A team of researchers at Georgia State University has published a study that details how the brain’s smallest components contribute to the systems behind thought, emotion, and behavior. The findings, which appear in Nature Communications, use a combination of brain scans, genetic data, and molecular imaging to create a comprehensive biological map connecting different levels of brain organization.
Vince Calhoun, Distinguished University Professor at Georgia State and senior author on the study, said: “We found that the brain’s large-scale networks are built on a hidden biological blueprint. By aligning data from cells, molecules and imaging, we showed that the same architecture seen in fMRI is rooted in cellular and molecular organization. Each dataset alone gives part of the story. Together, they reveal how chemical and cellular gradients actually help wire the brain’s networks.”
The research team used spatial maps of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) developed at Georgia State’s TReNDS Center to identify distinct functional components involved in thought, perception, and emotion. They combined dynamic connectivity patterns from brain scans with detailed maps of cells, neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, and mitochondria to better understand how these elements interact.
Guozheng Feng, lead author and postdoctoral research associate at TReNDS Center, explained: “This study is bringing us closer to answering one of the most fundamental questions in neuroscience: how microscopic cellular and molecular foundations shape the brain’s networks which, in turn, give rise to complex thought, emotion and behavior.”
The researchers applied mediation analysis to show that these networks not only correlate with biology and behavior but also bridge them by explaining how molecular features affect cognition.
Calhoun noted: “Many mental and neurodegenerative disorders involve both molecular imbalance and network disruption. This work shows these are linked. Understanding the biological foundation of networks could help us pinpoint which systems are most vulnerable in schizophrenia, depression or Alzheimer’s — and why.”
Jiayu Chen, research assistant professor at TReNDS Center who contributed to the project using advanced scanning techniques focused on genetics’ influence on brain structure and function said: “This work helps answer a big question in neuroscience: How do cellular and molecular organizations underlie the architecture of functional brain networks, which influence the way we think, feel and behave? We are now one step closer to those answers.”
The TReNDS Center is a collaborative initiative among Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, and Emory University aimed at developing tools for turning imaging data into biomarkers for improved understanding of brain health.
Calhoun added that future goals include creating personalized maps linking individual biology with specific network functions—an approach that could help tailor treatments for patients based on their unique neurological profiles.
Funding for this research was provided by grants from both the National Science Foundation (NSF) (#2112455) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) (#R01MH123610; #R01MH136665).
More information about TReNDS Center can be found at https://trendscenter.org/, while additional details about ongoing research efforts at Georgia State University are available at https://research.gsu.edu/.
