Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex

The mature cerebral cortex operates through the segregation and integration of specialized functions to generate complex cognitive states. In the mouse, the anatomical and functional correlates of this organization arise during the perinatal period and are critically shaped by neural activity. Under...

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Main Authors: Davide Warm, Davide Bassetti, Levente Gellèrt, Jenq-Wei Yang, Heiko J. Luhmann, Anne Sinning
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:NeuroImage
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000904
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author Davide Warm
Davide Bassetti
Levente Gellèrt
Jenq-Wei Yang
Heiko J. Luhmann
Anne Sinning
author_facet Davide Warm
Davide Bassetti
Levente Gellèrt
Jenq-Wei Yang
Heiko J. Luhmann
Anne Sinning
author_sort Davide Warm
collection DOAJ
description The mature cerebral cortex operates through the segregation and integration of specialized functions to generate complex cognitive states. In the mouse, the anatomical and functional correlates of this organization arise during the perinatal period and are critically shaped by neural activity. Understanding how early activity patterns distribute, interact, and generate large-scale cortical dynamics is essential to elucidate the proper development of the cortex. Here, we investigate spontaneous mesoscale cortical dynamics during the first two postnatal weeks by performing wide-field calcium imaging in GCaMP6s transgenic mice. Our results demonstrate a marked change in the spatiotemporal features of spontaneous cortical activity across fine stages of postnatal development. Already after birth, the cortical hemisphere presents a primordial macroscopic organization, which undergoes a steady refinement based on the parcellation of the cortex. As calcium activity transitions from large, widespread events to swift waves between the first and second postnatal week, significant topographic differences emerge across different cortical regions. Functional connectivity profiles of the cortex gradually segregate into main subnetworks and give rise to a highly modular network topology at the end of the second postnatal week. Overall, spontaneous mesoscale activity reflects the maturation of cortical networks, and reveals critical breakpoints in the development of the functional architecture of the cortex.
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issn 1095-9572
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spelling doaj-art-e60dc2a5fe5649ce86e40266399480122025-08-20T02:47:49ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-04-0130912108810.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121088Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortexDavide Warm0Davide Bassetti1Levente Gellèrt2Jenq-Wei Yang3Heiko J. Luhmann4Anne Sinning5Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, GermanyInstitute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, GermanyInstitute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, GermanyInstitute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, GermanyInstitute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, GermanyCorresponding author.; Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, GermanyThe mature cerebral cortex operates through the segregation and integration of specialized functions to generate complex cognitive states. In the mouse, the anatomical and functional correlates of this organization arise during the perinatal period and are critically shaped by neural activity. Understanding how early activity patterns distribute, interact, and generate large-scale cortical dynamics is essential to elucidate the proper development of the cortex. Here, we investigate spontaneous mesoscale cortical dynamics during the first two postnatal weeks by performing wide-field calcium imaging in GCaMP6s transgenic mice. Our results demonstrate a marked change in the spatiotemporal features of spontaneous cortical activity across fine stages of postnatal development. Already after birth, the cortical hemisphere presents a primordial macroscopic organization, which undergoes a steady refinement based on the parcellation of the cortex. As calcium activity transitions from large, widespread events to swift waves between the first and second postnatal week, significant topographic differences emerge across different cortical regions. Functional connectivity profiles of the cortex gradually segregate into main subnetworks and give rise to a highly modular network topology at the end of the second postnatal week. Overall, spontaneous mesoscale activity reflects the maturation of cortical networks, and reveals critical breakpoints in the development of the functional architecture of the cortex.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000904DevelopmentCerebral cortexSpontaneous activityGCaMP6sWide-field microscopyCalcium imaging
spellingShingle Davide Warm
Davide Bassetti
Levente Gellèrt
Jenq-Wei Yang
Heiko J. Luhmann
Anne Sinning
Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex
NeuroImage
Development
Cerebral cortex
Spontaneous activity
GCaMP6s
Wide-field microscopy
Calcium imaging
title Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex
title_full Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex
title_fullStr Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex
title_full_unstemmed Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex
title_short Spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex
title_sort spontaneous mesoscale calcium dynamics reflect the development of the modular functional architecture of the mouse cerebral cortex
topic Development
Cerebral cortex
Spontaneous activity
GCaMP6s
Wide-field microscopy
Calcium imaging
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925000904
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