Salience network modulation leads a sequence of brain activity that causes resting-state fMRI correlations with EEG and physiological signals

Correlations of resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) with various neural and physiological signals have been observed and interpreted as distinct sources of contributions. Here, we found these rsfMRI-EEG and rsfMRI-physio correlations are similarly characterized by distinct network patterns at different time lags. A similar sequence of fMRI changes led by the salience network modulation is found in resting-state fMRI signals, and removing this sequence significantly diminished the rsfMRI-EEG and rsfMRI-physiology correlations. The results suggest that the rsfMRI correlations with the EEG alpha power and physiological signals originate from a sequence of brain dynamics led by salience network changes.