New research led by University of Sydney and Fudan University neuroscientists shows that spiral-like, rotational wave patterns (brain spirals) are widespread during both resting and cognitive task states. The properties of these brain spirals, such as their rotational directions and locations, are task relevant and can be used to classify different cognitive tasks.
Detection of brain spirals based on moment-by-moment fMRI signals. Image credit: Xu et al., doi: 10.1038/s41562-023-01626-5.
“Our discovery could have the potential to advance powerful computing machines inspired by the intricate workings of the human brain,” said University of Sydney’s Dr. Pulin Gong, senior author of a paper published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.
“The discovery opens up new avenues for understanding how the brain works and provides valuable insights into the fundamental functions of the human brain.”
“It could help medical researchers understand the effects of brain diseases, such as dementia, by examining the role they play.”
“Our study suggests that gaining insights into how the spirals are related to cognitive processing could significantly enhance our understanding of the dynamics and functions of the brain.”
“These spiral patterns exhibit intricate and complex dynamics, moving across the brain’s surface while rotating around central points known as phase singularities.”
“Much like vortices act in turbulence, the spirals engage in intricate interactions, playing a crucial role in organizing the brain’s complex activities.”
“The intricate interactions among multiple co-existing spirals could allow neural computations to be conducted in a distributed and parallel manner, leading to remarkable computational efficiency.”
The location of the spirals on the cortex could allow them to connect activity in different sections, or networks, of the brain — acting as a bridge of communication.
Many of the spirals are large enough to cover multiple networks.
The cortex of the brain, also known as the cerebral cortex, is the outermost layer of the brain that is responsible for many complex cognitive functions, including perception, memory, attention, language and consciousness.
“One key characteristic of these brain spirals is that they often emerge at the boundaries that separate different functional networks in the brain,” said University of Sydney Ph.D. student Yiben Xu, first author of the study.
“Through their rotational motion, they effectively coordinate the flow of activity between these networks.”
“In our research, we observed that these interacting brain spirals allow for flexible reconfiguration of brain activity during various tasks involving natural language processing and working memory, which they achieve by changing their rotational directions.”
The researchers gathered their findings from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans of 100 young adults, which they analyzed by adapting methods used to understand complex wave patterns in turbulence.
Neuroscience has traditionally focused on interactions between neurons to understand brain function.
There is a growing area of science looking at larger processes within the brain to help us understand its mysteries.
“By unraveling the mysteries of brain activity and uncovering the mechanisms governing its coordination, we are moving closer to unlocking the full potential of understanding cognition and brain function,” Dr. Gong said.
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Y. Xu et al. 2023. Interacting spiral wave patterns underlie complex brain dynamics and are related to cognitive processing. Nat Hum Behav 7, 1196-1215; doi: 10.1038/s41562-023-01626-5
