Spatiotemporally Coordinated Activation Detected During Apparent Rest in FMRI

Natalia Petridou¹, Cesar Caballero^1,2, Ian Dryden³, Susan Francis¹, Penny Gowland¹

Studies have shown that when apparently at rest the brain remains active, and is organized into functional networks that exhibit recurring patterns of activity. Here, we explore the fMRI data time series using Wiener-deconvolution in combination with a temporal T-statistic. We find individual spatiotemporally coordinated activation events during apparent rest, in no particular recurring pattern, but consistent with both individual mental tasks and/or individual spontaneous movements of the body. Even though the functional significance has not been elucidated, their presence indicates that these events can reduce sensitivity in standard fMRI analysis and are an additional consideration for resting state analysis.