Node Identification Using Inter-Regional Correlation Analysis for Mapping Detailed Connections in Resting State Networks

• Main Authors: Yong Jeong, Jun Soo Kwon, William S. Sohn, Tae Young Lee, Kwangsun Yoo, Minah Kim, Je-Yeon Yun, Ji-Won Hur, Youngwoo Bryan Yoon, Sang Won Seo, Duk L. Na
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2017-05-01
• Series: Frontiers in Neuroscience
• Subjects: resting fMRI; node identification; subject-specific ROIs; Alzheimer's disease; connectomics
• Online Access: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2017.00238/full

Brain function is often characterized by the connections and interactions between highly interconnected brain regions. Pathological disruptions in these networks often result in brain dysfunction, which manifests as brain disease. Typical analysis investigates disruptions in network connectivity based correlations between large brain regions. To obtain a more detailed description of disruptions in network connectivity, we propose a new method where functional nodes are identified in each region based on their maximum connectivity to another brain region in a given network. Since this method provides a unique approach to identifying functionally relevant nodes in a given network, we can provide a more detailed map of brain connectivity and determine new measures of network connectivity. We applied this method to resting state fMRI of Alzheimer's disease patients to validate our method and found decreased connectivity within the default mode network. In addition, new measure of network connectivity revealed a more detailed description of how the network connections deteriorate with disease progression. This suggests that analysis using key relative network hub regions based on regional correlation can be used to detect detailed changes in resting state network connectivity.