Cited by 606Functional Brain Connectivity StudiesNeural dynamics and brain functionComplex Systems and Time Series Analysis

EEG microstate sequences in healthy humans at rest reveal scale-free dynamics.

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Van De Ville, Dimitri, Britz, Juliane, Michel, Christoph M.·2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Recent findings identified electroencephalography (EEG) microstates as the electrophysiological correlates of fMRI resting-state networks. Microstates are defined as short periods (100 ms) during which the EEG scalp topography remains quasi-stable; that is, the global topography is fixed but strength might vary and polarity invert. Microstates represent the subsecond coherent activation within global functional brain networks. Surprisingly, these rapidly changing EEG microstates correlate significantly with activity in fMRI resting-state networks after convolution with the hemodynamic response function that constitutes a strong temporal smoothing filter. We postulate here that microstate sequences should reveal scale-free, self-similar dynamics to explain this remarkable effect and thus that microstate time series show dependencies over long time ranges. To that aim, we deploy wavelet-based fractal analysis that allows determining scale-free behavior. We find strong statistical evidence that microstate sequences are scale free over six dyadic scales covering the 256-ms to 16-s range. The degree of long-range dependency is maintained when shuffling the local microstate labels but becomes indistinguishable from white noise when equalizing microstate durations, which indicates that temporal dynamics are their key characteristic. These results advance the understanding of temporal dynamics of brain-scale neuronal network models such as the global workspace model. Whereas microstates can be considered the "atoms of thoughts," the shortest constituting elements of cognition, they carry a dynamic signature that is reminiscent at characteristic timescales up to multiple seconds. The scale-free dynamics of the microstates might be the basis for the rapid reorganization and adaptation of the functional networks of the brain.

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  1. [63]Lehmann D, Strik WK, Henggeler B, Koenig T, Koukkou M. Brain electric microstates and momentary conscious mind states as building blocks of spontaneous thinking: I. Visual imagery and abstract thoughts. Int J Psychophysiol. 1998;29:1–11. doi: 10.1016/s0167-8760(97)00098-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar] · DOI
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Authors
Van De Ville, D., Britz, J., & Michel, C. M.
Affiliations
  • Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
  • University of Geneva (CH)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2010-10-04
Volume
107
Issue
42
Pages
18179-18184
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2106873519
Cited by
606
References
90
Citations by year
2026: 50 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 57 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 33
FWCI
13.73
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)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (123438, 132952, 310030)
  • Centre d'Imagerie BioMédicale
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Complex Systems and Time Series Analysis
Keywords
EEG microstates, resting-state networks, scale-free dynamics, long-range temporal dependencies, fractal analysis, wavelet analysis, functional brain networks, hemodynamic response function
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Electroencephalography, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Reference Values, Fractals

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