The relationship of structural and functional brain networks via hierarchical synchronization

Benefiting from the structural segmentation and functional conformity, the cerebra can reach an ‘economical work mode including both local clustering and global cooperation, which makes the relation of structural and functional network play an important role in the comprehension of cognitive brain activities. The collective dynamics of neural mass models coupled through structural brain network represents properties of brain activities. Based on functional brain networks derived from simulated time series, the relationship between structural and functional brain networks is investigated via comparing topologies of the two networks. The numeric results of structural networks in cats and monkeys show that the functional and structural networks display similar connecting patterns, which were also quantitively studied with the help of vertex similarity in structrual networks. Numeric results support the view point that the hierarchies in structural networks are the basis of functional brain activities and suggest that the functional conformity is realized via collective dynamics of neurons.