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Whole-Brain 3D Activation and Functional Connectivity Mapping in Mice using Transcranial Functional Ultrasound Imaging
Published on: February 24, 2021
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Unique spatiotemporal fMRI dynamics in the awake mouse brain.
Daniel Gutierrez-Barragan1, Neha Atulkumar Singh1, Filomena Grazia Alvino1
1Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive systems, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy.
Current Biology : CB
|January 9, 2022
Summary
Spontaneous brain activity in awake mice shows unique network organization and dynamics, differing from anesthetized states. These patterns, involving arousal systems, mirror principles predictive of consciousness in higher mammals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Human studies reveal distinct spontaneous brain activity patterns between conscious and minimally conscious states.
- Generalizing these findings to non-primate mammals, like mice, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional network topography and dynamic structure of spontaneous brain activity in awake, non-anesthetized mice using resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI).
- To explore if spontaneous brain activity in mice shares principles predictive of conscious states observed in humans.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a robust resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) protocol in non-anesthetized, head-fixed mice.
- Analyzed functional network topography and spatiotemporal dynamics of spontaneous brain activity.
- Examined the relationship between network structure, axonal connectome, and arousal systems.
Main Results:
- rsfMRI networks in awake mice maximize interregional communication, deviating from the axonal connectome's community structure.
- Spontaneous brain activity exhibits state-dependent coactivation patterns involving arousal nuclei and anti-coordination between visual-auditory and polymodal cortical areas.
- Awake mouse rsfMRI dynamics display a stereotypical temporal structure with coactivation patterns acting as network attractors.
Conclusions:
- Spontaneous brain activity in awake mice is significantly influenced by basal forebrain arousal systems.
- The dynamic structure of brain activity in awake mice recapitulates evolutionarily relevant principles predictive of conscious states in higher mammals.
