent connectivity improved prediction of behavior outside the scanner, indexed by the general intelligence factor (g). Our results suggest that FC patterns shared across many brain states, rather than just resting state, better reflect state-general connectivity. This affirms the notion of "intrinsic" brain network architecture as a set of connectivity properties persistent across brain states, providing an updated conceptual and mathematical framework of intrinsic connectivity as a latent factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan M McCormick
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Katelyn L Arnemann
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Takuya Ito
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.,Yale University School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Michael W Cole
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
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31
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Steinberg SN, Malins JG, Liu J, King TZ. Within-individual BOLD signal variability in the N-back task and its associations with vigilance and working memory. Neuropsychologia 2022; 173:108280. [PMID: 35662552 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In a group of healthy adults (N = 48), this study evaluated how fMRI Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent (BOLD) signal variability differed across letter n-back task load and quantified the extent to which BOLD signal variability was associated with in-scanner accuracy and reaction time as well as out-of-scanner measures of vigilance and working memory (WM). Within-individual BOLD signal variability in regions of interest (ROIs, identified as peak coordinates in an attention/vigilance and WM network using Neurosynth) was differentially modulated across vigilance and WM trials. Within-individual BOLD signal variability was significantly greater across the majority of the ROIs in the working memory trials (2- and 3-back trials) compared to 0-back trials. Notably, this increased variability across the network was accompanied by significantly less variability in the left cingulate gyrus and left inferior temporal lobe during the working memory trials. Significantly fewer differences in within-individual BOLD signal variability were identified for vigilance trials (0- and 1-back trials) compared to crosshair. We hypothesized that increased BOLD signal variability would be associated with n-back task performance and with out-of-scanner measures of vigilance (Digit Span Forward) and WM (Auditory Consonant Trigrams and Digit Span Backward). These results were non-significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. Furthermore, using multivariate analyses (partial least squares regression; PLS-R), within-individual BOLD signal variability in regions associated with a WM-vigilance network did not significantly predict out-of-scanner test performance after appropriate cross validation, yet provided a promising trend for WM trials; greater within-individual BOLD signal variability during WM n-back trials was associated with decreased performance on all included neuropsychological measures, which provides partial support for previous findings. This study demonstrates that patterns of variability differ based on task load in the scanner and illustrates an intriguing association between within-individual BOLD signal variability and out-of-scanner behavioral performance that may be better explored in future studies with a larger sample size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Steinberg
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Urban Life Building, 11th Floor, 140 Decatur St, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Jeffrey G Malins
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Urban Life Building, 11th Floor, 140 Decatur St, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA; Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, PO Box 5030, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA.
| | - Jingyu Liu
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, PO Box 5030, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA; Department of Computer Science, Georgia State University, PO Box 5060, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA; Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), 55 Park Place NE, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Tricia Z King
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Urban Life Building, 11th Floor, 140 Decatur St, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA; Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, PO Box 5030, Atlanta, GA, 30302, USA.
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32
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Xiao Y, Alkire D, Moraczewski D, Redcay E. Developmental differences in brain functional connectivity during social interaction in middle childhood. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101079. [PMID: 35134689 PMCID: PMC9019834 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The transition from childhood to adolescence is marked by significant changes in peer interactions. However, limited research has examined the brain systems (e.g., mentalizing and reward networks) involved in direct peer interaction, particularly during childhood and early adolescence. Here, we analyzed fMRI data from 50 children aged 8–12 years while they participated in a task in which they chatted with a peer (Peer) or answered questions about a story character (Character). Using a beta-series correlation analysis, we investigated how social interaction modulates functional connectivity within and between mentalizing and reward networks and whether this modulation changes with age. We observed effects of social interaction on functional connectivity were modulated by age within the mentalizing and reward networks. Further, greater connectivity within and between these networks during social interaction was related to faster reaction time to the Peer versus Character condition. Similar effects were found in the salience and mirror neuron networks. These findings provide insights into age-related differences in how the brain supports social interaction, and thus have the potential to advance our understanding of core social difficulties in social-communicative disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder. We examined brain functional connectivity in a social-interactive context. The effect of social partner on mentalizing and reward networks was modulated by age. Connectivity within and between these networks is related to behavioral performance. These effects are also found in salience and mirror neuron networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Xiao
- Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China; Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Diana Alkire
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Dustin Moraczewski
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Data Science and Sharing Team, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Redcay
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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33
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Cocuzza CV, Sanchez-Romero R, Cole MW. Protocol for activity flow mapping of neurocognitive computations using the Brain Activity Flow Toolbox. STAR Protoc 2022; 3:101094. [PMID: 35128473 PMCID: PMC8808261 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.101094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional cognitive neuroscience uses task-evoked activations to map neurocognitive processes (and information) to brain regions; however, how those processes are generated is unknown. We developed activity flow mapping to identify and empirically validate network mechanisms underlying the generation of neurocognitive processes. This approach models the movement of task-evoked activity over brain connections to predict task-evoked activations. We present a protocol for using the Brain Activity Flow Toolbox (https://colelab.github.io/ActflowToolbox/) to identify network mechanisms underlying neurocognitive processes of interest. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Cole et al., 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrisa V. Cocuzza
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
- Behavioral and Neural Sciences PhD Program, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Ruben Sanchez-Romero
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Michael W. Cole
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
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34
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Ito T, Yang GR, Laurent P, Schultz DH, Cole MW. Constructing neural network models from brain data reveals representational transformations linked to adaptive behavior. Nat Commun 2022; 13:673. [PMID: 35115530 PMCID: PMC8814166 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28323-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The human ability to adaptively implement a wide variety of tasks is thought to emerge from the dynamic transformation of cognitive information. We hypothesized that these transformations are implemented via conjunctive activations in "conjunction hubs"-brain regions that selectively integrate sensory, cognitive, and motor activations. We used recent advances in using functional connectivity to map the flow of activity between brain regions to construct a task-performing neural network model from fMRI data during a cognitive control task. We verified the importance of conjunction hubs in cognitive computations by simulating neural activity flow over this empirically-estimated functional connectivity model. These empirically-specified simulations produced above-chance task performance (motor responses) by integrating sensory and task rule activations in conjunction hubs. These findings reveal the role of conjunction hubs in supporting flexible cognitive computations, while demonstrating the feasibility of using empirically-estimated neural network models to gain insight into cognitive computations in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Ito
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA. .,Behavioral and Neural Sciences PhD Program, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Guangyu Robert Yang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Douglas H Schultz
- Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Michael W Cole
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
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Rieck JR, DeSouza B, Baracchini G, Grady CL. Reduced modulation of BOLD variability as a function of cognitive load in healthy aging. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 112:215-230. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Abdelfattah AS, Ahuja S, Akkin T, Allu SR, Brake J, Boas DA, Buckley EM, Campbell RE, Chen AI, Cheng X, Čižmár T, Costantini I, De Vittorio M, Devor A, Doran PR, El Khatib M, Emiliani V, Fomin-Thunemann N, Fainman Y, Fernandez-Alfonso T, Ferri CGL, Gilad A, Han X, Harris A, Hillman EMC, Hochgeschwender U, Holt MG, Ji N, Kılıç K, Lake EMR, Li L, Li T, Mächler P, Miller EW, Mesquita RC, Nadella KMNS, Nägerl UV, Nasu Y, Nimmerjahn A, Ondráčková P, Pavone FS, Perez Campos C, Peterka DS, Pisano F, Pisanello F, Puppo F, Sabatini BL, Sadegh S, Sakadzic S, Shoham S, Shroff SN, Silver RA, Sims RR, Smith SL, Srinivasan VJ, Thunemann M, Tian L, Tian L, Troxler T, Valera A, Vaziri A, Vinogradov SA, Vitale F, Wang LV, Uhlířová H, Xu C, Yang C, Yang MH, Yellen G, Yizhar O, Zhao Y. Neurophotonic tools for microscopic measurements and manipulation: status report. NEUROPHOTONICS 2022; 9:013001. [PMID: 35493335 PMCID: PMC9047450 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.9.s1.013001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Neurophotonics was launched in 2014 coinciding with the launch of the BRAIN Initiative focused on development of technologies for advancement of neuroscience. For the last seven years, Neurophotonics' agenda has been well aligned with this focus on neurotechnologies featuring new optical methods and tools applicable to brain studies. While the BRAIN Initiative 2.0 is pivoting towards applications of these novel tools in the quest to understand the brain, this status report reviews an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain function that have emerged from the BRAIN Initiative and related large-scale efforts for measurement and manipulation of brain structure and function. Here, we focus on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies. A companion report, scheduled to appear later this year, will cover diffuse optical imaging methods applicable to noninvasive human studies. For each domain, we outline the current state-of-the-art of the respective technologies, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed S. Abdelfattah
- Brown University, Department of Neuroscience, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
| | - Sapna Ahuja
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Taner Akkin
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
| | - Srinivasa Rao Allu
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Joshua Brake
- Harvey Mudd College, Department of Engineering, Claremont, California, United States
| | - David A. Boas
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Erin M. Buckley
- Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Emory University, Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Robert E. Campbell
- University of Tokyo, Department of Chemistry, Tokyo, Japan
- University of Alberta, Department of Chemistry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anderson I. Chen
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Xiaojun Cheng
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Tomáš Čižmár
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Irene Costantini
- University of Florence, European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Department of Biology, Florence, Italy
- National Institute of Optics, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo De Vittorio
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies, Arnesano, Italy
| | - Anna Devor
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Patrick R. Doran
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Mirna El Khatib
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | | | - Natalie Fomin-Thunemann
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Yeshaiahu Fainman
- University of California San Diego, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Tomas Fernandez-Alfonso
- University College London, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher G. L. Ferri
- University of California San Diego, Departments of Neurosciences, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Ariel Gilad
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Institute for Medical Research Israel–Canada, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Xue Han
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Andrew Harris
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Brain Sciences, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Ute Hochgeschwender
- Central Michigan University, Department of Neuroscience, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States
| | - Matthew G. Holt
- University of Porto, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Porto, Portugal
| | - Na Ji
- University of California Berkeley, Department of Physics, Berkeley, California, United States
| | - Kıvılcım Kılıç
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Evelyn M. R. Lake
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Lei Li
- California Institute of Technology, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, Pasadena, California, United States
| | - Tianqi Li
- University of Minnesota, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
| | - Philipp Mächler
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Evan W. Miller
- University of California Berkeley, Departments of Chemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, California, United States
| | | | | | - U. Valentin Nägerl
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience University of Bordeaux & CNRS, Bordeaux, France
| | - Yusuke Nasu
- University of Tokyo, Department of Chemistry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Axel Nimmerjahn
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Petra Ondráčková
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Francesco S. Pavone
- National Institute of Optics, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
- University of Florence, European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Department of Physics, Florence, Italy
| | - Citlali Perez Campos
- Columbia University, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, United States
| | - Darcy S. Peterka
- Columbia University, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, United States
| | - Filippo Pisano
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies, Arnesano, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Pisanello
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies, Arnesano, Italy
| | - Francesca Puppo
- University of California San Diego, Departments of Neurosciences, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Bernardo L. Sabatini
- Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Sanaz Sadegh
- University of California San Diego, Departments of Neurosciences, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Sava Sakadzic
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Shy Shoham
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Tech4Health and Neuroscience Institutes, New York, New York, United States
| | - Sanaya N. Shroff
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - R. Angus Silver
- University College London, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth R. Sims
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Spencer L. Smith
- University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Vivek J. Srinivasan
- New York University Langone Health, Departments of Ophthalmology and Radiology, New York, New York, United States
| | - Martin Thunemann
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Lei Tian
- Boston University, Departments of Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Lin Tian
- University of California Davis, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Davis, California, United States
| | - Thomas Troxler
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Antoine Valera
- University College London, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alipasha Vaziri
- Rockefeller University, Laboratory of Neurotechnology and Biophysics, New York, New York, United States
- The Rockefeller University, The Kavli Neural Systems Institute, New York, New York, United States
| | - Sergei A. Vinogradov
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Flavia Vitale
- Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics, Departments of Neurology, Bioengineering, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Lihong V. Wang
- California Institute of Technology, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, Pasadena, California, United States
| | - Hana Uhlířová
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Chris Xu
- Cornell University, School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Ithaca, New York, United States
| | - Changhuei Yang
- California Institute of Technology, Departments of Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering and Medical Engineering, Pasadena, California, United States
| | - Mu-Han Yang
- University of California San Diego, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Gary Yellen
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Ofer Yizhar
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Brain Sciences, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yongxin Zhao
- Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Biological Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
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Hu H, Cusack R, Naci L. OUP accepted manuscript. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac071. [PMID: 35425900 PMCID: PMC9006044 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the great frontiers of consciousness science is understanding how early consciousness arises in the development of the human infant. The reciprocal relationship between the default mode network and fronto-parietal networks—the dorsal attention and executive control network—is thought to facilitate integration of information across the brain and its availability for a wide set of conscious mental operations. It remains unknown whether the brain mechanism of conscious awareness is instantiated in infants from birth. To address this gap, we investigated the development of the default mode and fronto-parietal networks and of their reciprocal relationship in neonates. To understand the effect of early neonate age on these networks, we also assessed neonates born prematurely or before term-equivalent age. We used the Developing Human Connectome Project, a unique Open Science dataset which provides a large sample of neonatal functional MRI data with high temporal and spatial resolution. Resting state functional MRI data for full-term neonates (n = 282, age 41.2 weeks ± 12 days) and preterm neonates scanned at term-equivalent age (n = 73, 40.9 weeks ± 14.5 days), or before term-equivalent age (n = 73, 34.6 weeks ± 13.4 days), were obtained from the Developing Human Connectome Project, and for a reference adult group (n = 176, 22–36 years), from the Human Connectome Project. For the first time, we show that the reciprocal relationship between the default mode and dorsal attention network was present at full-term birth or term-equivalent age. Although different from the adult networks, the default mode, dorsal attention and executive control networks were present as distinct networks at full-term birth or term-equivalent age, but premature birth was associated with network disruption. By contrast, neonates before term-equivalent age showed dramatic underdevelopment of high-order networks. Only the dorsal attention network was present as a distinct network and the reciprocal network relationship was not yet formed. Our results suggest that, at full-term birth or by term-equivalent age, infants possess key features of the neural circuitry that enables integration of information across diverse sensory and high-order functional modules, giving rise to conscious awareness. Conversely, they suggest that this brain infrastructure is not present before infants reach term-equivalent age. These findings improve understanding of the ontogeny of high-order network dynamics that support conscious awareness and of their disruption by premature birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiqing Hu
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rhodri Cusack
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lorina Naci
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Correspondence to: Lorina Naci School of Psychology Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience Global Brain Health Institute Trinity College Dublin Dublin, Ireland E-mail:
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Karlaftis VM, Giorgio J, Zamboni E, Frangou P, Rideaux R, Ziminski JJ, Kourtzi Z. Functional Interactions between Sensory and Memory Networks for Adaptive Behavior. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5319-5330. [PMID: 34185848 PMCID: PMC8568003 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain's capacity to adapt to sensory inputs is key for processing sensory information efficiently and interacting in new environments. Following repeated exposure to the same sensory input, brain activity in sensory areas is known to decrease as inputs become familiar, a process known as adaptation. Yet, the brain-wide mechanisms that mediate adaptive processing remain largely unknown. Here, we combine multimodal brain imaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI], magnetic resonance spectroscopy) with behavioral measures of orientation-specific adaptation (i.e., tilt aftereffect) to investigate the functional and neurochemical mechanisms that support adaptive processing. Our results reveal two functional brain networks: 1) a sensory-adaptation network including occipital and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex regions that show decreased fMRI responses for repeated stimuli and 2) a perceptual-memory network including regions in the parietal memory network (PMN) and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex that relate to perceptual bias (i.e., tilt aftereffect). We demonstrate that adaptation relates to increased occipito-parietal connectivity, while decreased connectivity between sensory-adaptation and perceptual-memory networks relates to GABAergic inhibition in the PMN. Thus, our findings provide evidence that suppressive interactions between sensory-adaptation (i.e., occipito-parietal) and perceptual-memory (i.e., PMN) networks support adaptive processing and behavior, proposing a key role of memory systems in efficient sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph Giorgio
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Elisa Zamboni
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Polytimi Frangou
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Reuben Rideaux
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Zoe Kourtzi
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Wainio-Theberge S, Wolff A, Northoff G. Dynamic relationships between spontaneous and evoked electrophysiological activity. Commun Biol 2021; 4:741. [PMID: 34131279 PMCID: PMC8206204 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02240-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous neural activity fluctuations have been shown to influence trial-by-trial variation in perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes. However, the complex electrophysiological mechanisms by which these fluctuations shape stimulus-evoked neural activity remain largely to be explored. Employing a large-scale magnetoencephalographic dataset and an electroencephalographic replication dataset, we investigate the relationship between spontaneous and evoked neural activity across a range of electrophysiological variables. We observe that for high-frequency activity, high pre-stimulus amplitudes lead to greater evoked desynchronization, while for low frequencies, high pre-stimulus amplitudes induce larger degrees of event-related synchronization. We further decompose electrophysiological power into oscillatory and scale-free components, demonstrating different patterns of spontaneous-evoked correlation for each component. Finally, we find correlations between spontaneous and evoked time-domain electrophysiological signals. Overall, we demonstrate that the dynamics of multiple electrophysiological variables exhibit distinct relationships between their spontaneous and evoked activity, a result which carries implications for experimental design and analysis in non-invasive electrophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soren Wainio-Theberge
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Annemarie Wolff
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Georg Northoff
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Mental Health Centre, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Waschke L, Kloosterman NA, Obleser J, Garrett DD. Behavior needs neural variability. Neuron 2021; 109:751-766. [PMID: 33596406 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Human and non-human animal behavior is highly malleable and adapts successfully to internal and external demands. Such behavioral success stands in striking contrast to the apparent instability in neural activity (i.e., variability) from which it arises. Here, we summon the considerable evidence across scales, species, and imaging modalities that neural variability represents a key, undervalued dimension for understanding brain-behavior relationships at inter- and intra-individual levels. We believe that only by incorporating a specific focus on variability will the neural foundation of behavior be comprehensively understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonhard Waschke
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Niels A Kloosterman
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonas Obleser
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior, and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Douglas D Garrett
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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The Functional Relevance of Task-State Functional Connectivity. J Neurosci 2021; 41:2684-2702. [PMID: 33542083 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1713-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Resting-state functional connectivity has provided substantial insight into intrinsic brain network organization, yet the functional importance of task-related change from that intrinsic network organization remains unclear. Indeed, such task-related changes are known to be small, suggesting they may have only minimal functional relevance. Alternatively, despite their small amplitude, these task-related changes may be essential for the ability of the human brain to adaptively alter its functionality via rapid changes in inter-regional relationships. We used activity flow mapping-an approach for building empirically derived network models-to quantify the functional importance of task-state functional connectivity (above and beyond resting-state functional connectivity) in shaping cognitive task activations in the (female and male) human brain. We found that task-state functional connectivity could be used to better predict independent fMRI activations across all 24 task conditions and all 360 cortical regions tested. Further, we found that prediction accuracy was strongly driven by individual-specific functional connectivity patterns, while functional connectivity patterns from other tasks (task-general functional connectivity) still improved predictions beyond resting-state functional connectivity. Additionally, since activity flow models simulate how task-evoked activations (which underlie behavior) are generated, these results may provide mechanistic insight into why prior studies found correlations between task-state functional connectivity and individual differences in behavior. These findings suggest that task-related changes to functional connections play an important role in dynamically reshaping brain network organization, shifting the flow of neural activity during task performance.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Human cognition is highly dynamic, yet the functional network organization of the human brain is highly similar across rest and task states. We hypothesized that, despite this overall network stability, task-related changes from the intrinsic (resting-state) network organization of the brain strongly contribute to brain activations during cognitive task performance. Given that cognitive task activations emerge through network interactions, we leveraged connectivity-based models to predict independent cognitive task activations using resting-state versus task-state functional connectivity. This revealed that task-related changes in functional network organization increased prediction accuracy of cognitive task activations substantially, demonstrating their likely functional relevance for dynamic cognitive processes despite the small size of these task-related network changes.
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Cho JW, Korchmaros A, Vogelstein JT, Milham MP, Xu T. Impact of concatenating fMRI data on reliability for functional connectomics. Neuroimage 2021; 226:117549. [PMID: 33248255 PMCID: PMC7983579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Compelling evidence suggests the need for more data per individual to reliably map the functional organization of the human connectome. As the notion that 'more data is better' emerges as a golden rule for functional connectomics, researchers find themselves grappling with the challenges of how to obtain the desired amounts of data per participant in a practical manner, particularly for retrospective data aggregation. Increasingly, the aggregation of data across all fMRI scans available for an individual is being viewed as a solution, regardless of scan condition (e.g., rest, task, movie). A number of open questions exist regarding the aggregation process and the impact of different decisions on the reliability of resultant aggregate data. We leveraged the availability of highly sampled test-retest datasets to systematically examine the impact of data aggregation strategies on the reliability of cortical functional connectomics. Specifically, we compared functional connectivity estimates derived after concatenating from: 1) multiple scans under the same state, 2) multiple scans under different states (i.e. hybrid or general functional connectivity), and 3) subsets of one long scan. We also varied connectivity processing (i.e. global signal regression, ICA-FIX, and task regression) and estimation procedures. When the total number of time points is equal, and the scan state held constant, concatenating multiple shorter scans had a clear advantage over a single long scan. However, this was not necessarily true when concatenating across different fMRI states (i.e. task conditions), where the reliability from the aggregate data varied across states. Concatenating fewer numbers of states that are more reliable tends to yield higher reliability. Our findings provide an overview of multiple dependencies of data concatenation that should be considered to optimize reliability in analysis of functional connectivity data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Wook Cho
- The Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States
| | | | - Joshua T Vogelstein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Computational Medicine, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, 3400N. Charles St Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Michael P Milham
- The Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States
| | - Ting Xu
- The Child Mind Institute, 101 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022, United States.
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Flexible Coordinator and Switcher Hubs for Adaptive Task Control. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6949-6968. [PMID: 32732324 PMCID: PMC7470914 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2559-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional connectivity (FC) studies have identified at least two large-scale neural systems that constitute cognitive control networks, the frontoparietal network (FPN) and cingulo-opercular network (CON). Control networks are thought to support goal-directed cognition and behavior. It was previously shown that the FPN flexibly shifts its global connectivity pattern according to task goal, consistent with a "flexible hub" mechanism for cognitive control. Our aim was to build on this finding to develop a functional cartography (a multimetric profile) of control networks in terms of dynamic network properties. We quantified network properties in (male and female) humans using a high-control-demand cognitive paradigm involving switching among 64 task sets. We hypothesized that cognitive control is enacted by the FPN and CON via distinct but complementary roles reflected in network dynamics. Consistent with a flexible "coordinator" mechanism, FPN connections were varied across tasks, while maintaining within-network connectivity to aid cross-region coordination. Consistent with a flexible "switcher" mechanism, CON regions switched to other networks in a task-dependent manner, driven primarily by reduced within-network connections to other CON regions. This pattern of results suggests FPN acts as a dynamic, global coordinator of goal-relevant information, while CON transiently disbands to lend processing resources to other goal-relevant networks. This cartography of network dynamics reveals a dissociation between two prominent cognitive control networks, suggesting complementary mechanisms underlying goal-directed cognition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cognitive control supports a variety of behaviors requiring flexible cognition, such as rapidly switching between tasks. Furthermore, cognitive control is negatively impacted in a variety of mental illnesses. We used tools from network science to characterize the implementation of cognitive control by large-scale brain systems. This revealed that two systems, the frontoparietal (FPN) and cingulo-opercular (CON) networks, have distinct but complementary roles in controlling global network reconfigurations. The FPN exhibited properties of a flexible coordinator (orchestrating task changes), while CON acted as a flexible switcher (switching specific regions to other systems to lend processing resources). These findings reveal an underlying distinction in cognitive processes that may be applicable to clinical, educational, and machine learning work targeting cognitive flexibility.
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Sanchez-Romero R, Cole MW. Combining Multiple Functional Connectivity Methods to Improve Causal Inferences. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 33:180-194. [PMID: 32427070 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Cognition and behavior emerge from brain network interactions, suggesting that causal interactions should be central to the study of brain function. Yet, approaches that characterize relationships among neural time series-functional connectivity (FC) methods-are dominated by methods that assess bivariate statistical associations rather than causal interactions. Such bivariate approaches result in substantial false positives because they do not account for confounders (common causes) among neural populations. A major reason for the dominance of methods such as bivariate Pearson correlation (with functional MRI) and coherence (with electrophysiological methods) may be their simplicity. Thus, we sought to identify an FC method that was both simple and improved causal inferences relative to the most popular methods. We started with partial correlation, showing with neural network simulations that this substantially improves causal inferences relative to bivariate correlation. However, the presence of colliders (common effects) in a network resulted in false positives with partial correlation, although this was not a problem for bivariate correlations. This led us to propose a new combined FC method (combinedFC) that incorporates simple bivariate and partial correlation FC measures to make more valid causal inferences than either alone. We release a toolbox for implementing this new combinedFC method to facilitate improvement of FC-based causal inferences. CombinedFC is a general method for FC and can be applied equally to resting-state and task-based paradigms.
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