Brain Network Modularity During a Sustained Working-Memory Task

Spontaneous oscillations of the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal are spatially synchronized within specific brain networks and are thought to reflect synchronized brain activity. Networks are modulated by the performance of a task, even if the exact features and degree of such modulat...

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Published inFrontiers in physiology Vol. 11; p. 422
Main Authors Moraschi, Marta, Mascali, Daniele, Tommasin, Silvia, Gili, Tommaso, Hassan, Ibrahim Eid, Fratini, Michela, DiNuzzo, Mauro, Wise, Richard G, Mangia, Silvia, Macaluso, Emiliano, Giove, Federico
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland Frontiers 08.05.2020
Frontiers Media S.A
Subjects
brain segregation
connectivity dynamics
functional connectivity
Life Sciences
modularity
Physiology
topology
working memory
connectivity dynamics
functional connectivity
modularity
working memory
topology
brain segregation
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Summary:Spontaneous oscillations of the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal are spatially synchronized within specific brain networks and are thought to reflect synchronized brain activity. Networks are modulated by the performance of a task, even if the exact features and degree of such modulations are still elusive. The presence of networks showing anticorrelated fluctuations lend initially to suppose that a competitive relationship between the default mode network (DMN) and task positive networks (TPNs) supports the efficiency of brain processing. However, more recent results indicate that cooperative and competitive dynamics between networks coexist during task performance. In this study, we used graph analysis to assess the functional relevance of the topological reorganization of brain networks ensuing the execution of a steady state working-memory (WM) task. Our results indicate that the performance of an auditory WM task is associated with a switching between different topological configurations of several regions of specific networks, including frontoparietal, ventral attention, and dorsal attention areas, suggesting segregation of ventral attention regions in the presence of increased overall integration. However, the correct execution of the task requires integration between components belonging to all the involved networks.
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PMCID: PMC7227445
Reviewed by: Andreas Hess, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany; Xiaoyun Liang, Australian Catholic University, Australia
These authors have contributed equally to this work
Edited by: Ewald Moser, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
This article was submitted to Medical Physics and Imaging, a section of the journal Frontiers in Physiology
ISSN:1664-042X
1664-042X
DOI:10.3389/fphys.2020.00422