Stimulus-Independent Functional Connectivity in the Rat Brain

Adam J. Schwarz^1,2, Alessandro Gozzi¹, Angelo Bifone¹

To what extent functional connectivity is determined by neuronal wiring constraints, or by the dynamical features of the brain functional processes is an open question. To this end, we have investigated functional connectivity in the rat brain under various pharmacological challenges to identify stimulus-independent patterns of connectivity that may mirror general features of the brain organization. Complex network analysis revealed two networks of tightly connected voxels that were independent of the particular neurotransmitter system engaged, and likely to reflect the organization of the underlying neuronal substrate