Prediction of individual melodic contour processing in sensory association cortices from resting state functional connectivity

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that it is possible to predict an individual brains spatial activation pattern in response to a paradigm from their functional connectivity at rest (rsFC). However, it is unclear whether this prediction works across the brain. We here aim to understand whether individual task activation can be best predicted in local regions that are highly specialised to the task at hand or whether there are domain-independent regions in the brain that carry most information about the individual. To answer this question, we used fMRI data from participants (nonmusicians, N=52) at rest and during an auditory oddball paradigm while watching a silent movie. We then predicted individual differences in brain responses to melodic deviants from their rsFC both across the whole brain (global parcellation in 22 regions) and within the auditory cortices (local parcellation in 22 regions). Predictability was consistently higher in specific brain areas. These areas are centred around sensory association cortices: In the local (auditory cortex) parcellation, the best predicted area is the right superior temporal gyrus (STG), an auditory association area. The right STG is a critical region in melodic contour processing, a capacity that is central to the paradigm at hand. Interestingly, the best predicted network in the global parcellation is the bilateral visual association cortex. Sensory association cortices may carry more information specific to an individual regardless of the particular paradigm. Our results indicate that individual differences can be predicted in paradigm-relevant areas or general areas with higher inter-individual variability.