Complex network analysis of brain functional connectivity under a multi-step cognitive task

TL;DR

This study investigates how multi-step cognitive tasks influence brain functional connectivity, revealing that brain networks exhibit small-world and scale-free properties, with connectivity strongly affected by behavioral order and activity.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates the impact of sequential behaviors on brain network organization and highlights the relationship between functional connectivity and behavioral sequences using high-resolution fMRI data.

Findings

Brain networks show small-world and scale-free properties.

Functional connectivity correlates with behavioral order.

Connectivity differences are restricted to behavior sequences.

Abstract

Functional brain network has been widely studied to understand the relationship between brain organization and behavior. In this paper, we aim to explore the functional connectivity of brain network under a \emph{multi-step} cognitive task involving with consecutive behaviors, and further understand the effect of behaviors on the brain organization. The functional brain networks are constructed base on a high spatial and temporal resolution fMRI dataset and analyzed via complex network based approach. We find that at voxel level the functional brain network shows robust small-worldness and scale-free characteristics, while its assortativity and rich-club organization are slightly restricted to order of behaviors performed. More interestingly, the functional connectivity of brain network in activated ROIs strongly correlates with behaviors and behaves obvious differences restricted to order of behaviors performed. These empirical results suggest that the brain organization has the generic properties of small-worldness and scale-free characteristics, and its diverse function connectivity emerging from activated ROIs is strongly driven by these behavioral activities via the plasticity of brain.