Predictability of cortico-cortical connections in the mammalian brain

Abstract Despite a five order of magnitude range in size, the brains of mammals share many anatomical and functional characteristics that translate into cortical network commonalities. Here we develop a machine learning framework to quantify the degree of predictability of the weighted interareal cortical matrix. Partial network connectivity data were obtained with retrograde tract-tracing experiments generated with a consistent methodology, supplemented by projection length measurements in a non-human primate (macaque) and a rodent (mouse). We show that there is a significant level of predictability embedded in the interareal cortical networks of both species. At the binary level, links are predictable with an Area Under the ROC curve of at least 0.8 for the macaque. Weighted medium and strong links are predictable with an 85–90% accuracy (mouse) and 70–80% (macaque), whereas weak links are not predictable in either species. These observations reinforce earlier observations that the formation and evolution of the cortical network at the mesoscale is, to a large extent, rule based. Using the methodology presented here we performed imputations on all area pairs, generating samples for the complete interareal network in both species. These are necessary for comparative studies of the connectome with minimal bias, both within and across species.