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Updated: May 8, 2026
05:55
Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
Published on: October 13, 2023
Topographic hub maps of the human structural neocortical network
Emil H J Nijhuis1, Anne-Marie van Cappellen van Walsum, David G Norris
1Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. emil.nijhuis@gmail.com
Plos One
|August 13, 2013
Summary
This study maps brain hubs in young adults, revealing their distribution and sex differences. Female brains show higher betweenness centrality and network complexity, while male brains exhibit higher node degree.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Network Science
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Neocortical hubs are critical for brain function.
- Graph theory aids in understanding brain network organization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the topographical distribution of neocortical hubs.
- To investigate sex-based differences in brain network architecture.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution structural and diffusion MRI in 63 young adults.
- Graph theoretical analysis of neocortical networks derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography.
- Node definition using random parcellations and connectivity analysis via fiber tracking.
Main Results:
- Provided reference maps for hub distribution using betweenness centrality and node degree.
- Hub locations align with known cognitive network areas.
- Identified hemispheric asymmetries in hub organization.
- Observed sex differences: females exhibit higher betweenness centrality, males higher node degree.
- Female networks demonstrated higher small-world indices.
Conclusions:
- Neocortical hubs are topographically organized and linked to cognitive functions.
- Significant sex differences exist in brain network topology and hub characteristics.
- Findings contribute to understanding sex-based variations in brain structure and function.
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