title: Working memory capacity and the functional connectome - insights from resting-state fMRI and voxelwise centrality mapping.
abstract: The functional connectome represents a comprehensive network map of functional connectivity throughout the human brain. To date, the relationship between the organization of functional connectivity and cognitive performance measures is still poorly understood. In the present study we use resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to explore the link between the functional connectome and working memory capacity in an individual differences design. Working memory capacity, which refers to the maximum amount of context information that an individual can retain in the absence of external stimulation, was assessed outside the MRI scanner and estimated based on behavioral data from a change detection task. Resting-state time series were analyzed by means of voxelwise degree and eigenvector centrality mapping, which are data-driven network analytic approaches for the characterization of functional connectivity. We found working memory capacity to be inversely correlated with both centrality in the right intraparietal sulcus. Exploratory analyses revealed that this relationship was putatively driven by an increase in negative connectivity strength of the structure. This resting-state connectivity finding fits previous task based activation studies that have shown that this area responds to manipulations of working memory load.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany. sebastian.markett@uni-bonn-diff.de.|Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. sebastian.markett@uni-bonn-diff.de.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markett
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany.|Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.affiliation: Institute for Numerical Simulation, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Behrend
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heeren
authors.affiliation: Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lachmann
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.|Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.|Department of NeuroCognition, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.|Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montag
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D063132:Connectome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012146:Rest; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Connectome; Intraparietal sulcus; Resting-state fMRI; Working; Working memory; memory capacity, cognitive ability