The Human Functional Brain Network Demonstrates Structural and Dynamical Resilience to Targeted Attack

Abstract

In recent years, the field of network science has enabled researchers to represent the highly complex interactions in the brain in an approachable yet quantitative manner. One exciting finding since the advent of brain network research was that the brain network can withstand extensive damage, even to highly connected regions. However, these highly connected nodes may not be the most critical regions of the brain network, and it is unclear how the network dynamics are impacted by removal of these key nodes. This work seeks to further investigate the resilience of the human functional brain network. Network attack experiments were conducted on voxel-wise functional brain networks and region-of-interest (ROI) networks of 5 healthy volunteers. Networks were attacked at key nodes using several criteria for assessing node importance, and the impact on network structure and dynamics was evaluated. The findings presented here echo previous findings that the functional human brain network is highly resilient to targeted attacks, both in terms of network structure and dynamics.

Reliance on functional resting-state network for stable task control predicts behavioral tendency for cooperation

“…To this end, we conducted a series of virtual lesion tests assessing the changes in global network efficiency when a targeted network attack (Joyce et al, 2013) was performed on each of the five functional systems, respectively. While individualists generally display higher Global Efficiency (t(27) = 2.13; p = .033), the network attack test shows that inflicting a virtual lesion comprising the cinguloopercular network differentially affects Global Efficiency in individualists and prosocials.…”

Brain network alterations and vulnerability to simulated neurodegeneration in breast cancer

“…Previous studies have shown decreases in global efficiency with brain aging (Sun, et al, 2012; Tijms, et al, 2013; Wu, et al, 2011; Wu, et al, 2013). Global efficiency is one of the most commonly used measures of network response to targeted attack, including studies of normal and pathologic aging (Crossley, et al, 2014; Crucitti, et al, 2003; Joyce, et al, 2013; Rubinov, et al, 2009; Santarnecchi, et al, 2014). Importantly, global efficiency is associated with increased cognitive reserve in healthy adults (Fischer, et al, 2014; Santarnecchi, et al, 2014).…”

“…Previous studies also demonstrate reduced local efficiency associated with normal and pathologic aging (Achard and Bullmore, 2007; Gong, et al, 2009; Sun, et al, 2012; Xiang, et al, 2013). Like global efficiency, local efficiency is a common measure of the brain network's response to computational attack (Joyce, et al, 2013; Santarnecchi, et al, 2014). …”

Weighted brain networks in disease: centrality and entropy in human immunodeficiency virus and aging

“…One such property is reflected in the brain's hub architecture, where a small number of nodes have a disproportionately high importance (centrality). Compared to random graphs (wherein all nodes have equivalent importance), graphs with this hub structure tend to be more resilient to random attack (i.e., random removal of edges or nodes) but more vulnerable to targeted attack (i.e., targeted removal of hubs) (Achard et al, 2006; Albert et al, 2000; Joyce et al, 2013). …”