Interrater and intermethod reliability of default mode network selection

Abstract

There has been a growing interest in the neuroimaging community regarding resting state data (i.e., passive mental activity) and the subsequent activation of the so-called default mode network (DMN). Although this network was originally characterized by a pattern of deactivation during active cognitive states, more recent applications of data-driven techniques such as independent component analysis (ICA) have permitted the analysis of brain activation during extended periods of truly passive mental activity. However, ICA requires the resultant components to be evaluated for “goodness of fit” via either human raters or more automated techniques. To our knowledge, an investigation on the reliability of either technique in determining the component that best corresponds to default-mode activity has not been performed. Moreover, it is not clear how automated techniques, which are necessarily dependent upon a template mask, are affected by the structures used to compose the mask. The current study investigated both interrater (human-human) reliability and intermethod (human-machine) reliability for determining DMN activation in 42 healthy controls. Results indicated that near perfect interrater reliability was achieved, whereas intermethod reliability was only within the moderate range. The latter was significantly improved via a weighted combination of the anterior and posterior cingulate nodes of the DMN. Implications for fully automating the component selection process are discussed.

Dysfunctional modulation of default mode network activity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

“…To establish this we employed a repeated measures ANOVA as implemented in SPM with group as a between subject factor, ER and stimulus type (target and standard) as within subject factors. Clusters were retained in the mask if they were also consistent with DMN areas reported in previous studies (Franco et al, 2009, Laird et al, 2009). Three such clusters were identified at a false discovery ratecorrected p level of 0.05 (cluster forming threshold p<0.001) and included in the mask (see Figure 2 and Table 2 The beta values from the DMN mask for all regressors in the first level model were extracted using MARSBAR software (Brett, Anton, Valabregue, & Poline, 2002).…”

Functional Disintegration of the Default Mode Network in Prodromal Alzheimer’s Disease

“…We thus applied ICA using our predefined DMN regions to identify them independently as a preparatory step to derive specific group-level spatial maps to feed into the dual regression. They were carefully chosen according to Buckner et al [22], and constrained within existing independent DMN templates [75,76], containing the bilateral ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) (Brodmann area (BA) 10; we condensed the vmPFC to BA 10 excluding BA 32 and 24 and verified the anatomical accuracy with a current DMN template by Smith et al [76] resulting in our mask including parts of the superior and middle frontal gyrus (but will refer to this hub as the vmPFC for the remainder of the paper), PCC (BA 23, 31), inferior parietal lobule (IPL) (BA 39,40), and in addition the RSC (BA 29, 30), and both hippocampi. Conforming to the method by Franco et al [75], we identified these nodes using BAs in the Wake Forest University Pickatlas toolbox [77], which is based on histological and cytoarchitectonical observations and therefore allows for a functional and anatomical accurate selection of DMN nodes of interest (Fig.…”

“…The functional coupling between the left vmPFC and the left PCC (F (2,75) Table 2). Post-hoc analyses revealed a significantly lower positive coupling between the left vmPFC and left PCC in prodro- (Fig.…”

Posterior brain damage and cognitive impairment in pediatric multiple sclerosis

“…20 The DMN was identified through a voxel-wise correlation with the DMN template supplied in GIFT. 21 Between-group comparisons of RS FC were tested using factorial models, which were explicitly masked with the binarized DMN mask extracted from each one-sample t test using Marsbar. 22 Correlations between DMN RS FC abnormalities vs clinical variables, neuropsychological scores, and other MRI variables were assessed using linear regression models.…”