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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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Macroscale coupling between structural and effective connectivity in the mouse brain.
Danilo Benozzo1, Giorgia Baron2, Ludovico Coletta3
1Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Padua, Italy. danilo.benozzo@gmail.com.
Scientific Reports
|February 7, 2024
Summary
This study reveals that directed structural connectivity (SC) better explains brain functional networks than undirected measures. Mismatches between SC and effective connectivity (EC) highlight limitations in current models.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
- Brain Connectivity
Background:
- Understanding the relationship between structural and functional brain connectivity is crucial in neuroscience.
- Current macroscale models often assume undirected functional connectivity (FC), potentially overlooking crucial anatomical details.
- The directionality of structural connections and limitations of undirected FC measures may explain discrepancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between directed structural connectivity (SC) and effective connectivity (EC) in the mouse brain.
- To analyze how SC and EC align or diverge, considering the directionality of structural pathways.
- To identify limitations in explaining network functions using undirected functional connectivity (FC).
Main Methods:
- Acquired directed SC data of the mouse brain using viral tracers.
- Derived single-subject effective connectivity (EC) matrices from dynamic causal modeling (DCM) of resting-state fMRI data.
- Quantified SC-EC coupling by conditioning on the strongest SC and EC links.
Main Results:
- Conditioning on strong EC links revealed coupling aligned with the unimodal-transmodal functional hierarchy.
- Strong SC links within high-order cortical areas did not always correspond to strong EC links.
- Alignment between effective and structural strength was primarily observed within sensory-motor networks.
Conclusions:
- Directed structural connectivity provides a more nuanced understanding of brain network organization than undirected measures.
- Discrepancies between SC and EC highlight the importance of considering connection directionality and network hierarchies.
- Future research should incorporate directed connectivity to better model brain function and dysfunction.
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