Impact of biological rhythms on the importance hierarchy of constituents in time-dependent functional brain networks

Abstract

Biological rhythms are natural, endogenous cycles with period lengths ranging from less than 24 h (ultradian rhythms) to more than 24 h (infradian rhythms). The impact of the circadian rhythm (approximately 24 h) and ultradian rhythms on spectral characteristics of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals has been investigated for more than half a century. Yet, only little is known on how biological rhythms influence the properties of EEG-derived evolving functional brain networks. Here, we derive such networks from multiday, multichannel EEG recordings and use different centrality concepts to assess the time-varying importance hierarchy of the networks’ vertices and edges as well as the various aspects of their structural integration in the network. We observe strong circadian and ultradian influences that highlight distinct subnetworks in the evolving functional brain networks. Our findings indicate the existence of a vital and fundamental subnetwork that is rather generally involved in ongoing brain activities during wakefulness and sleep.