{rfName}
Ap

Indexed in

License and use

Icono OpenAccess

Citations

38

Altmetrics

Grant support

Sara Llufriu, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (https://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004587), Award ID: PI15/00587. Albert Saiz, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (https://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004587), Award ID: PI18/01030. Albert Saiz, Red Espanola de Esclerosis Multiple (https://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100007747), Award ID: RD16/0015/0002. Sara Llufriu, Red Espanola de Esclerosis Multiple (https://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100007747), Award ID: RD16/0015/0003. Albert Saiz, Red Espanola de Esclerosis Multiple (https://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100007747), Award ID: RD12/0032/0002. Francesc Graus, Red Espanola de Esclerosis Multiple (https://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100007747), Award ID: RD12/0060/01-02.

Analysis of institutional authors

Sole-Ribalta, AlbertAuthor

Share

March 6, 2023
Publications
>
Article
Sí

Applying multilayer analysis to morphological, structural, and functional brain networks to identify relevant dysfunction patterns

Publicated to:Netw Neurosci. 6 (3): 916-933 - 2022-07-01 6(3), DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00258

Authors: Casas-Roma, Jordi; Martinez-Heras, Eloy; Sole-Ribalta, Albert; Solana, Elisabeth; Lopez-Soley, Elisabet; Vivo, Francesc; Diaz-Hurtado, Marcos; Alba-Arbalat, Salut; Sepulveda, Maria; Blanco, Yolanda; Saiz, Albert; Borge-Holthoefer, Javier; Llufriu, Sara; Prados, Ferran

Affiliations

UCL, Ctr Med Image Comp, Dept Med Phys & Biomed Engn, London, England - Author
UCL, Fac Brain Sci, UCL Inst Neurol, Queen Sq MS Ctr,Dept Neuroinflammat, London, England - Author
Univ Barcelona, Hosp Clin Barcelona, Inst Invest Biomed August Pi i Sunyer IDIBAPS, Ctr Neuroimmunol,Lab Adv Imaging Neuroimmunol Dis, Barcelona, Spain - Author
Univ Oberta Catalunya, E Hlth Ctr, Barcelona, Spain - Author
Univ Oberta Catalunya, IN3, Barcelona, Spain - Author
See more

Abstract

Author Summary This study presents the design, development, and validation of a framework that merges morphological, structural, and functional brain connectivity networks into one multilayer network. To validate our framework, several metrics from graph theory are expanded and adapted to our specific domain characteristics. This proof of concept was applied to a cohort of people with multiple sclerosis, and results show that some brain regions with a synchronized connectivity deterioration could be identified.In recent years, research on network analysis applied to MRI data has advanced significantly. However, the majority of the studies are limited to single networks obtained from resting-state fMRI, diffusion MRI, or gray matter probability maps derived from T1 images. Although a limited number of previous studies have combined two of these networks, none have introduced a framework to combine morphological, structural, and functional brain connectivity networks. The aim of this study was to combine the morphological, structural, and functional information, thus defining a new multilayer network perspective. This has proved advantageous when jointly analyzing multiple types of relational data from the same objects simultaneously using graph- mining techniques. The main contribution of this research is the design, development, and validation of a framework that merges these three layers of information into one multilayer network that links and relates the integrity of white matter connections with gray matter probability maps and resting-state fMRI. To validate our framework, several metrics from graph theory are expanded and adapted to our specific domain characteristics. This proof of concept was applied to a cohort of people with multiple sclerosis, and results show that several brain regions with a synchronized connectivity deterioration could be identified.

Keywords

ConnectivityFunctional connectivityGray matter networksMultilayerMultiple sclerosisStructural connectivity

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Netw Neurosci due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2022, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Applied Mathematics. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 1.57. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 7.56 (source consulted: Dimensions Jul 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-07-05, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 14
  • Europe PMC: 9

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-05:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 18.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 18 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 28.75.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 15 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 3 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: United Kingdom.