Reentrant Information Flow in Electrophysiological Rat Default Mode Network.
Wei Jing, Daqing Guo, Yunxiang Zhang, Fengru Guo, Pedro A Valdés-Sosa, Yang Xia, Dezhong Yao
Frontiers in Neuroscience February 27, 2017 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00093 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Electrophysiological study in rats Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Measures | power spectrum, directed phase transfer entropy (dPTE) |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Rat Sleep Information flow Wakeful rest |
| Key points | Gamma power decreased during slow-wave sleep in most rat DMN regions relative to wakeful rest, while REM sleep increased gamma power in prelimbic, cingulate, and hippocampal regions but decreased it in retrosplenial cortex. Directed phase transfer entropy revealed opposite anterior-to-posterior flow in the delta band and posterior-to-anterior flow in the theta band, present only in wakeful rest and REM sleep, with delta senders tending to be theta receivers. The authors argue this frequency-dependent reentry loop may support functional integration and conscious awareness. |
Abstract
Functional MRI (fMRI) studies have demonstrated that the rodent brain shows a default mode network (DMN) activity similar to that in humans, offering a potential preclinical model both for physiological and pathophysiological studies. However, the neuronal mechanism underlying rodent DMN remains poorly understood. Here, we used electrophysiological data to analyze the power spectrum and estimate the directed phase transfer entropy (dPTE) within rat DMN across three vigilance states: wakeful rest (WR), slow-wave sleep (SWS), and rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS). We observed decreased gamma powers during SWS compared with WR in most of the DMN regions. Increased gamma powers were found in prelimbic cortex, cingulate cortex, and hippocampus during REMS compared with WR, whereas retrosplenial cortex showed a reverse trend. These changed gamma powers are in line with the local metabolic variation of homologous brain regions in humans. In the analysis of directional interactions, we observed well-organized anterior-to-posterior patterns of information flow in the delta band, while opposite patterns of posterior-to-anterior flow were found in the theta band. These frequency-specific opposite patterns were only observed in WR and REMS. Additionally, most of the information senders in the delta band were also the receivers in the theta band, and vice versa. Our results provide electrophysiological evidence that rat DMN is similar to its human counterpart, and there is a frequency-dependent reentry loop of anterior-posterior information flow within rat DMN, which may offer a mechanism for functional integration, supporting conscious awareness.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat brains also have a default mode network Rats | 2012 | Observational study | |
| Large-scale topology and the default mode network in the mouse connectome Mouse brain | 2014 | Observational study | |
| Hippocampal Sharp-Wave Ripples Influence Selective Activation of the Default Mode Network Anesthetized monkeys | 2016 | Observational study | |
| Psilocybin-induced default mode network hypoconnectivity is blunted in alcohol-dependent rats Healthy rats and a rat model of alcohol relapse | 2023 | Randomized, placebo-controlled crossover pharmaco-fMRI study | |
| Altered functional connectivity within the default mode network in two animal models with opposing episodic memories Rats (control, LPS-challenged, and footshock-exposed groups) | 2018 | Animal model study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Adolescent exposure to the psychedelic 25C-NBOMe in rats induces lasting competitive avoidance through disrupted hippocampal–prefrontal synchrony Nature Neuroscience July 20, 2026
- Optogenetic stimulation of anterior insular cortex neurons in male rats reveals causal mechanisms underlying suppression of the default mode network by the salience network. Nature Communications February 16, 2023
- Altered Coactive Micropattern Connectivity in the Default-Mode Network during the Sleep-Wake Cycle Neural Plasticity November 23, 2020
- Dynamic Configuration of Coactive Micropatterns in the Default Mode Network during Wakefulness and Sleep
- Optogenetic stimulation of anterior insular cortex neurons reveals causal mechanisms underlying suppression of the default mode network by the salience network
Cites 11
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Decoupling of the brain's default mode network during deep sleep Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 19, 2009
- Rat brains also have a default mode network Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences February 21, 2012
- Development of the Brain's Default Mode Network from Wakefulness to Slow Wave Sleep Cerebral Cortex February 17, 2011
- Dreaming as mind wandering: evidence from functional neuroimaging and first-person content reports. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
and 6 more in the library