Synchronization dependent on spatial structures of a mesoscopic whole-brain network

Abstract

We study how the spatial structure of connectivity shapes synchronization in a system of coupled phase oscillators on a mammalian whole-brain network at the mesoscopic level. Complex structural connectivity of the mammalian brain is believed to underlie the versatility of neural computations. The Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas constructed from viral tracing experiments together with a new mapping algorithm reveals that the connectivity has a significant spatial dependence: the connection strength decreases with distance between the regions, following a power law. However, there are a number of residuals above the power-law fit, predominantly for long-range connections. We show how these strong connections between distal brain regions promote rapid transitions between highly localized synchronization and more global synchronization as the amount of dispersion in the frequency distribution changes. This may explain the brains ability to switch rapidly between global and modularized computations.