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SYBN: Biological and Social Networks

SYBN 3: Biologische und Soziale Netzwerke, Postersitzung

SYBN 3.27: Poster

Monday, March 7, 2005, 14:00–15:30, Poster TU E

Development and Robustness of Cortical Brain Networks — •Marcus Kaiser and Claus C. Hilgetag — Intl. Univ. Bremen, Campus Ring 6, 28759 Bremen

Networks of connections among cortical areas in mammalian brains possess small-world and scale-free characteristics. However, previously suggested growth mechanisms for small-world or scale-free networks are inappropriate for neural systems as they overlook spatial constraints. We propose an alternative model for spatial network development that can generate various kinds of real-world networks, from cortical and metabolic to transportation networks. The model produces similar general network properties as found in cortical networks, such as multiple distributed clusters, and comparable clustering coefficients and all-pairs shortest paths (ASP).

The multi-cluster architecture of cortical networks has implications for their robustness against edge removal. While the loss of edges within clusters can be easily compensated, the loss of fibers between clusters is critical. Comparably, due to scale-free properties, node removal has little effect in most cases, but is critical for ’hubs’. Thus, network topology may account for the great robustness of the brain.