title: Dynamic Connectivity Patterns in Conscious and Unconscious Brain.
abstract: Brain functional connectivity undergoes dynamic changes from the awake to unconscious states. However, how the dynamics of functional connectivity patterns are linked to consciousness at the behavioral level remains elusive. In this study, we acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data during wakefulness and graded levels of consciousness in rats. Data were analyzed using a dynamic approach combining the sliding window method and k-means clustering. Our results demonstrate that whole-brain networks contained several quasi-stable patterns that dynamically recurred from the awake state into anesthetized states. Remarkably, two brain connectivity states with distinct spatial similarity to the structure of anatomical connectivity were strongly biased toward high and low consciousness levels, respectively. These results provide compelling neuroimaging evidence linking the dynamics of whole-brain functional connectivity patterns and states of consciousness at the behavioral level.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park , Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Yuncong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: 2 The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park , Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park , Pennsylvania.|2 The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park , Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Nanyin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003243:Consciousness / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D007530:Isoflurane
keywords: anesthetic-induced unconsciousness; dynamic functional connectivity; rat; resting-state networks