Cited by 777Functional Brain Connectivity StudiesNeural dynamics and brain functionVisual perception and processing mechanisms

Learning sculpts the spontaneous activity of the resting human brain

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Lewis, Christopher M., Baldassarre, Antonello, Committeri, Giorgia, Romani, Gian Luca, Corbetta, Maurizio·2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

The brain is not a passive sensory-motor analyzer driven by environmental stimuli, but actively maintains ongoing representations that may be involved in the coding of expected sensory stimuli, prospective motor responses, and prior experience. Spontaneous cortical activity has been proposed to play an important part in maintaining these ongoing, internal representations, although its functional role is not well understood. One spontaneous signal being intensely investigated in the human brain is the interregional temporal correlation of the blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal recorded at rest by functional MRI (functional connectivity-by-MRI, fcMRI, or BOLD connectivity). This signal is intrinsic and coherent within a number of distributed networks whose topography closely resembles that of functional networks recruited during tasks. While it is apparent that fcMRI networks reflect anatomical connectivity, it is less clear whether they have any dynamic functional importance. Here, we demonstrate that visual perceptual learning, an example of adult neural plasticity, modifies the resting covariance structure of spontaneous activity between networks engaged by the task. Specifically, after intense training on a shape-identification task constrained to one visual quadrant, resting BOLD functional connectivity and directed mutual interaction between trained visual cortex and frontal-parietal areas involved in the control of spatial attention were significantly modified. Critically, these changes correlated with the degree of perceptual learning. We conclude that functional connectivity serves a dynamic role in brain function, supporting the consolidation of previous experience.

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Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.0902455106

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  • Adaptive procedures, whereby training task difficulty is automatically increased across sessions, have been shown in neuroimaging studies to be necessary for sustaining neuronal changes.

    “This has been shown in neuroimaging studies to be necessary for sustaining neuronal changes.12,13”

    From Cognitive Training for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Neuropsychological Outcomes From Randomized Controlled Trials (2015) · cites this paper as [12]

    The Methods (Behavioral Training; page not available) describe daily training until participants reached a performance threshold, and the Results (Functional Connectivity Changes Between Networks; page not available) report learning-related changes in brain connectivity. The paper does not say that task difficulty was automatically increased across sessions or that such an adaptive procedure was necessary to sustain neuronal changes. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Functional connectivity patterns within and between major resting-state networks are associated with task-relevant behavioral performance.

    “and are associated with task-relevant behavioral performance (Cole et al., 2012; Lewis et al., 2009).”
  • As functional connectivity values increased from zero to strong and positive, presumably reflecting a significant history of in-phase co-activation, the frequency of IJA increased.

    “This means that as the fc values increased from zero to strong and positive, presumably reflecting a significant history of in-phase (coherent) co-activation (Lewis et al. 2009), the frequency of IJA increased.”

    From Joint attention and brain functional connectivity in infants and toddlers (2017) · cites this paper as Lewis et al. 2009

  • The observed differences in functional network associations with increasing frequency of IJA across 12-24 months may reflect changes in functional connectivity driven by social experience-dependent learning over the second year of life and the unfolding, later transition from nonverbal to verbal communication.

    “These observed differences in functional network associations with increasing frequency of IJA across 12–24 months may reflect changes in fc driven by social experience-dependent learning that occurs over the second year of life (Tomasello et al. 2005; Canals et al. 2009; Lewis et al. 2009; Fransson et al. 2011) and the unfolding, later transition from nonverbal to verbal communication (Morales et”

    From Joint attention and brain functional connectivity in infants and toddlers (2017) · cites this paper as Lewis et al. 2009

  • Intensive learning can enhance inter-region functional connectivity.

    “First, intensive learning can enhance inter-region FC (68).”

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Authors
Lewis, C. M., Baldassarre, A., Committeri, G., Romani, G. L., & Corbetta, M.
Affiliations
  • Department of Clinical Sciences and Bioimaging, G. D'Annunzio University, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100, Chieti, Italy;
  • University of Chieti-Pescara (IT)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2009-10-13
Volume
106
Issue
41
Pages
17558-17563
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2126136676
Cited by
777
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 58 · 2016: 66 · 2015: 58 · 2014: 78 · 2013: 69 · 2012: 68
FWCI
23.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH 71920-06, R01MH071920)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS048013, NS48013)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
Keywords
visual perceptual learning, resting-state functional connectivity, spontaneous cortical activity, spatial attention, frontal-parietal cortex, visual cortex, shape recognition
MeSH terms
Adult, Attention, Brain, Female, Fixation, Ocular, Humans, Learning, Male, Perception, Psychophysics, Rest, Thinking, Visual Cortex, Visual Perception, Young Adult

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