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Peña-Casanova J, Sánchez-Benavides G, Sigg-Alonso J. Updating functional brain units: Insights far beyond Luria. Cortex 2024; 174:19-69. [PMID: 38492440 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
This paper reviews Luria's model of the three functional units of the brain. To meet this objective, several issues were reviewed: the theory of functional systems and the contributions of phylogenesis and embryogenesis to the brain's functional organization. This review revealed several facts. In the first place, the relationship/integration of basic homeostatic needs with complex forms of behavior. Secondly, the multi-scale hierarchical and distributed organization of the brain and interactions between cells and systems. Thirdly, the phylogenetic role of exaptation, especially in basal ganglia and cerebellum expansion. Finally, the tripartite embryogenetic organization of the brain: rhinic, limbic/paralimbic, and supralimbic zones. Obviously, these principles of brain organization are in contradiction with attempts to establish separate functional brain units. The proposed new model is made up of two large integrated complexes: a primordial-limbic complex (Luria's Unit I) and a telencephalic-cortical complex (Luria's Units II and III). As a result, five functional units were delineated: Unit I. Primordial or preferential (brainstem), for life-support, behavioral modulation, and waking regulation; Unit II. Limbic and paralimbic systems, for emotions and hedonic evaluation (danger and relevance detection and contribution to reward/motivational processing) and the creation of cognitive maps (contextual memory, navigation, and generativity [imagination]); Unit III. Telencephalic-cortical, for sensorimotor and cognitive processing (gnosis, praxis, language, calculation, etc.), semantic and episodic (contextual) memory processing, and multimodal conscious agency; Unit IV. Basal ganglia systems, for behavior selection and reinforcement (reward-oriented behavior); Unit V. Cerebellar systems, for the prediction/anticipation (orthometric supervision) of the outcome of an action. The proposed brain units are nothing more than abstractions within the brain's simultaneous and distributed physiological processes. As function transcends anatomy, the model necessarily involves transition and overlap between structures. Beyond the classic approaches, this review includes information on recent systemic perspectives on functional brain organization. The limitations of this review are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Peña-Casanova
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Neuroscience Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Test Barcelona Services, Teià, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | - Jorge Sigg-Alonso
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, National Autonomous University of México (UNAM), Queretaro, Mexico
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Jang YH, Ham J, Kasani PH, Kim H, Lee JY, Lee GY, Han TH, Kim BN, Lee HJ. Predicting 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants using multimodal structural brain magnetic resonance imaging with local connectivity. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9331. [PMID: 38653988 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58682-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants can be stratified based on the level of prematurity. We explored brain structural networks in extremely preterm (EP; < 28 weeks of gestation) and very-to-late (V-LP; ≥ 28 and < 37 weeks of gestation) preterm infants at term-equivalent age to predict 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes. Using MRI and diffusion MRI on 62 EP and 131 V-LP infants, we built a multimodal feature set for volumetric and structural network analysis. We employed linear and nonlinear machine learning models to predict the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) scores, assessing predictive accuracy and feature importance. Our findings revealed that models incorporating local connectivity features demonstrated high predictive performance for BSID-III subsets in preterm infants. Specifically, for cognitive scores in preterm (variance explained, 17%) and V-LP infants (variance explained, 17%), and for motor scores in EP infants (variance explained, 15%), models with local connectivity features outperformed others. Additionally, a model using only local connectivity features effectively predicted language scores in preterm infants (variance explained, 15%). This study underscores the value of multimodal feature sets, particularly local connectivity, in predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes, highlighting the utility of machine learning in understanding microstructural changes and their implications for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Hun Jang
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jusung Ham
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Payam Hosseinzadeh Kasani
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222-1, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuna Kim
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Young Lee
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Gang Yi Lee
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hwan Han
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bung-Nyun Kim
- Division of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222-1, Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Thng G, Shen X, Stolicyn A, Adams MJ, Yeung HW, Batziou V, Conole ELS, Buchanan CR, Lawrie SM, Bastin ME, McIntosh AM, Deary IJ, Tucker-Drob EM, Cox SR, Smith KM, Romaniuk L, Whalley HC. A comprehensive hierarchical comparison of structural connectomes in Major Depressive Disorder cases v. controls in two large population samples. Psychol Med 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38497116 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291724000643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brain can be represented as a network, with nodes as brain regions and edges as region-to-region connections. Nodes with the most connections (hubs) are central to efficient brain function. Current findings on structural differences in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) identified using network approaches remain inconsistent, potentially due to small sample sizes. It is still uncertain at what level of the connectome hierarchy differences may exist, and whether they are concentrated in hubs, disrupting fundamental brain connectivity. METHODS We utilized two large cohorts, UK Biobank (UKB, N = 5104) and Generation Scotland (GS, N = 725), to investigate MDD case-control differences in brain network properties. Network analysis was done across four hierarchical levels: (1) global, (2) tier (nodes grouped into four tiers based on degree) and rich club (between-hub connections), (3) nodal, and (4) connection. RESULTS In UKB, reductions in network efficiency were observed in MDD cases globally (d = -0.076, pFDR = 0.033), across all tiers (d = -0.069 to -0.079, pFDR = 0.020), and in hubs (d = -0.080 to -0.113, pFDR = 0.013-0.035). No differences in rich club organization and region-to-region connections were identified. The effect sizes and direction for these associations were generally consistent in GS, albeit not significant in our lower-N replication sample. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the brain's fundamental rich club structure is similar in MDD cases and controls, but subtle topological differences exist across the brain. Consistent with recent large-scale neuroimaging findings, our findings offer a connectomic perspective on a similar scale and support the idea that minimal differences exist between MDD cases and controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladi Thng
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xueyi Shen
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Aleks Stolicyn
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark J Adams
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Hon Wah Yeung
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Venia Batziou
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Eleanor L S Conole
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Colin R Buchanan
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence Collaboration (SINAPSE), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stephen M Lawrie
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark E Bastin
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence Collaboration (SINAPSE), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew M McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Generation Scotland, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ian J Deary
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Elliot M Tucker-Drob
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
- Population Research Center and Center on Aging and Population Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Simon R Cox
- Lothian Birth Cohorts, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence Collaboration (SINAPSE), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Keith M Smith
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Liana Romaniuk
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Heather C Whalley
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Generation Scotland, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Craig BT, Geeraert B, Kinney-Lang E, Hilderley AJ, Yeates KO, Kirton A, Noel M, MacMaster FP, Bray S, Barlow KM, Brooks BL, Lebel C, Carlson HL. Structural brain network lateralization across childhood and adolescence. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:1711-1724. [PMID: 36478489 PMCID: PMC9921220 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental lateralization of brain function is imperative for behavioral specialization, yet few studies have investigated differences between hemispheres in structural connectivity patterns, especially over the course of development. The present study compares the lateralization of structural connectivity patterns, or topology, across children, adolescents, and young adults. We applied a graph theory approach to quantify key topological metrics in each hemisphere including efficiency of information transfer between regions (global efficiency), clustering of connections between regions (clustering coefficient [CC]), presence of hub-nodes (betweenness centrality [BC]), and connectivity between nodes of high and low complexity (hierarchical complexity [HC]) and investigated changes in these metrics during development. Further, we investigated BC and CC in seven functionally defined networks. Our cross-sectional study consisted of 211 participants between the ages of 6 and 21 years with 93% being right-handed and 51% female. Global efficiency, HC, and CC demonstrated a leftward lateralization, compared to a rightward lateralization of BC. The sensorimotor, default mode, salience, and language networks showed a leftward asymmetry of CC. BC was only lateralized in the salience (right lateralized) and dorsal attention (left lateralized) networks. Only a small number of metrics were associated with age, suggesting that topological organization may stay relatively constant throughout school-age development, despite known underlying changes in white matter properties. Unlike many other imaging biomarkers of brain development, our study suggests topological lateralization is consistent across age, highlighting potential nonlinear mechanisms underlying developmental specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon T Craig
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bryce Geeraert
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Eli Kinney-Lang
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Alicia J Hilderley
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Keith O Yeates
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Adam Kirton
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Melanie Noel
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Frank P MacMaster
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Strategic Clinical Network for Addictions and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Signe Bray
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Karen M Barlow
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brian L Brooks
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Catherine Lebel
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Helen L Carlson
- University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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5
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Palmucci M, Tagliazucchi E. Divergences Between Resting State Networks and Meta-Analytic Maps Of Task-Evoked Brain Activity. Open Neuroimag J 2022. [DOI: 10.2174/18744400-v15-e2206270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:
Spontaneous human neural activity is organized into resting state networks, complex patterns of synchronized activity that account for the major part of brain metabolism. The correspondence between these patterns and those elicited by the performance of cognitive tasks would suggest that spontaneous brain activity originates from the stream of ongoing cognitive processing.
Objective:
To investigate a large number of meta-analytic activation maps obtained from Neurosynth (www.neurosynth.org), establishing the extent of task-rest similarity in large-scale human brain activity.
Methods:
We applied a hierarchical module detection algorithm to the Neurosynth activation map similarity network, and then compared the average activation maps for each module with a set of resting state networks by means of spatial correlations.
Results:
We found that the correspondence between resting state networks and task-evoked activity tended to hold only for the largest spatial scales. We also established that this correspondence could be biased by the inclusion of maps related to neuroanatomical terms in the database (e.g. “parietal”, “occipital”, “cingulate”, etc.).
Conclusion:
Our results establish divergences between brain activity patterns related to spontaneous cognition and the spatial configuration of RSN, suggesting that anatomically-constrained homeostatic processes could play an important role in the inception and shaping of human resting state activity fluctuations.
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Smith KM, Starr JM, Escudero J, Ibañez A, Parra MA. Abnormal Functional Hierarchies of EEG Networks in Familial and Sporadic Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease During Visual Short-Term Memory Binding. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2022; 1:883968. [PMID: 37555153 PMCID: PMC10406202 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2022.883968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) shows both complex alterations of functional dependencies between brain regions and a decreased ability to perform Visual Short-Term Memory Binding (VSTMB) tasks. Recent advances in network neuroscience toward understanding the complexity of hierarchical brain function here enables us to establish a link between these two phenomena. Here, we study data on two types of dementia at Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) stage-familial AD patients (E280A mutation of the presenilin-1 gene) and elderly MCI patients at high risk of sporadic AD, both with age-matched controls. We analyzed Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals recorded during the performance of Visual Short-Term Memory (VSTM) tasks by these participants. Functional connectivity was computed using the phase-lag index in Alpha and Beta; and network analysis was employed using network indices of hierarchical spread (degree variance) and complexity. Hierarchical characteristics of EEG functional connectivity networks revealed abnormal patterns in familial MCI VSTMB function and sporadic MCI VSTMB function. The middle-aged familial MCI binding network displayed a larger degree variance in lower Beta compared to healthy controls (p = 0.0051, Cohen's d = 1.0124), while the elderly sporadic MCI binding network displayed greater hierarchical complexity in Alpha (p = 0.0140, Cohen's d = 1.1627). Characteristics in healthy aging were not shown to differ. These results indicate that activity in MCI exhibits cross-frequency network reorganization characterized by increased heterogeneity of node roles in the functional hierarchy. Aging itself is not found to cause VSTM functional hierarchy differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith M. Smith
- Department of Physics and Mathematics, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - John M. Starr
- Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Javier Escudero
- School of Engineering, Institute for Digital Communications, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Agustin Ibañez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Santiago, Chile
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Global Brain Health Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trintity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mario A. Parra
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trintity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Neuroprogressive and Dementia Network, NHS Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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7
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Craig BT, Kinney-Lang E, Hilderley AJ, Carlson HL, Kirton A. Structural connectivity of the sensorimotor network within the non-lesioned hemisphere of children with perinatal stroke. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3866. [PMID: 35264665 PMCID: PMC8907195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07863-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Perinatal stroke occurs early in life and often leads to a permanent, disabling weakness to one side of the body. To test the hypothesis that non-lesioned hemisphere sensorimotor network structural connectivity in children with perinatal stroke is different from controls, we used diffusion imaging and graph theory to explore structural topology between these populations. Children underwent diffusion and anatomical 3T MRI. Whole-brain tractography was constrained using a brain atlas creating an adjacency matrix containing connectivity values. Graph theory metrics including betweenness centrality, clustering coefficient, and both neighbourhood and hierarchical complexity of sensorimotor nodes were compared to controls. Relationships between these connectivity metrics and validated sensorimotor assessments were explored. Eighty-five participants included 27 with venous stroke (mean age = 11.5 ± 3.7 years), 26 with arterial stroke (mean age = 12.7 ± 4.0 years), and 32 controls (mean age = 13.3 ± 3.6 years). Non-lesioned primary motor (M1), somatosensory (S1) and supplementary motor (SMA) areas demonstrated lower betweenness centrality and higher clustering coefficient in stroke groups. Clustering coefficient of M1, S1, and SMA were inversely associated with clinical motor function. Hemispheric betweenness centrality and clustering coefficient were higher in stroke groups compared to controls. Hierarchical and average neighbourhood complexity across the hemisphere were lower in stroke groups. Developmental plasticity alters the connectivity of key nodes within the sensorimotor network of the non-lesioned hemisphere following perinatal stroke and contributes to clinical disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon T Craig
- Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Eli Kinney-Lang
- Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Alicia J Hilderley
- Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Helen L Carlson
- Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Adam Kirton
- Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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8
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Changeux JP, Goulas A, Hilgetag CC. A Connectomic Hypothesis for the Hominization of the Brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2425-2449. [PMID: 33367521 PMCID: PMC8023825 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive abilities of the human brain, including language, have expanded dramatically in the course of our recent evolution from nonhuman primates, despite only minor apparent changes at the gene level. The hypothesis we propose for this paradox relies upon fundamental features of human brain connectivity, which contribute to a characteristic anatomical, functional, and computational neural phenotype, offering a parsimonious framework for connectomic changes taking place upon the human-specific evolution of the genome. Many human connectomic features might be accounted for by substantially increased brain size within the global neural architecture of the primate brain, resulting in a larger number of neurons and areas and the sparsification, increased modularity, and laminar differentiation of cortical connections. The combination of these features with the developmental expansion of upper cortical layers, prolonged postnatal brain development, and multiplied nongenetic interactions with the physical, social, and cultural environment gives rise to categorically human-specific cognitive abilities including the recursivity of language. Thus, a small set of genetic regulatory events affecting quantitative gene expression may plausibly account for the origins of human brain connectivity and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pierre Changeux
- CNRS UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris, France
- Communications Cellulaires, Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexandros Goulas
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg University, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claus C Hilgetag
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg University, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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9
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Valdés Hernández MDC, Smith K, Bastin ME, Nicole Amft E, Ralston SH, Wardlaw JM, Wiseman SJ. Brain network reorganisation and spatial lesion distribution in systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus 2020; 30:285-298. [PMID: 33307988 PMCID: PMC7854491 DOI: 10.1177/0961203320979045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective This work investigates network organisation of brain structural connectivity
in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) relative to healthy controls and its
putative association with lesion distribution and disease indicators. Methods White matter hyperintensity (WMH) segmentation and connectomics were
performed in 47 patients with SLE and 47 healthy age-matched controls from
structural and diffusion MRI data. Network nodes were divided into
hierarchical tiers based on numbers of connections. Results were compared
between patients and controls to assess for differences in brain network
organisation. Voxel-based analyses of the spatial distribution of WMH in
relation to network measures and SLE disease indicators were conducted. Results Despite inter-individual differences in brain network organization observed
across the study sample, the connectome networks of SLE patients had larger
proportion of connections in the peripheral nodes. SLE patients had
statistically larger numbers of links in their networks with generally
larger fractional anisotropy weights (i.e. a measure of white matter
integrity) and less tendency to aggregate than those of healthy controls.
The voxels exhibiting connectomic differences were coincident with WMH
clusters, particularly the left hemisphere’s intersection between the
anterior limb of the internal and external capsules. Moreover, these voxels
also associated more strongly with disease indicators. Conclusion Our results indicate network differences reflective of compensatory
reorganization of the neural circuits, reflecting adaptive or extended
neuroplasticity in SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Del C Valdés Hernández
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Keith Smith
- Usher Institute for Population Health Science and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Health Data Research UK, London, UK
| | - Mark E Bastin
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - E Nicole Amft
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Stuart H Ralston
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joanna M Wardlaw
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stewart J Wiseman
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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10
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Blesa M, Galdi P, Cox SR, Sullivan G, Stoye DQ, Lamb GJ, Quigley AJ, Thrippleton MJ, Escudero J, Bastin ME, Smith KM, Boardman JP. Hierarchical Complexity of the Macro-Scale Neonatal Brain. Cereb Cortex 2020; 31:2071-2084. [PMID: 33280008 PMCID: PMC7945030 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The human adult structural connectome has a rich nodal hierarchy, with highly diverse connectivity patterns aligned to the diverse range of functional specializations in the brain. The emergence of this hierarchical complexity in human development is unknown. Here, we substantiate the hierarchical tiers and hierarchical complexity of brain networks in the newborn period, assess correspondences with hierarchical complexity in adulthood, and investigate the effect of preterm birth, a leading cause of atypical brain development and later neurocognitive impairment, on hierarchical complexity. We report that neonatal and adult structural connectomes are both composed of distinct hierarchical tiers and that hierarchical complexity is greater in term born neonates than in preterms. This is due to diversity of connectivity patterns of regions within the intermediate tiers, which consist of regions that underlie sensorimotor processing and its integration with cognitive information. For neonates and adults, the highest tier (hub regions) is ordered, rather than complex, with more homogeneous connectivity patterns in structural hubs. This suggests that the brain develops first a more rigid structure in hub regions allowing for the development of greater and more diverse functional specialization in lower level regions, while connectivity underpinning this diversity is dysmature in infants born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Blesa
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Paola Galdi
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Simon R Cox
- Lothian Birth Cohorts Group, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Gemma Sullivan
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - David Q Stoye
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Gillian J Lamb
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Alan J Quigley
- Department of Radiology, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh EH9 1LF, UK
| | - Michael J Thrippleton
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.,Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Javier Escudero
- School of Engineering, Institute for Digital Communications, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FG, UK
| | - Mark E Bastin
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Keith M Smith
- Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UX, UK.,Health Data Research UK, London NW1 2BE, UK
| | - James P Boardman
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
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11
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Chan YL, Boon Tang T. Characterizing Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based Connectivity as Cost-effective Small World Network using Orthogonal Minimal Spanning Trees (OMSTs). ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2020; 2020:2901-2904. [PMID: 33018613 DOI: 10.1109/embc44109.2020.9175241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This paper reported data-driven functional connectivity (FC) analytical method to investigate functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based connectivity. We evaluated the synchronization of oxygenated hemoglobin using Pearson's correlation and employed orthogonal minimal spanning trees (OMSTs) in characterizing brain connectivity. Then we compared the resultant global cost efficiency and robustness with those generated by non-human i.e. lattice and random networks. We also further benchmarked our method using proportional threshold. Results from 59 healthy subjects demonstrated global cost efficiency and assortativity varied in lattice and random network significantly (p < 0.05), highlighting the potential of OMSTs in extracting true neuronal network. Moreover, the inadequate of proportional threshold in extracting small world network from the same dataset supported that the OMSTs might be the better alternative in FC analysis especially in evaluating cost-efficiency and robustness of network.
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12
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Smith KM, Escudero J. Normalised degree variance. APPLIED NETWORK SCIENCE 2020; 5:32. [PMID: 32626822 PMCID: PMC7319291 DOI: 10.1007/s41109-020-00273-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Finding graph indices which are unbiased to network size and density is of high importance both within a given field and across fields for enhancing comparability of modern network science studies. The degree variance is an important metric for characterising network degree heterogeneity. Here, we provide an analytically valid normalisation of degree variance to replace previous normalisations which are either invalid or not applicable to all networks. It is shown that this normalisation provides equal values for graphs and their complements; it is maximal in the star graph (and its complement); and its expected value is constant with respect to density for Erdös-Rényi (ER) random graphs of the same size. We strengthen these results with model observations in ER random graphs, random geometric graphs, scale-free networks, random hierarchy networks and resting-state brain networks, showing that the proposed normalisation is generally less affected by both network size and density than previous normalisation attempts. The closed form expression proposed also benefits from high computational efficiency and straightforward mathematical analysis. Analysis of 184 real-world binary networks across different disciplines shows that normalised degree variance is not correlated with average degree and is robust to node and edge subsampling. Comparisons across subdomains of biological networks reveals greater degree heterogeneity among brain connectomes and food webs than in protein interaction networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith M. Smith
- Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, 9 Edinburgh Bioquarter, Edinburgh, EH16 4UX UK
- Health Data Research UK, Gibbs Building, Euston Rd, London, NW1 2BE UK
| | - Javier Escudero
- School of Engineering, Institute for Digital Communications, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Rd, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB UK
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13
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Abstract
Network topology is a fundamental aspect of network science that allows us to gather insights into the complicated relational architectures of the world we inhabit. We provide a first specific study of neighbourhood degree sequences in complex networks. We consider how to explicitly characterise important physical concepts such as similarity, heterogeneity and organization in these sequences, as well as updating the notion of hierarchical complexity to reflect previously unnoticed organizational principles. We also point out that neighbourhood degree sequences are related to a powerful subtree kernel for unlabeled graph classification. We study these newly defined sequence properties in a comprehensive array of graph models and over 200 real-world networks. We find that these indices are neither highly correlated with each other nor with classical network indices. Importantly, the sequences of a wide variety of real world networks are found to have greater similarity and organisation than is expected for networks of their given degree distributions. Notably, while biological, social and technological networks all showed consistently large neighbourhood similarity and organisation, hierarchical complexity was not a consistent feature of real world networks. Neighbourhood degree sequences are an interesting tool for describing unique and important characteristics of complex networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith M Smith
- Usher Institute of Population Health Science and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, 9 BioQuarter, Little France, Edinburgh, EH16 4UX, UK.
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