| Popis: |
Decades of research have greatly improved our understanding of human brain organization in terms of intrinsic connectivity networks and the transmodal hubs within the cortex at which they converge. However, subcortical substrates of multi-network integration remain mostly uncharted. In this study, we exploited recent advances in subcortical imaging and atlasing by combining state-of-the-art subcortical parcellations with ultra-high field imaging optimized for the subcortex to investigate the functional architecture of a large set of subcortical nuclei using a data-driven, multivariate analysis approach. We revealed an intricate system of signal repetitions, or echoes, from multiple intrinsic connectivity networks that indicates a functionally heterogeneous organization supportive of large-scale network convergence within various subcortical structures. Diversified network affiliations were especially prominent within the thalamus, striatum, claustrum, and hippocampus. Whereas subsignals within the globus pallidus externa, subsantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area also correlated with widely distributed functional networks, other structures including the subthalamic nucleus, red nucleus, and locus coeruleus demonstrated a stronger local connectivity profile indicative of more segregated functional processing. With these results, we present new evidence for the subcortical contributions to systems-level information integration, emphasizing the importance of regions beyond associative cortex for global brain communication. |
