Brain connectivity analysis: Investigating brain disorders

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Editorial

13 February 2012

Introduction to Research Topic – Brain Connectivity Analysis: Investigating Brain Disorders. Part 2: Original Research Articles

Silvina G. Horovitz

and

Barry Horwitz

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National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH)

Silvina G Horovitz

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH)

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In the last few years, advances in human structural and functional neuroimaging (fMRI, PET, EEG/MEG) have resulted in an explosion of studies investigating the anatomical and functional connectivity between different regions of the brain. More and more studies have employed resting and task-related connectivity analyses to assess functional interactions, and diffusion-weighted tractography to study white matter organization. Many of these studies have addressed normal human function, but recently, a number of investigators have turned their attention to examining brain disorders.

The study of brain disorders is a complex endeavor; not only does it require understanding the normal brain, and the regions involved in a particular function, but also it needs a deeper understanding of brain networks and their dynamics. This Research Topic will provide the scientific community with an overview of how to apply connectivity methods to study brain disease, and with perspectives on what are the strength and limitations of each modality.

For this Research Topic, we solicit both reviews and original research articles on the use of brain connectivity analysis, with non-human or human models, to explore neurological, psychiatric, developmental and neurodegenerative disorders from a system perspective. Connectivity studies that have focused on one or more of the following will be of particular interest:

(1) detection of abnormal functional/structural connectivity;

(2) neural plasticity, assessed by changes in connectivity, in patients with brain disorders;

(3) assessment of therapy using connectivity measures;

(4) relation of connectivity changes to behavioral changes.

In the last few years, advances in human structural and functional neuroimaging (fMRI, PET, EEG/MEG) have resulted in an explosion of studies investigating the anatomical and functional connectivity between different regions of the brain. More and more studies have employed resting and task-related connectivity analyses to assess functional interactions, and diffusion-weighted tractography to study white matter organization. Many of these studies have addressed normal human function, but recently, a number of investigators have turned their attention to examining brain disorders.

The study of brain disorders is a complex endeavor; not only does it require understanding the normal brain, and the regions involved in a particular function, but also it needs a deeper understanding of brain networks and their dynamics. This Research Topic will provide the scientific community with an overview of how to apply connectivity methods to study brain disease, and with perspectives on what are the strength and limitations of each modality.

For this Research Topic, we solicit both reviews and original research articles on the use of brain connectivity analysis, with non-human or human models, to explore neurological, psychiatric, developmental and neurodegenerative disorders from a system perspective. Connectivity studies that have focused on one or more of the following will be of particular interest:

(1) detection of abnormal functional/structural connectivity;

(2) neural plasticity, assessed by changes in connectivity, in patients with brain disorders;

(3) assessment of therapy using connectivity measures;

(4) relation of connectivity changes to behavioral changes.

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Editors

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH)

Silvina G Horovitz

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH)

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Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience

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