Insights into brain networks from functional MRI and graph analysis during and following attentional demand

The human brain is a highly flexible and adaptive information processing system that allows us to interact with our environment and to adjust behaviour to current task demands. However, if a task demand is high, the flexibility and capability of the brain to adapt is challenged. The studies of the current thesis aimed to shed light on neural mechanisms that are involved in adaptive processes of the brain in order to match the demands in an attentional task and on changes in the whole brain network configuration that reflect consequences of task performance. Data basis were functional MRI data which were analyzed with a BOLD approach and graph analysis. Brain networks that mediate ‘attentional effort’ were identified as being involved during the task. These networks were further functionally differentiated in motivational and arousal components. Further, the task performance has led to long-termed changes in the brain topology, as reflected in lowered functional network integration and increased clustering. These changes persisted for 12 minutes following the task and began only slowly to recover.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Oldenburg

Year

2013

Author dc:creator

• Breckel, Thomas P. K.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Thiel, Christiane
• Debener, Stefan

• vigilance, neuronal networks, attentional effort, resting state, sustained attention

Repository record source_url

http://oops.uni-oldenburg.de/1445

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oops.uni-oldenburg.de:1445