Non-invasive structural and functional connectivity of the in-vivo human brain

Neuroimaging enables us to image the human brain and reveal information about its structure and function. Diffusion imaging infers anatomical white matter trajectories. Resting state functional MRI indirectly measures neural activity by determining Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) signal response at rest, inferring functional connections between brain areas. These independent neuroimaging modalities are advantageous due to their non-invasive and in-vivo nature, providing insight into the human connectome. Their relationship is yet not understood. We explored the structural and functional connectivity of the human brain at a macroscopic level, and the extent to which anatomical connections constrain functional connections. We analysed the correlations between functional and structural connectomes and found a strong correlation beyond the mere effect of distance between brain regions (Chapter 6). Next we delved into two different types of brain organisations - topographic and nuclear. Topographic connections between cortical areas are often ignored in macro-connectome models. We investigated such arrangements by modelling and simulating gradient of connectivity patterns as an example to encourage and bring awareness of their properties for future involvement into studying brain connectivity (Chapter 7). Finally we studied nuclear brain organisations in the human amygdala. The amygdala can be clustered into two main subdivisions, basolateral and centromedial. The basolateral complex consists of the lateral, basal and accessory basal subnuclei, whereas the centromedial complex comprises of the central and medial subnuclei. We utilised the two independent imaging modalities to parcellate the amygdala into its respective subnuclei in a data-driven approach using the Human Connectome Project (HCP) data. We studied the distinct afferent/efferent cortical projections of the human amygdala, and we parcellated the amygdala into its five subnuclei, anatomically and into two subdivisions, functionally (Chapter 8). Studying the structural and functional connectivity in-vivo and non-invasively has provided evidence of their similarities, at the cortical and subcortical level

Non-invasive structural and functional connectivity of the in-vivo human brain

Neuroimaging enables us to image the human brain and reveal information about its structure and function. Diffusion imaging infers anatomical white matter trajectories. Resting state functional MRI indirectly measures neural activity by determining Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) signal response at rest, inferring functional connections between brain areas. These independent neuroimaging modalities are advantageous due to their non-invasive and in-vivo nature, providing insight into the human connectome. Their relationship is yet not understood. We explored the structural and functional connectivity of the human brain at a macroscopic level, and the extent to which anatomical connections constrain functional connections. We analysed the correlations between functional and structural connectomes and found a strong correlation beyond the mere effect of distance between brain regions (Chapter 6). Next we delved into two different types of brain organisations - topographic and nuclear. Topographic connections between cortical areas are often ignored in macro-connectome models. We investigated such arrangements by modelling and simulating gradient of connectivity patterns as an example to encourage and bring awareness of their properties for future involvement into studying brain connectivity (Chapter 7). Finally we studied nuclear brain organisations in the human amygdala. The amygdala can be clustered into two main subdivisions, basolateral and centromedial. The basolateral complex consists of the lateral, basal and accessory basal subnuclei, whereas the centromedial complex comprises of the central and medial subnuclei. We utilised the two independent imaging modalities to parcellate the amygdala into its respective subnuclei in a data-driven approach using the Human Connectome Project (HCP) data. We studied the distinct afferent/efferent cortical projections of the human amygdala, and we parcellated the amygdala into its five subnuclei, anatomically and into two subdivisions, functionally (Chapter 8). Studying the structural and functional connectivity in-vivo and non-invasively has provided evidence of their similarities, at the cortical and subcortical level.</p

Non-invasive structural and functional connectivity of the in-vivo human brain

Neuroimaging enables us to image the human brain and reveal information about its structure and function. Diffusion imaging infers anatomical white matter trajectories. Resting state functional MRI indirectly measures neural activity by determining Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) signal response at rest, inferring functional connections between brain areas. These independent neuroimaging modalities are advantageous due to their non-invasive and in-vivo nature, providing insight into the human connectome. Their relationship is yet not understood. We explored the structural and functional connectivity of the human brain at a macroscopic level, and the extent to which anatomical connections constrain functional connections. We analysed the correlations between functional and structural connectomes and found a strong correlation beyond the mere effect of distance between brain regions (Chapter 6). Next we delved into two different types of brain organisations - topographic and nuclear. Topographic connections between cortical areas are often ignored in macro-connectome models. We investigated such arrangements by modelling and simulating gradient of connectivity patterns as an example to encourage and bring awareness of their properties for future involvement into studying brain connectivity (Chapter 7). Finally we studied nuclear brain organisations in the human amygdala. The amygdala can be clustered into two main subdivisions, basolateral and centromedial. The basolateral complex consists of the lateral, basal and accessory basal subnuclei, whereas the centromedial complex comprises of the central and medial subnuclei. We utilised the two independent imaging modalities to parcellate the amygdala into its respective subnuclei in a data-driven approach using the Human Connectome Project (HCP) data. We studied the distinct afferent/efferent cortical projections of the human amygdala, and we parcellated the amygdala into its five subnuclei, anatomically and into two subdivisions, functionally (Chapter 8). Studying the structural and functional connectivity in-vivo and non-invasively has provided evidence of their similarities, at the cortical and subcortical level.This thesis is not currently available via ORA