Cognitive task information is transferred between brain regions via resting-state network topology

Takuya Ito,Kaustubh R Kulkarni,Douglas H Schultz,Ravi D Mill,Richard H Chen,Michael W Cole,Levi I Solomyak

doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01000-w

Takuya Ito, Kaustubh R Kulkarni + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01000-w

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Abstract

Resting-state network connectivity has been associated with a variety of cognitive abilities, yet it remains unclear how these connectivity properties might contribute to the neurocognitive computations underlying these abilities. We developed a new approach—information transfer mapping—to test the hypothesis that resting-state functional network topology describes the computational mappings between brain regions that carry cognitive task information. Here, we report that the transfer of diverse, task-rule information in distributed brain regions can be predicted based on estimated activity flow through resting-state network connections. Further, we find that these task-rule information transfers are coordinated by global hub regions within cognitive control networks. Activity flow over resting-state connections thus provides a large-scale network mechanism for cognitive task information transfer and global information coordination in the human brain, demonstrating the cognitive relevance of resting-state network topology.

Highlights

Resting-state network connectivity has been associated with a variety of cognitive abilities, yet it remains unclear how these connectivity properties might contribute to the neurocognitive computations underlying these abilities
Based on recent evidence that resting-state functional connectivity (FC) describes the routes of task-evoked activity flow[14] (Fig. 1a)—the movement of task activations between brain regions—we hypothesized that restingstate network topology describes the mappings underlying task information transfer between brain regions
We quantified global hubs as having high between-network global connectivity (BGC) estimated during resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) using FC estimated with multiple regression (Fig. 3c)

Summary

Introduction

Resting-state network connectivity has been associated with a variety of cognitive abilities, yet it remains unclear how these connectivity properties might contribute to the neurocognitive computations underlying these abilities. Other studies investigating interdependence of brain regions during tasks (rather than during rest) have typically emphasized statistical dependencies between regional time series[10,11,12], rather than the mechanistic transfer of task-relevant information content (reflected in task activation patterns13) between those regions It remains unclear whether or how the network topology described by either resting-state or taskevoked FC is relevant to the neurocognitive computations underlying task performance. Based on recent evidence that resting-state FC describes the routes of task-evoked activity flow[14] (Fig. 1a)—the movement of task activations between brain regions—we hypothesized that restingstate network topology describes the mappings underlying task information (task-evoked activation pattern) transfer between brain regions If true, this hypothesis implicates a network mechanism for an information-preserving mapping across brain regions involving communication channels[9, 15] described by resting-state network topology. Rule set 64 description: If NEITHER stimulus is RED, press your LEFT INDEX finger [other finger, same hand if false]

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