Modeling The Non-Neuronal Contribution To The Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent Fmri Signal Oscillations

Mauro DiNuzzo¹, Federico Giove^1,2, Bruno Maraviglia^1,2

Resting oscillatory patterns in cortical activity can originate by both network- and metabolism-related mechanisms. In particular, recent evidences suggest that the cell metabolic state exert an indirect control over the intrinsic network responsivity of the brain, much likely via astrocytic intracellular calcium (Ca2+)-mediated gliotransmission. Here we examined theoretically the contribution of astrocytes in the generation of the fMRI signal changes in the absence of focal neuronal stimulations. We found that oscillations in brain electrical, metabolic and vascular activity, as revealed by BOLD fMRI, can be qualitatively and quantitatively explained by calcium-mediated coupling between neuroglial activation and metabolism.