Transcriptional substrates underlying functional connectivity profiles of subregions within the human sensorimotor cortex. Issue 18 (27th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shen, Yuhao; Zhang, Cun; Cui, Shunshun; Wang, Rui; Cai, Huanhuan; Zhao, Wenming; Zhu, Jiajia; Yu, Yongqiang
• Is Part Of: Human brain mapping. Volume 43:Issue 18(2022)
• Page Start: 5562
• Page End: 5578
• Publication Date: 2022-07-27
• Subjects: Allen human brain atlas -- functional connectivity -- gene expression -- resting‐state fMRI -- sensorimotor cortex -- subregion; Brain mapping -- Periodicals; 611.81
• DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1065-9471

Abstract

Abstract: The human sensorimotor cortex has multiple subregions showing functional commonalities and differences, likely attributable to their connectivity profiles. However, the molecular substrates underlying such connectivity profiles are unclear. Here, transcriptome‐neuroimaging spatial correlation analyses were performed between transcriptomic data from the Allen human brain atlas and resting‐state functional connectivity (rsFC) of 24 fine‐grained sensorimotor subregions from 793 healthy subjects. Results showed that rsFC of six sensorimotor subregions were associated with expression measures of six gene sets that were specifically expressed in brain tissue. These sensorimotor subregions could be classified into the polygenic‐ and oligogenic‐modulated subregions, whose rsFC were related to gene sets diverging on their numbers (hundreds vs. dozens) and functional characteristics. First, the former were specifically expressed in multiple types of neurons and immune cells, yet the latter were not specifically expressed in any cortical cell types. Second, the former were preferentially expressed during the middle and late stages of cortical development, while the latter showed no preferential expression during any stages. Third, the former were prone to be enriched for general biological functions and pathways, but the latter for specialized biological functions and pathways. Fourth, the former were enriched for neuropsychiatric disorders, whereas this enrichment was absent for the latter. Finally, although the identified genes were commonly associated with sensorimotor behavioral processes, the polygenic‐modulated subregions associated genes were additionally related to vision and dementia. These findings may advance our understanding of the functional homogeneity and heterogeneity of the human sensorimotor cortex from the perspective of underlying genetic architecture. Abstract : Our data represent the first report to date investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying rsFC of the sensorimotor cortex at the subregional level. Based on our results, the sensorimotor cortex can be conceptualized as the polygenic‐ and oligogenic‐modulated subregions, whose rsFC were related to gene sets diverging on their numbers and functional characteristics. These findings may advance our understanding of the functional homogeneity and heterogeneity of the human sensorimotor cortex from the perspective of underlying genetic architecture.