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ABSTRACT: Introduction
In psychiatric research, functional connectivity (FC) derived from resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) is often used to investigate brain abnormalities in psychiatric disorders. This approach assumes implicitly that FC can recover reliable maps of the functional architecture of the brain and that these profiles of connectivity reflect trait differences underlying pathology. However, evidence of FC related to self-generated thoughts (mind-wandering) stands in contrast with these assumptions, as FC may reflect thought patterns rather than functional architecture.Methods
Multi-factor analysis (MFA) was used to investigate the reported content of self-generated thoughts during high-field (7T) rsfMRI in a repeated sample of 22 healthy individuals. To investigate the relationship between these experiences and FC, individual scores for each of these dimensions were compared with whole-brain connectivity using the network-based statistic (NBS) method.Results
This analysis revealed three dimensions of thought content: self-referential thought, negative thoughts about one's surroundings, and thoughts in the form of imagery. A network of connections within the sensorimotor cortices negatively correlated with self-generated thoughts concerning the self was observed (p = .0081, .0486 FDR).Conclusion
These results suggest a potentially confounding relationship between self-generated thoughts and FC, and contribute to the body of research concerning the functional representation of mind-wandering.
SUBMITTER: Brennan D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7821575 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Brennan Daniel D Murrough James W JW Morris Laurel S LS
Brain and behavior 20201215 1
<h4>Introduction</h4>In psychiatric research, functional connectivity (FC) derived from resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) is often used to investigate brain abnormalities in psychiatric disorders. This approach assumes implicitly that FC can recover reliable maps of the functional architecture of the brain and that these profiles of connectivity reflect trait differences underlying pathology. However, evidence of FC related to self-generated thoughts (mind-wandering) stands in contrast with ...[more]