Frequency specific contribution of intrinsic connectivity networks to the integration in brain networks

Brain networks are integrated and segregated into several intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs). Frequency specificity of ICNs have been studied to show that different ICNs have a unqiue contribution to brain network integration along frequencies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of individual ICN to brain network integration along their frequency. We used 14 ICNs and determined 2 frequency bands (LF1, 0.03~0.08 Hz and LF2, 0.009~0.012 Hz) from the hierarchical clustering of 101 frequency bins. We proposed a novel measure, called ICN efficiency, representing the difference between the global efficiencies of the whole brain network with and without the ICN to evaluate the contribution of the ICN to brain network integration. We found that each ICN had a different ICN efficiency at 2 frequency bands. We also found that the distinct subregions of the same ICN had a frequency specific contribution to brain network integration. Futhermore, the integration with other ICNs of the distinct subregions of the same ICN were different at 2 frequency bands. In conclusion, the contribution of each ICN to brain network integration is frequency specific and distinct subregions of the same ICN have functionally distinct roles with other ICNs at 2 frequency bands.