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1.
Clin Neurophysiol ; 161: 93-100, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38460221

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This exploratory study examined quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) changes in delirium and the use of qEEG features to distinguish postoperative from non-postoperative delirium. METHODS: This project was part of the DeltaStudy, a cross-sectional,multicenterstudy in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and non-ICU wards. Single-channel (Fp2-Pz) four-minutes resting-state EEG was analyzed in 456 patients. After calculating 98 qEEG features per epoch, random forest (RF) classification was used to analyze qEEG changes in delirium and to test whether postoperative and non-postoperative delirium could be distinguished. RESULTS: An area under the receiver operatingcharacteristic curve (AUC) of 0.76 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.71-0.80) was found when classifying delirium with a sensitivity of 0.77 and a specificity of 0.63 at the optimal operating point. The classification of postoperative versus non-postoperative delirium resulted in an AUC of 0.50 (95%CI 0.38-0.61). CONCLUSIONS: RF classification was able to discriminate delirium from no delirium with reasonable accuracy, while also identifying new delirium qEEG markers like autocorrelation and theta peak frequency. RF classification could not distinguish postoperative from non-postoperative delirium. SIGNIFICANCE: Single-channel EEG differentiates between delirium and no delirium with reasonable accuracy. We found no distinct EEG profile for postoperative delirium, which may suggest that delirium is one entity, whether it develops postoperatively or not.


Subject(s)
Delirium , Electroencephalography , Postoperative Complications , Humans , Delirium/diagnosis , Delirium/physiopathology , Female , Male , Electroencephalography/methods , Aged , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Postoperative Complications/physiopathology , Middle Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Aged, 80 and over
2.
Netw Neurosci ; 7(3): 950-965, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37781149

ABSTRACT

Computational models are often used to assess how functional connectivity (FC) patterns emerge from neuronal population dynamics and anatomical brain connections. It remains unclear whether the commonly used group-averaged data can predict individual FC patterns. The Jansen and Rit neural mass model was employed, where masses were coupled using individual structural connectivity (SC). Simulated FC was correlated to individual magnetoencephalography-derived empirical FC. FC was estimated using phase-based (phase lag index (PLI), phase locking value (PLV)), and amplitude-based (amplitude envelope correlation (AEC)) metrics to analyze their goodness of fit for individual predictions. Individual FC predictions were compared against group-averaged FC predictions, and we tested whether SC of a different participant could equally well predict participants' FC patterns. The AEC provided a better match between individually simulated and empirical FC than phase-based metrics. Correlations between simulated and empirical FC were higher using individual SC compared to group-averaged SC. Using SC from other participants resulted in similar correlations between simulated and empirical FC compared to using participants' own SC. This work underlines the added value of FC simulations using individual instead of group-averaged SC for this particular computational model and could aid in a better understanding of mechanisms underlying individual functional network trajectories.

3.
Neuroimage Clin ; 40: 103515, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37797435

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic drugs are the first-choice therapy for psychotic episodes, but antipsychotic treatment response (AP-R) is unpredictable and only becomes clear after weeks of therapy. A biomarker for AP-R is currently unavailable. We reviewed the evidence for the hypothesis that functional magnetic resonance imaging functional connectivity (fMRI-FC) is a predictor of AP-R or could serve as a biomarker for AP-R in psychosis. METHOD: A systematic review of longitudinal fMRI studies examining the predictive performance and relationship between FC and AP-R was performed following PRISMA guidelines. Technical and clinical aspects were critically assessed for the retrieved studies. We addressed three questions: Q1) is baseline fMRI-FC related to subsequent AP-R; Q2) is AP-R related to a change in fMRI-FC; and Q3) can baseline fMRI-FC predict subsequent AP-R? RESULTS: In total, 28 articles were included. Most studies were of good quality. fMRI-FC analysis pipelines included seed-based-, independent component- / canonical correlation analysis, network-based statistics, and graph-theoretical approaches. We found high heterogeneity in methodological approaches and results. For Q1 (N = 17) and Q2 (N = 18), the most consistent evidence was found for FC between the striatum and ventral attention network as a potential biomarker of AP-R. For Q3 (N = 9) accuracy's varied form 50 till 93%, and prediction models were based on FC between various brain regions. CONCLUSION: The current fMRI-FC literature on AP-R is hampered by heterogeneity of methodological approaches. Methodological uniformity and further improvement of the reliability and validity of fMRI connectivity analysis is needed before fMRI-FC analysis can have a place in clinical applications of antipsychotic treatment.


Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents , Humans , Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Reproducibility of Results , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/physiology , Biomarkers , Brain Mapping
4.
Tijdschr Psychiatr ; 65(4): 241-243, 2023.
Article in Dutch | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37323042

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a valuable addition to psychiatry by helping to make diagnoses, personalize treatments, and support patients during their recovery. However, it is important to consider the risks and ethical implications of using this technology. AIM: In this article, we explore how AI can change the future of psychiatry from a co-creation perspective, meaning that people and machines work together to provide the best possible care. We provide both critical and optimistic perspectives on how AI can influence psychiatry. METHOD: A co-creation methodology was used to produce this essay, involving interaction between my prompt and the text generated in response by the AI-based chatbot ChatGPT. RESULTS: We describe how AI can be used to make diagnoses, personalize treatments, and support patients during their recovery. We also discuss the risks and ethical implications of using AI in psychiatry. CONCLUSION: If we critically examine the risks and ethical implications of using AI in psychiatry and promote co-creation between people and machines, AI can contribute to improved care for patients in the future.


Subject(s)
Artificial Intelligence , Psychiatry , Humans
5.
Schizophrenia (Heidelb) ; 9(1): 5, 2023 Jan 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36690632

ABSTRACT

Electroencephalography in patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) may contribute to the diagnosis and treatment response prediction. Findings in the literature vary due to small sample sizes, medication effects, and variable illness duration. We studied macroscale resting-state EEG characteristics of antipsychotic naïve patients with FEP. We tested (1) for differences between FEP patients and controls, (2) if EEG could be used to classify patients as FEP, and (3) if EEG could be used to predict treatment response to antipsychotic medication. In total, we studied EEG recordings of 62 antipsychotic-naïve patients with FEP and 106 healthy controls. Spectral power, phase-based and amplitude-based functional connectivity, and macroscale network characteristics were analyzed, resulting in 60 EEG variables across four frequency bands. Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) were assessed at baseline and 4-6 weeks follow-up after treatment with amisulpride or aripiprazole. Mann-Whitney U tests, a random forest (RF) classifier and RF regression were used for statistical analysis. Our study found that at baseline, FEP patients did not differ from controls in any of the EEG characteristics. A random forest classifier showed chance-level discrimination between patients and controls. The random forest regression explained 23% variance in positive symptom reduction after treatment in the patient group. In conclusion, in this largest antipsychotic- naïve EEG sample to date in FEP patients, we found no differences in macroscale EEG characteristics between patients with FEP and healthy controls. However, these EEG characteristics did show predictive value for positive symptom reduction following treatment with antipsychotic medication.

6.
Tijdschr Psychiatr ; 65(10): 637-640, 2023.
Article in Dutch | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38174400

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Innovations in the analysis of resting-state EEG focused on connectivity and network organization, combined with machine learning, offer new opportunities for treatment response predictions in psychiatry. AIM: Introduction of analysis methods in this emerging field, description of some promising results, and critical consideration of possibilities and challenges for implementation in clinical practice. METHOD: Narrative review of the literature. RESULTS: EEG connectivity and network properties may contain predictive information for treatment response to pharmacological interventions, neurostimulation, and psychotherapeutic treatments. However, the results are currently based on studies with small sample sizes and limited validation in independent datasets. Factors such as placebo effects, natural course and treatment adherence during therapy necessitate a cautious interpretation of promising results. CONCLUSION: Independent replication studies and research on implementation are needed to determine whether developed algorithms that predict treatment outcomes based on EEG recordings are of value in clinical practice.


Subject(s)
Algorithms , Psychiatry , Humans , Treatment Outcome , Machine Learning , Electroencephalography/methods , Brain/physiology
7.
Tijdschr Psychiatr ; 65(10): 633-636, 2023.
Article in Dutch | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38174399

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Delirium is associated with neurophysiological changes that can be identified with quantitative EEG analysis techniques (qEEG). AIM: To provide an overview of studies on neurophysiological changes in delirium using various qEEG analysis techniques. METHOD: Literature review. RESULTS: In delirium, there is an increase in delta and theta activity but a decrease in activity in the alpha frequency band. Additionally, there is a decrease in functional connectivity and efficiency of the brain network in the alpha frequency band. CONCLUSION: Delirium is characterized by diffuse slowing of the EEG, reduced functional connectivity, and decreased efficiency of the brain network. Improved functional connectivity could be a new approach to treat delirium.


Subject(s)
Delirium , Electroencephalography , Humans , Electroencephalography/methods , Brain , Delirium/diagnosis
8.
Netw Neurosci ; 6(2): 301-319, 2022 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35733422

ABSTRACT

Brain network characteristics' potential to serve as a neurological and psychiatric pathology biomarker has been hampered by the so-called thresholding problem. The minimum spanning tree (MST) is increasingly applied to overcome this problem. It is yet unknown whether this approach leads to more consistent findings across studies and converging outcomes of either disease-specific biomarkers or transdiagnostic effects. We performed a systematic review on MST analysis in neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies (N = 43) to study consistency of MST metrics between different network sizes and assessed disease specificity and transdiagnostic sensitivity of MST metrics for neurological and psychiatric conditions. Analysis of data from control groups (12 studies) showed that MST leaf fraction but not diameter decreased with increasing network size. Studies showed a broad range in metric values, suggesting that specific processing pipelines affect MST topology. Contradicting findings remain in the inconclusive literature of MST brain network studies, but some trends were seen: (1) a more linelike organization characterizes neurodegenerative disorders across pathologies, and is associated with symptom severity and disease progression; (2) neurophysiological studies in epilepsy show frequency band specific MST alterations that normalize after successful treatment; and (3) less efficient MST topology in alpha band is found across disorders associated with attention impairments.

9.
Neuroimage Clin ; 27: 102347, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32738752

ABSTRACT

Delirium, the clinical expression of acute encephalopathy, is a common neuropsychiatric syndrome that is related to poor outcomes, such as long-term cognitive impairment. Disturbances of functional brain networks are hypothesized to predispose for delirium. The aim of this study in non-delirious elderly individuals was to investigate whether predisposing risk factors for delirium are associated with fMRI network characteristics that have been observed during delirium. As predisposing risk factors, we studied age, alcohol misuse, cognitive impairment, depression, functional impairment, history of transient ischemic attack or stroke, and physical status. In this multicenter study, we included 554 subjects and analyzed resting-state fMRI data from 222 elderly subjects (63% male, age range: 65-85 year) after rigorous motion correction. Functional network characteristics were analyzed and based on the minimum spanning tree (MST). Global functional connectivity strength, network efficiency (MST diameter) and network integration (MST leaf fraction) were analyzed, as these measures were altered during delirium in previous studies. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate the relation between predisposing delirium risk factors and delirium-related fMRI characteristics, adjusted for confounding and multiple testing. Predisposing risk factors for delirium were not associated with delirium-related fMRI network characteristics. Older age within our elderly cohort was related to global functional connectivity strength (ß = 0.182, p < 0.05), but in the opposite direction than hypothesized. Delirium-related functional network impairments can therefore not be considered as the common mechanism for predisposition for delirium.


Subject(s)
Delirium , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Cross-Sectional Studies , Delirium/epidemiology , Delirium/etiology , Female , Humans , Male , Risk Factors
10.
NPJ Schizophr ; 6(1): 10, 2020 Apr 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32313047

ABSTRACT

Language deviations are a core symptom of schizophrenia. With the advances in computational linguistics, language can be easily assessed in exact and reproducible measures. This study investigated how language characteristics relate to schizophrenia diagnosis, symptom, severity and integrity of the white matter language tracts in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Spontaneous speech was recorded and diffusion tensor imaging was performed in 26 schizophrenia patients and 22 controls. We were able to classify both groups with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 82%, based on mean length of utterance and clauses per utterance. Language disturbances were associated with negative symptom severity. Computational language measures predicted language tract integrity in patients (adjusted R2 = 0.467) and controls (adjusted R2 = 0.483). Quantitative language analyses have both clinical and biological validity, offer a simple, helpful marker of both severity and underlying pathology, and provide a promising tool for schizophrenia research and clinical practice.

11.
Clin Neurophysiol ; 131(5): 1051-1058, 2020 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32199395

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Delirium is associated with increased electroencephalography (EEG) delta activity, decreased connectivity strength and decreased network integration. To improve our understanding of development of delirium, we studied whether non-delirious individuals with a predisposition for delirium also show these EEG abnormalities. METHODS: Elderly subjects (N = 206) underwent resting-state EEG measurements and were assessed on predisposing delirium risk factors, i.e. older age, alcohol misuse, cognitive impairment, depression, functional impairment, history of stroke and physical status. Delirium-related EEG characteristics of interest were relative delta power, alpha connectivity strength (phase lag index) and network integration (minimum spanning tree leaf fraction). Linear regression analyses were used to investigate the relation between predisposing delirium risk factors and EEG characteristics that are associated with delirium, adjusting for confounding and multiple testing. RESULTS: Functional impairment was related to a decrease in connectivity strength (adjusted R2 = 0.071, ß = 0.201, p < 0.05). None of the other risk factors had significant influence on EEG delta power, connectivity strength or network integration. CONCLUSIONS: Functional impairment seems to be associated with decreased alpha connectivity strength. Other predisposing risk factors for delirium had no effect on the studied EEG characteristics. SIGNIFICANCE: Predisposition for delirium is not consistently related to EEG characteristics that can be found during delirium.


Subject(s)
Brain/physiopathology , Delirium/diagnosis , Delirium/physiopathology , Electroencephalography/methods , Nerve Net/physiopathology , Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Delirium/psychology , Electrocardiography/methods , Female , Humans , Male
12.
Neuroimage Clin ; 23: 101809, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30981940

ABSTRACT

Delirium is an acute neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by altered levels of attention and awareness with cognitive deficits. It is most prevalent in elderly hospitalized patients and related to poor outcomes. Predisposing risk factors, such as older age, determine the baseline vulnerability for delirium, while precipitating factors, such as use of sedatives, trigger the syndrome. Risk factors are heterogeneous and the underlying biological mechanisms leading to vulnerability for delirium are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that delirium and its risk factors are associated with consistent brain network changes. We performed a systematic review and qualitative meta-analysis and included 126 brain network publications on delirium and its risk factors. Findings were evaluated after an assessment of methodological quality, providing N=99 studies of good or excellent quality on predisposing risk factors, N=10 on precipitation risk factors and N=7 on delirium. Delirium was consistently associated with functional network disruptions, including lower EEG connectivity strength and decreased fMRI network integration. Risk factors for delirium were associated with lower structural connectivity strength and less efficient structural network organization. Decreased connectivity strength and efficiency appear to characterize structural brain networks of patients at risk for delirium, possibly impairing the functional network, while functional network disintegration seems to be a final common pathway for the syndrome.


Subject(s)
Brain/physiopathology , Delirium/physiopathology , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain Mapping , Brain Waves , Delirium/diagnostic imaging , Electroencephalography , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Neural Pathways/physiopathology , Risk Factors
14.
Brain Lang ; 162: 10-18, 2016 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27501385

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in psychotic patients are associated with activation of right hemisphere language areas, although this hemisphere is non-dominant in most people. Language generated in the right hemisphere can be observed in aphasia patients with left hemisphere damage. It is called "automatic speech", characterized by low syntactic complexity and negative emotional valence. AVH in nonpsychotic individuals, by contrast, predominantly have a neutral or positive emotional content and may be less dependent on right hemisphere activity. We hypothesize that right hemisphere language characteristics can be observed in the language of AVH, differentiating psychotic from nonpsychotic individuals. METHOD: 17 patients with a psychotic disorder and 19 nonpsychotic individuals were instructed to repeat their AVH verbatim directly upon hearing them. Responses were recorded, transcribed and analyzed for total words, mean length of utterance, proportion of grammatical utterances, proportion of negations, literal and thematic perseverations, abuses, type-token ratio, embeddings, verb complexity, noun-verb ratio, and open-closed class ratio. RESULTS: Linguistic features of AVH overall differed between groups F(13,24)=3.920, p=0.002; Pillai's Trace 0.680. AVH of psychotic patients compared with AVH of nonpsychotic individuals had a shorter mean length of utterance, lower verb complexity, and more verbal abuses and perseverations (all p<0.05). Other features were similar between groups. CONCLUSION: AVH of psychotic patients showed lower syntactic complexity and higher levels of repetition and abuses than AVH of nonpsychotic individuals. These differences are in line with a stronger involvement of the right hemisphere in the origination of AVH in patients than in nonpsychotic voice hearers.


Subject(s)
Hallucinations/physiopathology , Linguistics , Psychotic Disorders/physiopathology , Psychotic Disorders/psychology , Verbal Behavior , Voice , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Speech
15.
Int J Psychophysiol ; 103: 149-60, 2016 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25678023

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: An important problem in systems neuroscience is the relation between complex structural and functional brain networks. Here we use simulations of a simple dynamic process based upon the susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) model of infection dynamics on an empirical structural brain network to investigate the extent to which the functional interactions between any two brain areas depend upon (i) the presence of a direct structural connection; and (ii) the degree product of the two areas in the structural network. METHODS: For the structural brain network, we used a 78×78 matrix representing known anatomical connections between brain regions at the level of the AAL atlas (Gong et al., 2009). On this structural network we simulated brain dynamics using a model derived from the study of epidemic processes on networks. Analogous to the SIS model, each vertex/brain region could be in one of two states (inactive/active) with two parameters ß and δ determining the transition probabilities. First, the phase transition between the fully inactive and partially active state was investigated as a function of ß and δ. Second, the statistical interdependencies between time series of node states were determined (close to and far away from the critical state) with two measures: (i) functional connectivity based upon the correlation coefficient of integrated activation time series; and (ii) effective connectivity based upon conditional co-activation at different time intervals. RESULTS: We find a phase transition between an inactive and a partially active state for a critical ratio τ=ß/δ of the transition rates in agreement with the theory of SIS models. Slightly above the critical threshold, node activity increases with degree, also in line with epidemic theory. The functional, but not the effective connectivity matrix closely resembled the underlying structural matrix. Both functional connectivity and, to a lesser extent, effective connectivity were higher for connected as compared to disconnected (i.e.: not directly connected) nodes. Effective connectivity scaled with the degree product. For functional connectivity, a weaker scaling relation was only observed for disconnected node pairs. For random networks with the same degree distribution as the original structural network, similar patterns were seen, but the scaling exponent was significantly decreased especially for effective connectivity. CONCLUSIONS: Even with a very simple dynamical model it can be shown that functional relations between nodes of a realistic anatomical network display clear patterns if the system is studied near the critical transition. The detailed nature of these patterns depends on the properties of the functional or effective connectivity measure that is used. While the strength of functional interactions between any two nodes clearly depends upon the presence or absence of a direct connection, this study has shown that the degree product of the nodes also plays a large role in explaining interaction strength, especially for disconnected nodes and in combination with an effective connectivity measure. The influence of degree product on node interaction strength probably reflects the presence of large numbers of indirect connections.


Subject(s)
Cerebral Cortex/physiology , Computer Simulation , Models, Neurological , Nerve Net/physiology , Brain Mapping , Female , Humans , Male , Neural Pathways/physiology , Nonlinear Dynamics
16.
Neuroimage ; 104: 177-88, 2015 Jan 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25451472

ABSTRACT

The brain is increasingly studied with graph theoretical approaches, which can be used to characterize network topology. However, studies on brain networks have reported contradictory findings, and do not easily converge to a clear concept of the structural and functional network organization of the brain. It has recently been suggested that the minimum spanning tree (MST) may help to increase comparability between studies. The MST is an acyclic sub-network that connects all nodes and may solve several methodological limitations of previous work, such as sensitivity to alterations in connection strength (for weighted networks) or link density (for unweighted networks), which may occur concomitantly with alterations in network topology under empirical conditions. If analysis of MSTs avoids these methodological limitations, understanding the relationship between MST characteristics and conventional network measures is crucial for interpreting MST brain network studies. Here, we firstly demonstrated that the MST is insensitive to alterations in connection strength or link density. We then explored the behavior of MST and conventional network-characteristics for simulated regular and scale-free networks that were gradually rewired to random networks. Surprisingly, although most connections are discarded during construction of the MST, MST characteristics were equally sensitive to alterations in network topology as the conventional graph theoretical measures. The MST characteristics diameter and leaf fraction were very strongly related to changes in the characteristic path length when the network changed from a regular to a random configuration. Similarly, MST degree, diameter, and leaf fraction were very strongly related to the degree of scale-free networks that were rewired to random networks. Analysis of the MST is especially suitable for the comparison of brain networks, as it avoids methodological biases. Even though the MST does not utilize all the connections in the network, it still provides a, mathematically defined and unbiased, sub-network with characteristics that can provide similar information about network topology as conventional graph measures.


Subject(s)
Brain Mapping/methods , Brain/physiology , Nerve Net/physiology , Algorithms , Computer Simulation , Humans
17.
Clin Neurophysiol ; 126(8): 1468-81, 2015 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25511636

ABSTRACT

Electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetoencephalogram (MEG) recordings during resting state are increasingly used to study functional connectivity and network topology. Moreover, the number of different analysis approaches is expanding along with the rising interest in this research area. The comparison between studies can therefore be challenging and discussion is needed to underscore methodological opportunities and pitfalls in functional connectivity and network studies. In this overview we discuss methodological considerations throughout the analysis pipeline of recording and analyzing resting state EEG and MEG data, with a focus on functional connectivity and network analysis. We summarize current common practices with their advantages and disadvantages; provide practical tips, and suggestions for future research. Finally, we discuss how methodological choices in resting state research can affect the construction of functional networks. When taking advantage of current best practices and avoid the most obvious pitfalls, functional connectivity and network studies can be improved and enable a more accurate interpretation and comparison between studies.


Subject(s)
Brain/physiology , Electroencephalography/methods , Functional Neuroimaging/methods , Magnetoencephalography/methods , Nerve Net/physiology , Brain Mapping , Humans , Neurons/physiology
18.
Int J Psychophysiol ; 92(3): 129-38, 2014 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24726900

ABSTRACT

In recent years there has been a shift in focus from the study of local, mostly task-related activation to the exploration of the organization and functioning of large-scale structural and functional complex brain networks. Progress in the interdisciplinary field of modern network science has introduced many new concepts, analytical tools and models which allow a systematic interpretation of multivariate data obtained from structural and functional MRI, EEG and MEG. However, progress in this field has been hampered by the absence of a simple, unbiased method to represent the essential features of brain networks, and to compare these across different conditions, behavioural states and neuropsychiatric/neurological diseases. One promising solution to this problem is to represent brain networks by a minimum spanning tree (MST), a unique acyclic subgraph that connects all nodes and maximizes a property of interest such as synchronization between brain areas. We explain how the global and local properties of an MST can be characterized. We then review early and more recent applications of the MST to EEG and MEG in epilepsy, development, schizophrenia, brain tumours, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, and show how MST characterization performs compared to more conventional graph analysis. Finally, we illustrate how MST characterization allows representation of observed brain networks in a space of all possible tree configurations and discuss how this may simplify the construction of simple generative models of normal and abnormal brain network organization.


Subject(s)
Brain/physiology , Models, Neurological , Nerve Net/physiology , Neural Pathways/physiology , Brain Mapping , Humans
19.
Neuroimage ; 97: 296-307, 2014 Aug 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24769185

ABSTRACT

Communication between neuronal populations in the human brain is characterized by complex functional interactions across time and space. Recent studies have demonstrated that these functional interactions depend on the underlying structural connections at an aggregate level. Multiple imaging modalities can be used to investigate the relation between the structural connections between brain regions and their functional interactions at multiple timescales. We investigated if consistent modality-independent functional interactions take place between brain regions, and whether these can be accounted for by underlying structural properties. We used functional MRI (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings from a population of healthy adults together with a previously described structural network. A high overlap in resting-state functional networks was found in fMRI and especially alpha band MEG recordings. This overlap was characterized by a strongly interconnected functional core network in temporo-posterior brain regions. Anatomically realistically coupled neural mass models revealed that this strongly interconnected functional network emerges near the threshold for global synchronization. Most importantly, this functional core network could be explained by a trade-off between the product of the degrees of structurally-connected regions and the Euclidean distance between them. For both fMRI and MEG, the product of the degrees of connected regions was the most important predictor for functional network connectivity. Therefore, irrespective of the modality, these results indicate that a functional core network in the human brain is especially shaped by communication between high degree nodes of the structural network.


Subject(s)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Magnetoencephalography/methods , Nerve Net/anatomy & histology , Adult , Algorithms , Female , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Male , Nerve Net/physiology , Neural Pathways/anatomy & histology , Neural Pathways/physiology
20.
Neuroimage ; 83: 524-32, 2013 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23769919

ABSTRACT

Increasing evidence from neuroimaging and modeling studies suggests that local lesions can give rise to global network changes in the human brain. These changes are often attributed to the disconnection of the lesioned areas. However, damaged brain areas may still be active, although the activity is altered. Here, we hypothesize that empirically observed global decreases in functional connectivity in patients with brain lesions can be explained by specific alterations of local neural activity that are the result of damaged tissue. We simulated local polymorphic delta activity (PDA), which typically characterizes EEG/MEG recordings of patients with cerebral lesions, in a realistic model of human brain activity. 78 neural masses were coupled according to the human structural brain network. Lesions were created by altering the parameters of individual neural masses in order to create PDA (i.e. simulating acute focal brain damage); combining this PDA with weakening of structural connections (i.e. simulating brain tumors), and fully deleting structural connections (i.e. simulating a full resection). Not only structural disconnection but also PDA in itself caused a global decrease in functional connectivity, similar to the observed alterations in MEG recordings of patients with PDA due to brain lesions. Interestingly, connectivity between regions that were not lesioned directly also changed. The impact of PDA depended on the network characteristics of the lesioned region in the structural connectome. This study shows for the first time that locally disturbed neural activity, i.e. PDA, may explain altered functional connectivity between remote areas, even when structural connections are unaffected. We suggest that focal brain lesions and the corresponding altered neural activity should be considered in the framework of the full functionally interacting brain network, implying that the impact of lesions reaches far beyond focal damage.


Subject(s)
Brain Injuries/physiopathology , Cerebral Cortex/physiopathology , Connectome/methods , Delta Rhythm , Models, Neurological , Nerve Net/physiopathology , Neural Pathways/physiopathology , Biological Clocks , Computer Simulation , Humans
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