Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium Imaging
Connected networks are a fundamental structure of neurobiology. Understanding these networks will help us elucidate the neural mechanisms of computation. Mathematically speaking these networks are “graphs”—structures containing objects that are connected. In neuroscience, the objects could be region...
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2021-06-01
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doaj-2c091ccbf1a6479ea22a56ae5bd7e75c2021-06-10T06:35:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neural Circuits1662-51102021-06-011510.3389/fncir.2021.662882662882Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium ImagingCarl J. Nelson0Stephen Bonner1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United KingdomSchool of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomConnected networks are a fundamental structure of neurobiology. Understanding these networks will help us elucidate the neural mechanisms of computation. Mathematically speaking these networks are “graphs”—structures containing objects that are connected. In neuroscience, the objects could be regions of the brain, e.g., fMRI data, or be individual neurons, e.g., calcium imaging with fluorescence microscopy. The formal study of graphs, graph theory, can provide neuroscientists with a large bank of algorithms for exploring networks. Graph theory has already been applied in a variety of ways to fMRI data but, more recently, has begun to be applied at the scales of neurons, e.g., from functional calcium imaging. In this primer we explain the basics of graph theory and relate them to features of microscopic functional networks of neurons from calcium imaging—neuronal graphs. We explore recent examples of graph theory applied to calcium imaging and we highlight some areas where researchers new to the field could go awry.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2021.662882/fullbrain networkscalcium imaginggraph theoryfunctional connectivitynetwork analysisneuronal networks |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Carl J. Nelson Stephen Bonner |
spellingShingle |
Carl J. Nelson Stephen Bonner Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium Imaging Frontiers in Neural Circuits brain networks calcium imaging graph theory functional connectivity network analysis neuronal networks |
author_facet |
Carl J. Nelson Stephen Bonner |
author_sort |
Carl J. Nelson |
title |
Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium Imaging |
title_short |
Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium Imaging |
title_full |
Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium Imaging |
title_fullStr |
Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium Imaging |
title_full_unstemmed |
Neuronal Graphs: A Graph Theory Primer for Microscopic, Functional Networks of Neurons Recorded by Calcium Imaging |
title_sort |
neuronal graphs: a graph theory primer for microscopic, functional networks of neurons recorded by calcium imaging |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Neural Circuits |
issn |
1662-5110 |
publishDate |
2021-06-01 |
description |
Connected networks are a fundamental structure of neurobiology. Understanding these networks will help us elucidate the neural mechanisms of computation. Mathematically speaking these networks are “graphs”—structures containing objects that are connected. In neuroscience, the objects could be regions of the brain, e.g., fMRI data, or be individual neurons, e.g., calcium imaging with fluorescence microscopy. The formal study of graphs, graph theory, can provide neuroscientists with a large bank of algorithms for exploring networks. Graph theory has already been applied in a variety of ways to fMRI data but, more recently, has begun to be applied at the scales of neurons, e.g., from functional calcium imaging. In this primer we explain the basics of graph theory and relate them to features of microscopic functional networks of neurons from calcium imaging—neuronal graphs. We explore recent examples of graph theory applied to calcium imaging and we highlight some areas where researchers new to the field could go awry. |
topic |
brain networks calcium imaging graph theory functional connectivity network analysis neuronal networks |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncir.2021.662882/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT carljnelson neuronalgraphsagraphtheoryprimerformicroscopicfunctionalnetworksofneuronsrecordedbycalciumimaging AT stephenbonner neuronalgraphsagraphtheoryprimerformicroscopicfunctionalnetworksofneuronsrecordedbycalciumimaging |
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