Multi-color image of the whole brain, created using a computer image processing program (called SUMA) that integrates data generated by functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Image credit: National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health (CC0)
The brain contains many cells known as neurons that send and receive messages in the form of electrical signals. The neurons in different regions of the brain must coordinate their activities to enable the brain to operate properly.
Researchers often use a method called resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) to study how different areas of the brain work together. This method indirectly measures brain activity by detecting the changes in blood flow to different areas of the brain. Regions that are working together will become active (that is, have higher blood flow and corresponding rsfMRI signal) and inactive (have lower blood flow and a lower rsfMRI signal) at the same time. These coordinated patterns of brain activity are known as “resting-state brain networks” (RSNs).
Previous studies have identified RSNs in many different situations, but we still do not fully understand how these changes in blood flow are related to what is happening in the neurons themselves. To address this question, Tu et al. performed rsfMRI while also measuring the electrical activity (referred to as electrophysiology signals) in two distinct regions of the brains of rats. The team then used the data to generate maps of RSNs in those brain regions.
This revealed that rsfMRI signals and electrophysiology signals produced almost identical maps in terms of the locations of the RSNs. However, the electrophysiology signals only contributed a small amount to the changes in the local rsfMRI signals over time at the same recording site. This suggests that RSNs may arise from cell activities that are not detectable by electrophysiology but do regulate blood flow to neurons.
The findings of Tu et al. offer a new perspective for interpreting how rsfMRI signals relate to the activities of neurons. Further work is needed to explore all the features of the electrophysiology signals and test other methods to compare these features with rsfMRI signals in the same locations.
