Echolocating bats are among the most social and vocal of all mammals. These animals are ideal subjects for functional MRI (fMRI) studies of auditory social communication given their relatively hypertrophic limbic and auditory neural structures and their reduced ability to hear MRI gradient noise. Yet, no resting-state networks relevant to social cognition (e.g., default mode-like networks or DMLNs) have been identified in bats since there are few, if any, fMRI studies in the chiropteran order. Here, we acquired fMRI data at 7 Tesla from nine lightly anesthetized pale spear-nosed bats ( Phyllostomus discolor ). We applied independent components analysis (ICA) to reveal resting-state networks and measured neural activity elicited by noise ripples (on: 10 ms; off: 10 ms) that span this species’ ultrasonic hearing range (20 to 130 kHz). Resting-state networks pervaded auditory, parietal, and occipital cortices, along with the hippocampus, cerebellum, basal ganglia, and auditory brainstem. Two midline networks formed an apparent DMLN. Additionally, we found four predominantly auditory/parietal cortical networks, of which two were left-lateralized and two right-lateralized. Regions within four auditory/parietal cortical networks are known to respond to social calls. Along with the auditory brainstem, regions within these four cortical networks responded to ultrasonic noise ripples. Iterative analyses revealed consistent, significant functional connectivity between the left, but not right, auditory/parietal cortical networks and DMLN nodes, especially the anterior-most cingulate cortex. Thus, a resting-state network implicated in social cognition displays more distributed functional connectivity across left, relative to right, hemispheric cortical substrates of audition and communication in this highly social and vocal species.

中文翻译：

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回声定位蝙蝠的听觉皮层区域显示出与默认模式样网络的静息态功能连接


回声定位蝙蝠是所有哺乳动物中最具社交性和发声能力的蝙蝠之一。这些动物是听觉社交交流功能性磁共振成像 (fMRI) 研究的理想对象，因为它们的边缘系统和听觉神经结构相对肥厚，并且聆听 MRI 梯度噪声的能力较低。然而，由于对翼手目动物的功能磁共振成像研究很少（如果有的话），因此在蝙蝠中尚未发现与社会认知相关的静息态网络（例如，默认模式类网络或 DMLN）。在这里，我们从 9 只轻度麻醉的苍白矛鼻蝙蝠身上获取了 7 特斯拉的功能磁共振成像数据（变色叶口线虫）。我们应用独立成分分析 (ICA) 来揭示静息态网络，并测量了跨越该物种超声波听力范围（20 至 130 kHz）的噪声波纹（开启：10 毫秒；关闭：10 毫秒）引起的神经活动。静息态网络遍布听觉皮质、顶叶皮质和枕叶皮质，以及海马体、小脑、基底神经节和听觉脑干。两个中线网络形成了明显的 DMLN。此外，我们发现了四个主要是听觉/顶叶皮质网络，其中两个是左侧化的，两个是右侧化的。已知四个听觉/顶叶皮层网络内的区域会对社交呼叫做出反应。与听觉脑干一起，这四个皮质网络内的区域对超声波噪声波纹做出反应。迭代分析揭示了左侧（而非右侧）听觉/顶叶皮层网络和 DMLN 节点（尤其是最前部扣带皮层）之间存在一致且显着的功能连接。 因此，在这种高度社会化和发声的物种中，与社会认知有关的静息态网络在听觉和交流的左半球皮层基底（相对于右半球皮质基底）上表现出更多的分布式功能连接。