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Universität Potsdam

Structure-function relationship in hierarchical model of brain networks

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The mammalian brain is, with its numerous neural elements and structured complex connectivity, one of the most complex systems in nature. Recently, large-scale corticocortical connectivities, both structural and functional, have received a great deal of research attention, especially using the approach of complex networks. Here, we try to shed some light on the relationship between structural and functional connectivities by studying synchronization dynamics in a realistic anatomical network of cat cortical connectivity. We model the cortical areas by a subnetwork of interacting excitable neurons (multilevel model) and by a neural mass model (population model). With weak couplings, the multilevel model displays biologically plausible dynamics and the synchronization patterns reveal a hierarchical cluster organization in the network structure. We can identify a group of brain areas involved in multifunctional tasks by comparing the dynamical clusters to the topological communities of the network. With strong couplings of multilevel model and by using neural mass model, the dynamics are characterized by well-defined oscillations. The synchronization patterns are mainly determined by the node intensity (total input strengths of a node); the detailed network topology is of secondary importance. The biologically improved multilevel model exhibits similar dynamical patterns in the two regimes. Thus, the study of synchronization in a multilevel complex network model of cortex can provide insights into the relationship between network topology and functional organization of complex brain networks.

Degree

thesis:*
Level thesis:degree_level
thesis.doctoral
Grantor dc:publisher
Universität Potsdam
Year
2008

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Zemanová, Lucia
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Kurths, Jürgen

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Creative Commons - Namensnennung - Nicht-kommerziell - Weitergabe unter gleichen Bedingungen 3.0 Unported

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:kobv.de-opus4-uni-potsdam:1681

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Universität Potsdam - Diss
Base URL
publishup.uni-potsdam.de/opus4-ubp/oai
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Zemanová, Lucia. Structure-function relationship in hierarchical model of brain networks. thesis.doctoral thesis, Universität Potsdam, 2008. https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/1681