Extracting biomarkers of autism from MEG resting-state functional connectivity networks.

The present study is a preliminary attempt to use graph theory for deriving distinct features of resting-state functional networks in young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Networks modeled neuromagnetic signal interactions between sensors using three alternative interdependence measures: (a) a non-linear measure of generalized synchronization (robust interdependence measure [RIM]), (b) mutual information (MI), and (c) partial directed coherence (PDC). To summarize the information contained in each network model we employed well-established global graph measures (average strength, assortativity, clustering, and efficiency) as well as graph measures (average strength of edges) tailored to specific hypotheses concerning the spatial distribution of abnormalities in connectivity among individuals with ASD. Graph measures then served as features in leave-one-out classification analyses contrasting control and ASD participants. We found that combinations of regionally constrained graph measures, derived from RIM, performed best, discriminating between the two groups with 93.75% accuracy. Network visualization revealed that ASD participants displayed significantly reduced interdependence strength, both within bilateral frontal and temporal sensors, as well as between temporal sensors and the remaining recording sites, in agreement with previous studies of functional connectivity in this disorder.

BrainNetVis: an open-access tool to effectively quantify and visualize brain networks.

This paper presents BrainNetVis, a tool which serves brain network modelling and visualization, by providing both quantitative and qualitative network measures of brain interconnectivity. It emphasizes the needs that led to the creation of this tool by presenting similar works in the field and by describing how our tool contributes to the existing scenery. It also describes the methods used for the calculation of the graph metrics (global network metrics and vertex metrics), which carry the brain network information. To make the methods clear and understandable, we use an exemplar dataset throughout the paper, on which the calculations and the visualizations are performed. This dataset consists of an alcoholic and a control group of subjects.

Prediction of peak oxygen uptake from a maximal treadmill test in 12- to 18-year-old active male adolescents.

The aims were to develop and validate a VO(2peak) prediction equation from a treadmill running test in active male adolescents. Eighty-eight athletes (12-18 yrs.) performed a maximal exercise test on a treadmill to assess the actual VO2peak and a 20m Shuttle-Run-Test (20mST). A step-wise linear regression analysis was used and the following equation for estimation of VO(2peak) (mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) = 35.477 + 1.832 × duration in min - 0.010 × duration × body mass in kg was developed. The cross-validation statistics were: R = .54, CE = 0.1 mL·kg⁻¹min⁻¹, SEE = 2.5 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ (4.6%), and TE = 2.6 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ (4.9%). The cross-validation values (CE, SEE, and TE) were lower compared with those of previously published equations in adolescents that estimated VO(2peak) using anthropometric data, performance in 20mST, and energy cost at submaximal speeds.

BrainNetVis: analysis and visualization of brain functional networks.

BrainNetVis is an application, written in Java, that displays and analyzes synchronization networks from brain signals. The program implements a number of network indices and visualization techniques. We demonstrate its use through a case study of left hand and foot motor imagery. The data sets were provided by the Berlin BCI group. Using this program we managed to find differences between the average left hand and foot synchronization networks by comparing them with the average idle state synchronization network.

Assessment of linear and nonlinear synchronization measures for analyzing EEG in a mild epileptic paradigm.

Epilepsy is one of the most common brain disorders and may result in brain dysfunction and cognitive disturbances. Epileptic seizures usually begin in childhood without being accommodated by brain damage and are tolerated by drugs that produce no brain dysfunction. In this study, cognitive function is evaluated in children with mild epileptic seizures controlled with common antiepileptic drugs. Under this prism, we propose a concise technical framework of combining and validating both linear and nonlinear methods to efficiently evaluate (in terms of synchronization) neurophysiological activity during a visual cognitive task consisting of fractal pattern observation. We investigate six measures of quantifying synchronous oscillatory activity based on different underlying assumptions. These measures include the coherence computed with the traditional formula and an alternative evaluation of it that relies on autoregressive models, an information theoretic measure known as minimum description length, a robust phase coupling measure known as phase-locking value, a reliable way of assessing generalized synchronization in state-space and an unbiased alternative called synchronization likelihood. Assessment is performed in three stages; initially, the nonlinear methods are validated on coupled nonlinear oscillators under increasing noise interference; second, surrogate data testing is performed to assess the possible nonlinear channel interdependencies of the acquired EEGs by comparing the synchronization indexes under the null hypothesis of stationary, linear dynamics; and finally, synchronization on the actual data is measured. The results on the actual data suggest that there is a significant difference between normal controls and epileptics, mostly apparent in occipital-parietal lobes during fractal observation tests.

Assessment of neural dynamic coupling and causal interactions between independent EEG components from cognitive tasks using linear and nonlinear methods.

Over the past few years there has been an increased interest in studying the underlying neural mechanism of cognitive brain activity. In this direction, we study the brain activity based on its independent components instead of the EEG signal itself. Both linear and nonlinear synchronization measures are applied to EEG components, which are free of volume conduction effects and background noise. More specifically, a robust nonlinear state-space generalized synchronization assessment method and the recently introduced partial directed coherence are investigated in a working memory paradigm, during mental rehearsal of pictures. The latter is a linear method able to assess not only the independence of the brain regions, but also the direction of the statistically significant relationships. The results are in accordance with previous psychophysiology studies suggesting increased synchrony between prefrontal and parietal components during the rehearsal process, most prominently in gamma (ca. 40 Hz) band. This study indicates that functional connectivity during cognitive processes may be successfully assessed using independent components, which reflect distinct spatial patterns of activity.

Optimal brain network synchrony visualization: application in an alcoholism paradigm.

Although Electroencephalographic (EEG) signal synchronization studies have been a topic of increasing interest lately, there is no similar effort in the visualization of such measures. In this direction a graph-theoretic approach devised to study and stress the coupling dynamics of task-performing dynamical networks is proposed. Both linear and nonlinear interdependence measures are investigated in an alcoholism paradigm during mental rehearsal of pictures, which is known to reflect synchronization impairment. More specifically, the widely used magnitude squared coherence; phase synchronization and a robust nonlinear state-space generalized synchronization assessment method are investigated. This paper mostly focuses on a signal-based technique of selecting the optimal visualization threshold using surrogate datasets to correctly identify the most significant correlation patterns. Furthermore, a graph statistical parameter attempts to capture and quantify collective motifs present in the functional brain network. The results are in accordance with previous psychophysiology studies suggesting that an alcoholic subject has impaired synchronization of brain activity and loss of lateralization during the rehearsal process, most prominently in alpha (8-12 Hz) band, as compared to a control subject. Lower beta (13-30 Hz) synchronization was also evident in the alcoholic subject.