Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual Experiment

Studying task modulations of brain connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is critical to understand brain functions that support cognitive and affective processes. Existing methods such as psychophysiological interaction (PPI) and dynamic causal modelling (DCM) usually impli...

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Main Authors: Xin eDi, Zening eFu, Shing Chow eChan, Yeung Sam eHung, Bharat B Biswal, Zhiguo eZhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2015-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00543/full
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spelling doaj-193ec4952dd541b6b0c4bc5de33179202020-11-25T03:16:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612015-09-01910.3389/fnhum.2015.00543159542Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual ExperimentXin eDi0Zening eFu1Shing Chow eChan2Yeung Sam eHung3Bharat B Biswal4Zhiguo eZhang5Zhiguo eZhang6New Jersey Institute of Technologythe University of Hong Kongthe University of Hong Kongthe University of Hong KongNew Jersey Institute of TechnologyNanyang Technological Universitythe University of Hong KongStudying task modulations of brain connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is critical to understand brain functions that support cognitive and affective processes. Existing methods such as psychophysiological interaction (PPI) and dynamic causal modelling (DCM) usually implicitly assume that the connectivity patterns are stable over a block-designed task with identical stimuli. However, this assumption lacks empirical verification on high-temporal resolution fMRI data with reliable data-driven analysis methods. The present study performed a detailed examination of dynamic changes of functional connectivity (FC) in a simple block-designed visual checkerboard experiment with a sub-second sampling rate (TR = 0.645 s) by estimating time-varying correlation coefficient (TVCC) between BOLD responses of different brain regions. We observed reliable task-related FC changes (i.e., FCs were transiently decreased after task onset and went back to the baseline afterward) among several visual regions of the bilateral middle occipital gyrus (MOG) and the bilateral fusiform gyrus (FuG). Importantly, only the FCs between higher visual regions (MOG) and lower visual regions (FuG) exhibited such dynamic patterns. The results suggested that simply assuming a sustained FC during a task block may be insufficient to capture distinct task-related FC changes. The investigation of FC dynamics in tasks could improve our understanding of condition shifts and the coordination between different activated brain regions.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00543/fullVisual Systemfunctional connectivitysliding windowDynamic connectivitytime-varying correlation coefficient
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Xin eDi
Zening eFu
Shing Chow eChan
Yeung Sam eHung
Bharat B Biswal
Zhiguo eZhang
Zhiguo eZhang
spellingShingle Xin eDi
Zening eFu
Shing Chow eChan
Yeung Sam eHung
Bharat B Biswal
Zhiguo eZhang
Zhiguo eZhang
Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual Experiment
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Visual System
functional connectivity
sliding window
Dynamic connectivity
time-varying correlation coefficient
author_facet Xin eDi
Zening eFu
Shing Chow eChan
Yeung Sam eHung
Bharat B Biswal
Zhiguo eZhang
Zhiguo eZhang
author_sort Xin eDi
title Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual Experiment
title_short Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual Experiment
title_full Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual Experiment
title_fullStr Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual Experiment
title_full_unstemmed Task-related Functional Connectivity Dynamics in a Block-designed Visual Experiment
title_sort task-related functional connectivity dynamics in a block-designed visual experiment
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
issn 1662-5161
publishDate 2015-09-01
description Studying task modulations of brain connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is critical to understand brain functions that support cognitive and affective processes. Existing methods such as psychophysiological interaction (PPI) and dynamic causal modelling (DCM) usually implicitly assume that the connectivity patterns are stable over a block-designed task with identical stimuli. However, this assumption lacks empirical verification on high-temporal resolution fMRI data with reliable data-driven analysis methods. The present study performed a detailed examination of dynamic changes of functional connectivity (FC) in a simple block-designed visual checkerboard experiment with a sub-second sampling rate (TR = 0.645 s) by estimating time-varying correlation coefficient (TVCC) between BOLD responses of different brain regions. We observed reliable task-related FC changes (i.e., FCs were transiently decreased after task onset and went back to the baseline afterward) among several visual regions of the bilateral middle occipital gyrus (MOG) and the bilateral fusiform gyrus (FuG). Importantly, only the FCs between higher visual regions (MOG) and lower visual regions (FuG) exhibited such dynamic patterns. The results suggested that simply assuming a sustained FC during a task block may be insufficient to capture distinct task-related FC changes. The investigation of FC dynamics in tasks could improve our understanding of condition shifts and the coordination between different activated brain regions.
topic Visual System
functional connectivity
sliding window
Dynamic connectivity
time-varying correlation coefficient
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00543/full
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AT bharatbbiswal taskrelatedfunctionalconnectivitydynamicsinablockdesignedvisualexperiment
AT zhiguoezhang taskrelatedfunctionalconnectivitydynamicsinablockdesignedvisualexperiment
AT zhiguoezhang taskrelatedfunctionalconnectivitydynamicsinablockdesignedvisualexperiment
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