Comparing Coordinated Networks Across the Brainstem and Spinal Cord in the Resting State and Altered Cognitive State

Resting-state (RS) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to investigate networks of activity within the brain, as well as the brainstem (BS) and spinal cord (SC). While previous research has shown coordinated resting state networks (RSNs) in the BS/SC, their function is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of RSNs across these regions, by examining how these networks change when participants are experiencing different cognitive states (RS, listening to an audio presentation, or watching a video). RS blood oxygenation-level dependent fMRI data were obtained from the human cervical SC and BS in 20 healthy participants (14 women, 6 men), at 3 tesla, with T₂-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo imaging. Functional connectivity was investigated within the entire three-dimensional region by means of temporal correlations between anatomical regions and by structural equation modeling (SEM). Both correlational analyses and SEM showed extensive connectivity within and across BS and SC regions, and 37% to 40% of significant connections were consistent across study conditions. However, significant differences in connectivity between specific regions of the BS and SC were also identified which depended on the study conditions. The results indicate that connectivity across the RS SC/BS is influenced by a person's cognitive/emotional state. The known anatomical functions of the regions involved support the conclusion that this RS network may play a role in the integration of homeostatic autonomic functions.