Hancock, Fran, Cabral, Joana, Luppi, Andrea I, Rosas, Fernando, Mediano, Pedro A M, Dipasquale, Ottavia and Turkheimer, Federico E (2022) Metastability, fractal scaling, and synergistic information processing: what phase relationships reveal about intrinsic brain activity. NeuroImage, 259. a119433 1-16. ISSN 1053-8119

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Abstract

Dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) in resting-state fMRI holds promise to deliver candidate biomarkers for clinical applications. However, the reliability and interpretability of dFC metrics remain contested. Despite a myriad of methodologies and resulting measures, few studies have combined metrics derived from different conceptualizations of brain functioning within the same analysis - perhaps missing an opportunity for improved interpretability. Using a complexity-science approach, we assessed the reliability and interrelationships of a battery of phase-based dFC metrics including tools originating from dynamical systems, stochastic processes, and information dynamics approaches. Our analysis revealed novel relationships between these metrics, which allowed us to build a predictive model for integrated information using metrics from dynamical systems and information theory. Furthermore, global metastability - a metric reflecting simultaneous tendencies for coupling and decoupling - was found to be the most representative and stable metric in brain parcellations that included cerebellar regions. Additionally, spatiotemporal patterns of phase-locking were found to change in a slow, non-random, continuous manner over time. Taken together, our findings show that the majority of characteristics of resting-state fMRI dynamics reflect an interrelated dynamical and informational complexity profile, which is unique to each acquisition. This finding challenges the interpretation of results from cross-sectional designs for brain neuromarker discovery, suggesting that individual life-trajectories may be more informative than sample means.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Complexity, Dynamic functional connectivity, Fractal scaling, Functional magnetic resonance imaging, Integrated information, LEiDA, Metastability, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cross-Sectional Studies, Fractals, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Reproducibility of Results
Schools and Departments:	School of Engineering and Informatics > Informatics
SWORD Depositor:	Mx Elements Account
Depositing User:	Mx Elements Account
Date Deposited:	02 Mar 2023 11:12
Last Modified:	02 Mar 2023 11:15
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/111003

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