The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.

Anatomical connectivity between different brain regions can be mapped to a network representation, the connectome, where the intensities of the links, the weights, influence resilience and functional processes. Yet, many features associated with these weights are not fully understood, particularly t...

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Main Authors: Laia Barjuan, Muhua Zheng, M Ángeles Serrano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-04-01
Series:PLoS Computational Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012848
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author Laia Barjuan
Muhua Zheng
M Ángeles Serrano
author_facet Laia Barjuan
Muhua Zheng
M Ángeles Serrano
author_sort Laia Barjuan
collection DOAJ
description Anatomical connectivity between different brain regions can be mapped to a network representation, the connectome, where the intensities of the links, the weights, influence resilience and functional processes. Yet, many features associated with these weights are not fully understood, particularly their multiscale organization. In this paper, we elucidate the architecture of weights, including weak ties, in multiscale human brain connectomes reconstructed from empirical data. Our findings reveal multiscale self-similarity, including the ordering of weak ties, in every individual connectome and group representative. This phenomenon is captured by a renormalization technique based on a geometric network model that replicates the observed structure of connectomes across all length scales, using the same connectivity law and weighting function for both weak and strong ties. The observed symmetry represents a signature of criticality in the weighted connectivity of the human brain and raises important questions for future research, such as the existence of symmetry breaking at some scale or whether it is preserved in cases of neurodegeneration or psychiatric disorder.
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spelling doaj-art-8d9ea77765d34320a47e76da5821f1702025-08-20T02:26:55ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Computational Biology1553-734X1553-73582025-04-01214e101284810.1371/journal.pcbi.1012848The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.Laia BarjuanMuhua ZhengM Ángeles SerranoAnatomical connectivity between different brain regions can be mapped to a network representation, the connectome, where the intensities of the links, the weights, influence resilience and functional processes. Yet, many features associated with these weights are not fully understood, particularly their multiscale organization. In this paper, we elucidate the architecture of weights, including weak ties, in multiscale human brain connectomes reconstructed from empirical data. Our findings reveal multiscale self-similarity, including the ordering of weak ties, in every individual connectome and group representative. This phenomenon is captured by a renormalization technique based on a geometric network model that replicates the observed structure of connectomes across all length scales, using the same connectivity law and weighting function for both weak and strong ties. The observed symmetry represents a signature of criticality in the weighted connectivity of the human brain and raises important questions for future research, such as the existence of symmetry breaking at some scale or whether it is preserved in cases of neurodegeneration or psychiatric disorder.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012848
spellingShingle Laia Barjuan
Muhua Zheng
M Ángeles Serrano
The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.
PLoS Computational Biology
title The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.
title_full The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.
title_fullStr The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.
title_full_unstemmed The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.
title_short The multiscale self-similarity of the weighted human brain connectome.
title_sort multiscale self similarity of the weighted human brain connectome
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012848
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