Go with the (Blood) Flow: A Systematic Review on the Relationship Between Dynamic Functional Connectivity and...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) offers insights into brain-behavior relationships by capturing time-sensitive neural changes.
• Information processing speed (IPS) is a key cognitive function potentially influenced by dynamic brain network activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the association between resting-state fMRI-derived dFC and IPS in healthy adults.
• To identify trends and inconsistencies in current research linking dFC and IPS.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of ProQuest and ScienceDirect databases up to July 24, 2023.
• Inclusion criteria: empirical studies, healthy participants (n>30), rsfMRI, dFC calculation, IPS measurement, and statistical analysis of dFC-IPS association.
• Identified trends included frequent use of Human Connectome Project data and specific 'eyes open' acquisition protocols.

Main Results:

• Mixed findings were reported: five studies found no significant relationship between dFC and IPS, while eight reported mixed or positive associations.
• A potential link between IPS and dFC was more evident when rsfMRI data were acquired with participants' eyes open and fixating on a crosshair.
• The visual component of IPS measures may overlap with visuoperceptual network dynamics captured by dFC.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between dFC and IPS in healthy individuals is currently unclear, with inconsistent findings across studies.
• Methodological factors, such as data acquisition protocols (e.g., eyes open vs. closed), may significantly influence observed associations.
• Further research is needed to control for these biases and elucidate the precise nature of the dFC-IPS connection, potentially highlighting visuoperceptual network contributions.