Mapping the functional and structural connectivity of the scene network.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• The human brain possesses scene-selective regions crucial for place recognition and perception.
• Prior research primarily explored functional connectivity within this scene network, with limited understanding of its broader connections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively map the functional and structural connectivity of the scene perception network.
• To investigate how scene-selective regions connect with other cortical and subcortical brain areas.

Main Methods:

• Utilized functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during rest and movie-watching to assess functional connectivity.
• Employed diffusion tractography to determine structural connectivity of the scene network.
• Quantified connectivity between scene regions and major white matter tracts.

Main Results:

• Identified distinct connectivity patterns within the scene network, differentiating posterior (perceptual) and anterior (mnemonic) regions.
• Observed specific connections of the Occipital Place Area (OPA) and Parahippocampal Place Area (PPA) with visual, attention, default mode, and control networks, as well as the hippocampus.
• Structural connectivity revealed similarities and differences with functional connectivity, showing biases between posterior/anterior and ventral/dorsal scene regions.

Conclusions:

• The scene network exhibits complex functional and structural connectivity biases, differentiating posterior and anterior regions.
• These findings provide a detailed map of the scene network's integration with broader brain systems, aiding understanding of spatial cognition and memory.