Resting state network topology of the ferret brain.
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) has emerged as a versatile tool for non-invasive measurement of functional connectivity patterns in the brain. RsfMRI brain dynamics in rodents, non-human primates, and humans share similar properties; however, little is known about the resting state functional connectivity patterns in the ferret, an animal model with high potential for developmental and cognitive translational study. To address this knowledge-gap, we performed rsfMRI on anesthetized ferrets using a 9.4T MRI scanner, and subsequently performed group-level independent component analysis (gICA) to identify functionally connected brain networks. Group-level ICA analysis revealed distributed sensory, motor, and higher-order networks in the ferret brain. Subsequent connectivity analysis showed interconnected higher-order networks that constituted a putative default mode network (DMN), a network that exhibits altered connectivity in neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, we assessed ferret brain topological efficiency using graph theory analysis and found that the ferret brain exhibits small-world properties. Overall, these results provide additional evidence for pan-species resting-state networks, further supporting ferret-based studies of sensory and cognitive function.
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
Zhe Charles
ZC
Zhou
Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States.
Andrew P
AP
Salzwedel
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
Susanne
S
Radtke-Schuller
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
Yuhui
Y
Li
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
Kristin K
KK
Sellers
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
John H
JH
Gilmore
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Small Animal Imaging Facility, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
Yen-Yu Ian
YY
Shih
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
Flavio
F
Fröhlich
Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States. Electronic address: wei.gao@cshs.org.
Wei
W
Gao
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*
Default mode network; Ferret; Graph theory; Networks; Resting state; fMRI