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Research Articles:
 Mapping the Structural Core of Human Cerebral Cortex
by Patric Hagmann, Leila Cammoun, Xavier Gigandet, Reto Meuli, Christopher J. Honey, Van J. Wedeen, Olaf Sporns
Article and Image Source: http://biology.plosjournals.org
Introduction:
Human cerebral cortex consists of approximately 1010 neurons that are organized into a complex network of local circuits and long-range fiber pathways. This complex network forms the structural substrate for distributed interactions among specialized brain systems. Computational network analysis has provided insight into the organization of large-scale cortical connectivity in several species, including rat, cat, and macaque monkey. In human cortex, the topology of functional connectivity patterns has recently been investigated, and key attributes of these patterns have been characterized across different conditions of rest or cognitive load. A major feature of cortical functional connectivity is the default network, a set of dynamically coupled brain regions that are found to be more highly activated at rest than during the performance of cognitively demanding tasks. Spontaneous functional connectivity resembling that of the human default network was reported in the anaesthetized macaque monkey, and functional connectivity patterns in the oculomotor system were found to correspond to known structural connectivity. Computational modeling of spontaneous neural activity in large-scale cortical networks of the macaque monkey has indicated that anti-correlated activity of regional clusters may reflect structural modules present within the network. These studies suggest that, within cerebral cortex, structural modules shape large-scale functional connectivity.
 Author Summary:
In the human brain, neural activation patterns are shaped by the underlying structural connections that form a dense network of fiber pathways linking all regions of the cerebral cortex. Using diffusion imaging techniques, which allow the noninvasive mapping of fiber pathways, we constructed connection maps covering the entire cortical surface. Computational analyses of the resulting complex brain network reveal regions of cortex that are highly connected and highly central, forming a structural core of the human brain. Key components of the core are portions of posterior medial cortex that are known to be highly activated at rest, when the brain is not engaged in a cognitively demanding task. Because we were interested in how brain structure relates to brain function, we also recorded brain activation patterns from the same participant group. We found that structural connection patterns and functional interactions between regions of cortex were significantly correlated. Based on our findings, we suggest that the structural core of the brain may have a central role in integrating information across functionally segregated brain regions.
***Read the open-access, full-text article here:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0060159
Neurofeedback Research from EEG Info:
Applications of Neurofeedback and Mechanisms of Brain Self-regulation that Underlie EEG Feedback (Neurofeedback)
Read the Research Backing the Applications of Neurofeedback at: eeginfo.com/research
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