Human navigation network: the intrinsic functional organization and behavioral relevance.
Spatial navigation is a crucial ability for living. Previous work has revealed multiple distributed brain regions associated with human navigation. However, little is known about how these regions work together as a network (referred to as navigation network) to support flexible navigation. In a novel protocol, we combined neuroimaging meta-analysis, and functional connectivity and behavioral data from the same subjects. Briefly, we first constructed the navigation network for each participant, by combining a large-scale neuroimaging meta-analysis (with the Neurosynth) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Then, we investigated multiple topological properties of the navigation networks, including small-worldness, modularity, and highly connected hubs. Finally, we explored the behavioral relevance of these intrinsic properties in a large sample of healthy young adults (N = 190). We found that navigation networks showed small-world and modular organization at global level. More importantly, we found that increased small-worldness and modularity of the navigation network were associated with better navigation ability. Finally, we found that the right retrosplenial complex (RSC) acted as one of the hubs in the navigation network, and that higher betweenness of this region correlated with better navigation ability, suggesting a critical role of the RSC in modulating the navigation network in human brain. Our study takes one of the first steps toward understanding the underlying organization of the navigation network. Moreover, these findings suggest the potential applications of the novel approach to investigating functionally meaningful networks in human brain and their relations to the behavioral impairments in the aging and psychiatric patients.
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China. xiangzhen.kong@outlook.com.
Xiang-Zhen
XZ
Kong
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China.
Xu
X
Wang
ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and Its Disorders, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.|Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
Yi
Y
Pu
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China.
Lijie
L
Huang
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China.
Xin
X
Hao
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China.
Zonglei
Z
Zhen
School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China. liujia@bnu.edu.cn.
Jia
J
Liu
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D065854:Spatial Navigation / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
Connectomics; Functional connectivity; Individual differences; Spatial navigation