Biology subjects

Mariani, J.-C.

Publications and source records attributed to Mariani, J.-C..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Structural and dynamic embedding of the mouse functional connectome revealed by functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI)

Functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI) is an emerging hemodynamic neuroimaging modality whose potential for connectome-scale network mapping remains largely untested. Here, we establish a non-invasive transcranial fUSI protocol and an fMRI-inspired preprocessing framework that enable robust resting-state functional connectomics in the mouse. We show that fUSI resolves canonical brain-wide cortical and subcortical networks with high spatial concordance to fMRI, including a default-mode (DMN) and a laterocortical network. Notably, fUSI networks are robustly embedded within the structural connectome, with structure-function coupling being parsimoniously described by four dominant axes that differentially relate functional systems to known anatomical substrates. We also show that, beyond static organization, fUSI reproduces hallmark resting state fMRI dynamics, including dominant anti-correlated coactivation patterns (CAPs) and a structured transition architecture that converges onto three stable attractor modes. Together, these results establish transcranial fUSI as a portable and scalable complement to fMRI for connectome-scale mapping of mouse brain networks.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Robust functional ultrasound imaging in the awake and behaving brain: a systematic framework for motion artifact removal

Functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI) is a promising tool for studying brain activity in awake and behaving animals, offering insights into neural dynamics that are more naturalistic than those obtained under anesthesia. However, motion artifacts pose a significant challenge, introducing biases that can compromise the integrity of the data. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation and benchmarking of strategies for detecting and removing motion artifacts in transcranial fUSI acquisitions of awake mice. We evaluated 792 denoising strategies across four datasets, focusing on clutter filtering, scrubbing, frequency filtering, and confound regression methods. Our findings highlight the superior performance of adaptive clutter filtering and aCompCor confound regression in mitigating motion artifacts while preserving functional connectivity patterns. We also demonstrate that high-pass filtering is generally more effective than band-pass filtering in the presence of motion artifacts. Additionally, we show that with effective clutter filtering, scrubbing may become optional, which is particularly beneficial for experimental designs where motion correlates with conditions of interest. Based on these insights, we propose four optimized denoising paradigms tailored to different experimental constraints, providing practical recommendations for enhancing the reliability and reproducibility of fUSI data. Our findings challenge current practices in the field and have immediate practical implications for existing fUSI analysis workflows, paving the way for more sophisticated applications of fUSI in studying complex brain functions and dysfunctions in awake experimental paradigms.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Opioid-Induced Inter-regional Dysconnectivity Correlates with Analgesia in Awake Mouse Brains

The {micro}-opioid receptor (MOP) is crucial for both the therapeutic and addictive effects of opioids. Using a multimodal experimental approach, here we combined awake functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging with behavioral and molecular assessments, to examine opioid-induced changes in brain activation and functional connectivity (FC). Morphine, fentanyl, and methadone induce significant dose- and time-dependent reorganization of brain perfusion, oscillations and FC in awake mice. Notably, opioids induce a transient, region-specific hyperperfusion, followed by a consistent MOP-specific dysconnectivity marked by decreased FC of the somatosensory cortex to hippocampal and thalamic regions, alongside increased subcortical and intra-cortical FC. These FC changes temporally correlate with generalized brain MOP activation and analgesia, but not with hypermobility and respiratory depression, suggesting a reorganization of inter-regional FC as a key opioid effect.

neuroscience↗