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Voxel-Wise Brain Graphs From Diffusion MRI : Intrinsic Eigenspace Dimensionality and Application to Functional MRI

Behjat, Hamid ; Tarun, Anjali ; Abramian, David ; Larsson, Martin LU orcid and Ville, Dimitri Van De (2023) In IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology p.1-12
Abstract

<italic>Goal:</italic> Structural brain graphs are conventionally limited to defining nodes as gray matter regions from an atlas, with edges reflecting the density of axonal projections between pairs of nodes. Here we explicitly model the entire set of voxels within a brain mask as nodes of high-resolution, subject-specific graphs. <italic>Methods:</italic> We define the strength of local voxel-to-voxel connections using diffusion tensors and orientation distribution functions derived from diffusion MRI data. We study the graphs&#x0027; Laplacian spectral properties on data from the Human Connectome Project. We then assess the extent of inter-subject variability of the Laplacian eigenmodes via a procrustes... (More)

<italic>Goal:</italic> Structural brain graphs are conventionally limited to defining nodes as gray matter regions from an atlas, with edges reflecting the density of axonal projections between pairs of nodes. Here we explicitly model the entire set of voxels within a brain mask as nodes of high-resolution, subject-specific graphs. <italic>Methods:</italic> We define the strength of local voxel-to-voxel connections using diffusion tensors and orientation distribution functions derived from diffusion MRI data. We study the graphs&#x0027; Laplacian spectral properties on data from the Human Connectome Project. We then assess the extent of inter-subject variability of the Laplacian eigenmodes via a procrustes validation scheme. Finally, we demonstrate the extent to which functional MRI data are shaped by the underlying anatomical structure via graph signal processing. <italic>Results:</italic> The graph Laplacian eigenmodes manifest highly resolved spatial profiles, reflecting distributed patterns that correspond to major white matter pathways. We show that the intrinsic dimensionality of the eigenspace of such high-resolution graphs is only a mere fraction of the graph dimensions. By projecting task and resting-state data on low-frequency graph Laplacian eigenmodes, we show that brain activity can be well approximated by a small subset of low-frequency components. <italic>Conclusions:</italic> The proposed graphs open new avenues in studying the brain, be it, by exploring their organisational properties via graph or spectral graph theory, or by treating them as the scaffold on which brain function is observed at the individual level.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Brain, Brain graph, diffusion MRI, Diffusion tensor imaging, Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions, Functional magnetic resonance imaging, functional MRI, graph signal processing, Laplace equations, spectral graph theory, Task analysis, Tensors
in
IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology
pages
12 pages
publisher
IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85153797247
ISSN
2644-1276
DOI
10.1109/OJEMB.2023.3267726
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
45f0998c-3d27-4229-97ab-76167edaa8f3
date added to LUP
2023-07-14 12:28:21
date last changed
2023-08-23 14:27:07
@article{45f0998c-3d27-4229-97ab-76167edaa8f3,
  abstract     = {{<p>&lt;italic&gt;Goal:&lt;/italic&gt; Structural brain graphs are conventionally limited to defining nodes as gray matter regions from an atlas, with edges reflecting the density of axonal projections between pairs of nodes. Here we explicitly model the entire set of voxels within a brain mask as nodes of high-resolution, subject-specific graphs. &lt;italic&gt;Methods:&lt;/italic&gt; We define the strength of local voxel-to-voxel connections using diffusion tensors and orientation distribution functions derived from diffusion MRI data. We study the graphs&amp;#x0027; Laplacian spectral properties on data from the Human Connectome Project. We then assess the extent of inter-subject variability of the Laplacian eigenmodes via a procrustes validation scheme. Finally, we demonstrate the extent to which functional MRI data are shaped by the underlying anatomical structure via graph signal processing. &lt;italic&gt;Results:&lt;/italic&gt; The graph Laplacian eigenmodes manifest highly resolved spatial profiles, reflecting distributed patterns that correspond to major white matter pathways. We show that the intrinsic dimensionality of the eigenspace of such high-resolution graphs is only a mere fraction of the graph dimensions. By projecting task and resting-state data on low-frequency graph Laplacian eigenmodes, we show that brain activity can be well approximated by a small subset of low-frequency components. &lt;italic&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/italic&gt; The proposed graphs open new avenues in studying the brain, be it, by exploring their organisational properties via graph or spectral graph theory, or by treating them as the scaffold on which brain function is observed at the individual level.</p>}},
  author       = {{Behjat, Hamid and Tarun, Anjali and Abramian, David and Larsson, Martin and Ville, Dimitri Van De}},
  issn         = {{2644-1276}},
  keywords     = {{Brain; Brain graph; diffusion MRI; Diffusion tensor imaging; Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; functional MRI; graph signal processing; Laplace equations; spectral graph theory; Task analysis; Tensors}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--12}},
  publisher    = {{IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}},
  series       = {{IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology}},
  title        = {{Voxel-Wise Brain Graphs From Diffusion MRI : Intrinsic Eigenspace Dimensionality and Application to Functional MRI}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/OJEMB.2023.3267726}},
  doi          = {{10.1109/OJEMB.2023.3267726}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}