The relationship between functional resting-state connectivity and effective connectivity in the cortical motor system

Background: Brain function relies on the integration of functionally specified regions.1 Neuroimaging can be used to measure interregional connectivity non-invasively. Here, functional connectivity describes temporal correlations, whereas effective connectivity defines causal interactions between areas. Functional connectivity is often assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In contrast, effective connectivity is usually measured during task performance. It is still unclear how both measures are related to each other. Methods: N=20 right-handed volunteers (27±3 yrs) underwent fMRI…