Brain-mapping framework reveals shifts in information flow during pain and movie watching
In the brain, information travels among distributed networks, groups of interconnected regions that work together and contribute to specific behaviors, feelings or thoughts. To study how information travels through these networks under different conditions, many neuroscientists rely on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a noninvasive imaging technique that measures blood-oxygen changes…
This groundbreaking study from researchers at the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea unveils how neural information flows change during different brain states, such as experiencing pain or watching a movie. The team developed an innovative analysis framework called integrated effective connectivity (iEC), which estimates the direction of influence between brain regions, overcoming limitations of conventional functional connectivity methods.
Previous fMRI-based research typically relied on undirected functional connectivity, which only provides statistical relationships between activity in two regions without indicating the direction of information flow. iEC integrates results from multiple effective connectivity (EC) algorithms, offering a more accurate estimation of brain signal direction.
To validate the framework, researchers tested iEC against anatomical tract-tracing data in macaques, biologically constrained whole-brain simulations, and human resting-state fMRI scans. They analyzed fMRI data from 440 people at rest, 13 who watched the movie Forrest Gump, and 48 experiencing sustained pain after capsaicin-rich hot sauce application.
Using iEC, the researchers mapped the direction and nature of influence between brain areas, revealing a hierarchical organization of cortical networks. This map aligned with independent maps of cortical cell organization and myelin distribution, demonstrating the framework's reliability in mapping large-scale communication in the human brain.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
