Fractal dynamics of the healthy human brain: A subcortical-to-cortical gradient of temporal complexity
Abstract
Loss of brain signal complexity can indicate signs of diseases, yet standard scans often miss these patterns. Establishing a high-resolution benchmark of healthy temporal complexity is essential for developing early cerebral biomarkers. To construct a fractal normative reference map of brain complexity, we analyzed high-resolution 7T fMRI scans from 173 healthy adults. We used fractal dimension analysis to map the brain spatiotemporal organization and test its relationship with human intelligence. We discovered a robust physiological gradient, from the globus pallidus (GP) (hub of maximal "healthy chaos") to fronto-parietal cognitive networks (which prioritize stability). This architecture predicts fluid intelligence. This study establishes the globus pallidus as the engine of neural flexibility while cortical network underlying cognitive abilities exhibit more regular dynamics, linked with fluid intelligence. These results offer insights to detect the dynamic rigidity that often precedes structural damage in neurological diseases, a hypothesis that requires validation in future clinical studies.
Read the paper
Related studies
- A Survey on Knowledge Graphs: Representation, Acquisition, and Applications
- Toxicity of nanomaterials
- The Human Gene Mutation Database: towards a comprehensive repository of inherited mutation data for medical research, genetic diagnosis and next-generation sequencing studies
- Halogen bonding (X‐bonding): A biological perspective
- Biofilm formation at the air–liquid interface by the Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 wrinkly spreader requires an acetylated form of cellulose
- Opioid Activation of Toll-Like Receptor 4 Contributes to Drug Reinforcement
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.