Three Distinct Sets of Connector Hubs Integrate Human Brain Function
Evan M. Gordon,
Charles J. Lynch,
Caterina Gratton,
Timothy O. Laumann,
Adrian W. Gilmore,
Deanna J. Greene,
Mario Ortega,
Annie L. Nguyen,
Bradley L. Schlaggar,
Steven E. Petersen,
Nico U.F. Dosenbach,
Steven M. Nelson
Affiliations
Evan M. Gordon
VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX 76711, USA; Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76789, USA; Corresponding author
Charles J. Lynch
Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
Caterina Gratton
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Timothy O. Laumann
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Adrian W. Gilmore
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Deanna J. Greene
Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Mario Ortega
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Annie L. Nguyen
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Bradley L. Schlaggar
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Steven E. Petersen
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Nico U.F. Dosenbach
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Occupational Therapy, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
Steven M. Nelson
VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX 76711, USA; Center for Vital Longevity, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76789, USA
Summary: Control over behavior is enabled by the brain’s control networks, which interact with lower-level sensory motor and default networks to regulate their functions. Such interactions are facilitated by specialized “connector hub” regions that interconnect discrete networks. Previous work has treated hubs as a single category of brain regions, although their unitary nature is dubious when examined in individual brains. Here we investigated the nature of hubs by using fMRI to characterize individual-specific hub regions in two independent datasets. We identified three separable sets of connector hubs that integrate information between specific brain networks. These three hub categories occupy different positions within the brain’s network structure; they affect networks differently when artificially lesioned, and they are differentially engaged during cognitive and motor task performance. This work suggests a model of brain organization in which different connector hubs integrate control functions and enable top-down control of separate processing streams. : Gordon et al. identify separable control-processing, control-default, and cross-control connector hubs that integrate specific brain networks. These hub sets are differentially engaged during task performance and affect networks differently when artificially lesioned. Different connector hub sets may separately enable top-down control of sensory motor, emotional, and control of control functions. Keywords: fMRI, functional connectivity, brain networks, connector hubs
