A General Framework for Characterizing Optimal Communication in Brain Networks

Abstract

Communication in brain networks is the foundation of cognitive function and behavior. A multitude of evolutionary pressures, including the minimization of metabolic costs while maximizing communication efficiency, contribute to shaping the structure and dynamics of these networks. However, how communication efficiency is characterized depends on the assumed model of communication dynamics. Traditional models include shortest path signaling, random walker navigation, broadcasting, and diffusive processes. Yet, a general and model-agnostic framework for characterizing optimal neural communication remains to be established. Our study addresses this challenge by assigning communication efficiency through game theory, based on a combination of structural data from human cortical networks with computational models of brain dynamics. We quantified the exact influence exerted by each brain node over every other node using an exhaustive multi-site virtual lesioning scheme, creating optimal influence maps for various models of brain dynamics. These descriptions show how communication patterns unfold in the given brain network if regions maximize their influence over one another. By comparing these influence maps with a large variety of brain communication models, we found that optimal communication most closely resembles a broadcasting model in which regions leverage multiple parallel channels for information dissemination. Moreover, we show that the most influential regions within the cortex are formed by its rich-club. These regions exploit their topological vantage point by broadcasting across numerous pathways, thereby significantly enhancing their effective reach even when the anatomical connections are weak. Our work provides a rigorous and versatile framework for characterizing optimal communication across brain networks and reveals the most influential brain regions and the topological features underlying their optimal communication.