Cortical network dynamics with time delays reveals functional connectivity in the resting brain

Abstract

In absence of all goal-directed behavior, a characteristic network of cortical regions involving prefrontal and cingulate cortices consistently shows temporally coherent fluctuations. The origin of these fluctuations is unknown, but has been hypothesized to be of stochastic nature. In the present paper we test the hypothesis that time delays in the network dynamics play a crucial role in the generation of these fluctuations. By tuning the propagation velocity in a network based on primate connectivity, we scale the time delays and demonstrate the emergence of the resting state networks for biophysically realistic parameters.

Appendix: list of cortical areas

A1:

Primary auditory

A2:

Secondary auditory

CCA:

Anterior cingulate cortex

CCP:

Posterior cingulate cortex

CCR:

Retrosplenial cingulate cortex

CCS:

Subgenual cingulate cortex

FEF:

Frontal eye field

IA:

Anterior insula

IP:

Posterior insula

M1:

Primary motor cortex

PCI:

Inferior parietal cortex

PCIP:

Intraparietal sulcus cortex

PCM:

Medial parietal cortex

PCS:

Superior parietal cortex

PFCCL:

Centrolateral prefrontal cortex

PFCDL:

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

PFCDM:

Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex

PFCM:

Medial prefrontal cortex

PFCORB:

Orbital prefrontal cortex

PFCPOL:

Prefrontal polar cortex

PFCVL:

Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex

PHC:

Parahippocampal cortex

PMCDL:

Dorsolateral premotor cortex

PMCM:

Medial (supplementary) premotor cortex

PMCVL:

Ventrolateral premotor cortex

S1:

Primary somatosensory cortex

S2:

Secondary somatosensory cortex

TCC:

Central temporal cortex

TCI:

Inferior temporal cortex

TCPOL:

Polar temporal cortex

TCS:

Superior temporal cortex

TCV:

Ventral temporal cortex

V1:

Primary visual cortex

V2:

Secondary visual cortex

VACD:

Dorsal anterior visual cortex

VACV:

Ventral anterior visual cortex

Pulvinar:

Pulvinar

ThalAM:

Anteromedial thalamus