Two intrinsic coupling types for resting-state integration in the human brain

Brain Topogr. 2015 Mar;28(2):318-29. doi: 10.1007/s10548-014-0394-2. Epub 2014 Sep 3.

Abstract

Recent findings indicate that synchronous neural activity at rest influences human performance in subsequent tasks. Synchronization can occur in form of phase coupling or amplitude correlation. It is unknown whether these coupling types have differing behavioral significance at rest. To address this, we performed resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) and source connectivity analysis in several populations of healthy subjects and patients with brain lesions. We systematically compared different types and frequencies of neural synchronization and investigated their association with behavioral performance in verbal and spatial attention tasks. Behavioral performance could be consistently predicted by two distinct resting-state coupling patterns: (1) amplitude envelope correlation of beta activity between homologous areas of both hemispheres, (2) lagged phase synchronization in EEG alpha activity between a brain area and the entire cortex. A disruption of these coupling patterns was also associated with neurological deficits in patients with stroke lesions. This suggests the existence of two distinct network systems responsible for resting-state integration. Lagged phase synchronization in the alpha band is associated with global interaction across networks while amplitude envelope correlation seems to be behaviorally relevant for interactions within networks and between hemispheres. These two coupling types may therefore provide complementary insights on brain physiology and pathology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alpha Rhythm / physiology
  • Beta Rhythm / physiology
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Electroencephalography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Neural Pathways / physiopathology
  • Periodicity
  • Rest
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Stroke / physiopathology*
  • Support Vector Machine
  • Young Adult