Identifying Emergent Mesoscopic–Macroscopic Functional Brain Network Dynamics in Infants at Term-Equivalent Age with Electric Source Neuroimaging

Abstract

Aim:

To identify and characterize the functional brain networks at the time when the brain is yet to develop higher order functions in term-born and preterm infants at term-equivalent age.

Introduction:

Although functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data have revealed the existence of spatially structured resting-state brain activity in infants, the temporal information of fMRI data limits the characterization of fast timescale brain oscillations. In this study, we use infants' high-density electroencephalography (EEG) to characterize spatiotemporal and spectral functional organizations of brain network dynamics.

Methods:

We used source-reconstructed EEG and graph theoretical analyses in 100 infants (84 preterm, 16 term born) to identify the rich-club topological organization, temporal dynamics, and spectral fingerprints of dynamic functional brain networks.

Results:

Five dynamic functional brain networks are identified, which have rich-club topological organizations, distinctive spectral fingerprints (in the delta and low-alpha frequency), and scale-invariant temporal dynamics (<0.1 Hz): The default mode, primary sensory-limbic system, thalamo-frontal, thalamo-sensorimotor, and visual-limbic system. The temporal dynamics of these networks are correlated in a hierarchically leading–following organization, showing that infant brain networks arise from long-range synchronization of band-limited cortical oscillation based on interacting fast- and slow-coherent cortical oscillations.

Conclusion:

Dynamic functional brain networks do not solely depend on the maturation of cognitive networks; instead, the brain network dynamics exist in infants at term age well before the childhood and adulthood, and hence, it offers a quantitative measurement of neurotypical development in infants. Clinical Trial Registration Number: ACTRN12615000591550.

Impact statement

Our work offers novel functional insights into the brain network characterization in infants, providing a new functional basis for future deployable prognostication approaches.