Mapping and comparing fMRI connectivity networks across species

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Comparative Neuroscience
• Systems Neuroscience

Background:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) enables mapping of brain functional connectivity with high spatiotemporal resolution.
• There is growing interest in applying fMRI connectivity mapping to rodents and non-human primates.
• This cross-species approach aims to elucidate fMRI connectivity mechanisms and complement human connectome studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss challenges and opportunities in cross-species fMRI connectivity mapping.
• To emphasize the importance of physiological decoding of neuroimaging measures through multiscale animal studies.
• To highlight general principles of mammalian brain connectivity networks.

Main Methods:

• Review of current technical advances in neuroimaging, particularly fMRI.
• Discussion of multiscale mechanistic investigations in animal models.
• Exploration of emerging approaches for cross-species fMRI data comparison and extrapolation.

Main Results:

• Identification of evolutionarily conserved network systems across mammalian species.
• Observation of a dominant cortical axis in functional connectivity.
• Recognition of a common set of topographically conserved fMRI spatiotemporal modes.

Conclusions:

• Cross-species fMRI provides novel opportunities to investigate large-scale mammalian brain organization.
• Physiological decoding via animal models is critical for interpreting neuroimaging findings.
• Understanding conserved network principles aids research into brain function and dysfunction across species.