Gradients of functional connectivity in the mouse cortex reflect neocortical evolution

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Comparative Brain Organization
• Computational Neuroscience

Background:

• Understanding the intrinsic organization of the cortex is crucial for neuroscience.
• Large-scale connectivity gradients offer a data-driven method to represent cortical organization.
• Previous studies have explored connectivity gradients in various species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate resting-state functional connectivity gradients in the mouse cortex.
• To compare mouse cortical organization with findings in other species, particularly humans.
• To associate functional gradients with transcriptomic features.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of resting-state functional connectivity data from four mouse cortical datasets.
• Identification and characterization of spatial patterns in functional connectivity gradients.
• Correlation analysis between functional gradients and transcriptomic data.

Main Results:

• Robust spatial patterns of functional connectivity gradients were identified in the mouse cortex.
• The principal gradient aligns with an axis of neocortical evolution.
• Additional gradients reflect sensory specialization and a sensory-to-transmodal hierarchy, linked to transcriptomic features.
• Some mouse cortical gradients show resemblance to human cortical organization.

Conclusions:

• The mouse cortex exhibits distinct functional connectivity gradients that mirror evolutionary and organizational principles.
• While similarities exist with human cortical organization, the mouse brain emphasizes sensory area specialization.
• Functional gradients provide a framework for understanding species-specific cortical organization and evolution.