Joana Cabral, PhD - The Network Illusion in Functional Brain Mapping

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 

This keynote examines our tendency to interpret correlated brain activity as evidence of neuronal interactions. While functional networks have become a cornerstone of modern neuroscience, this talk explores whether long-range correlations in brain activity necessarily reflect the propagation of information through axonal connections. I will discuss alternative explanations for these correlated patterns, including principles from wave physics, biomechanics, and fluid dynamics, which may drive similar macroscale dynamics yet not relying on axonal pathways. By reconsidering the nature of functional networks, we can develop models that better explain how these activity patterns support healthy cognition and how their disruption may lead to cognitive impairments and psychiatric symptoms. This perspective doesn't invalidate the wealth of functional connectivity research, but rather enhances our interpretive framework and opens new avenues for advancing our understanding of brain activity at the scales captured with fMRI and its role in mental health.