How to Characterize the Function of a Brain Region

Abstract

Many brain regions have been defined, but a comprehensive formalization of each region's function in relation to human behavior is still lacking. Current knowledge comes from various fields, which have diverse conceptions of 'functions'. We briefly review these fields and outline how the heterogeneity of associations could be harnessed to disclose the computational function of any region. Aggregating activation data from neuroimaging studies allows us to characterize the functional engagement of a region across a range of experimental conditions. Furthermore, large-sample data can disclose covariation between brain region features and ecological behavioral phenotyping. Combining these two approaches opens a new perspective to determine the behavioral associations of a brain region, and hence its function and broader role within large-scale functional networks.

A SENtence Supramodal Areas AtlaS (SENSAAS) based on multiple task-induced activation mapping and graph analysis of intrinsic connectivity in 144 healthy right-handers

“…Using a network approach, Saur et al (2008) found that prec4 belongs to the sentence comprehension functional network. In Glasser’s atlas, prec4 corresponds to “language area 55b” (Glasser et al 2016) and overlaps the posterior part of the “rostro-ventral module” described by Genon et al (2018a, b). In this last work based on peaks meta-analysis, this module is connected with the inferior frontal gyrus, orbital frontal and inferior parietal as prec4 in the present work.…”

“…The probabilistic mapping of lesions combined with fine-grained aphasic patient evaluations of language performance have provided the community with very accurate descriptions of essential language areas (Dronkers and Ogar 2004; Dronkers et al 2004) although this very important approach does not reveal how these cortical areas are organized in networks. Because each multiple cortical area altered by a given pathology is not involved in the language deficit, the comprehensive identification of language areas from lesions is a complex issue [see (Genon et al 2018a, b) for a review].…”

A graph representation of functional diversity of brain regions

“…Although the idea of functional specialization or segregation has led to breakthroughs in cognitive neuroscience, it has also been realized that the specific functional attributes of a brain region are related to its connectivity (integration) with other areas of the brain (Cole et al, ; Friston, ; Genon et al, ; Sallet et al, ; Yin et al, ). Specifically, a recent study has argued that long‐range connections are key for the functional diversification of brain regions (Betzel & Bassett, ).…”

“…Despite the benefits of aggregating data from task-based neuroimaging studies in allowing us to characterize the functional diversity across brain regions (Genon, Reid, Langner, Amunts, & Eickhoff, 2018;Laird, Lancaster, & Fox, 2005;Yarkoni, Poldrack, Nichols, Van Essen, & Wager, 2011), the complete functional repertoire of a brain region remains intangible. This is because a very limited range of behavioral conditions have been investigated, in contrast to the immense range of human behaviors that occur in real-life scenarios.…”

Personality and local brain structure: their shared genetic basis and reproducibility

“…To do so, volumetric counterparts of the surface-based parcels were identified. In particular, we identified those meta-data labels (describing the computed contrast [behavioral domain]) that were significantly more likely than chance to result in activation of a given parcel (Fox PT et al 2014;Nostro AD et al 2017;Genon S et al 2018). That is, functions were attributed to the identified neurogenetic effects by quantitatively determining which types of experiments are associated with activation in the respective parcellation region.…”