title: A method for independent component graph analysis of resting-state fMRI.
abstract: Independent component analysis (ICA) has been extensively used for reducing task-free BOLD fMRI recordings into spatial maps and their associated time-courses. The spatially identified independent components can be considered as intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) of non-contiguous regions. To date, the spatial patterns of the networks have been analyzed with techniques developed for volumetric data.
  
  
  
  Here, we detail a graph building technique that allows these ICNs to be analyzed with graph theory.
  
  
  
  First, ICA was performed at the single-subject level in 15 healthy volunteers using a 3T MRI scanner. The identification of nine networks was performed by a multiple-template matching procedure and a subsequent component classification based on the network "neuronal" properties. Second, for each of the identified networks, the nodes were defined as 1,015 anatomically parcellated regions. Third, between-node functional connectivity was established by building edge weights for each networks. Group-level graph analysis was finally performed for each network and compared to the classical network.
  
  
  
  Network graph comparison between the classically constructed network and the nine networks showed significant differences in the auditory and visual medial networks with regard to the average degree and the number of edges, while the visual lateral network showed a significant difference in the small-worldness.
  
  
  
  This novel approach permits us to take advantage of the well-recognized power of ICA in BOLD signal decomposition and, at the same time, to make use of well-established graph measures to evaluate connectivity differences. Moreover, by providing a graph for each separate network, it can offer the possibility to extract graph measures in a specific way for each network. This increased specificity could be relevant for studying pathological brain activity or altered states of consciousness as induced by anesthesia or sleep, where specific networks are known to be altered in different strength.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics & Astronomy Brain & Mind Institute Western University London ON Canada.
authors.forename: Demetrius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribeiro de Paula
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics & Astronomy Brain & Mind Institute Western University London ON Canada.
authors.forename: Pubuditha M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Abeyasinghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics & Astronomy Brain & Mind Institute Western University London ON Canada.
authors.forename: Tushar K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium; IRCCS SDN, Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare Naples Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavaliere
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN, Istituto di Ricerca Diagnostica e Nucleare Naples Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aiello
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium.
authors.forename: Lizette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heine
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: di Perri
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium; Brain and Spine Institute (ICM) Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière Paris France.
authors.forename: Athena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demertzi
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium.
authors.forename: Quentin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Noirhomme
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Charland-Verville
authors.affiliation: Department of Algology and Palliative Care Université de Liège Liege Belgium.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanhaudenhuyse
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stender
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Bogotá Bogotá Colombia.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology Université de Liège Liège Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Flory L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tshibanda
authors.affiliation: Coma Science Group GIGA Research Université et Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège Liège Belgium; Department of Neurology Université de Liège Liège Belgium.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laureys
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology Brain & Mind Institute Western University London ON Canada.
authors.forename: Adrian M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics & Astronomy Brain & Mind Institute Western University London ON Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soddu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069550:Machine Learning; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis
keywords: BOLD fMRI; graph theory; independent component analysis; resting state