Irreversibility as a signature of non-equilibrium phase transition in large-scale human brain networks: An fMRI study
Jing Wang(王菁), Kejian Wu(吴克俭), Jiaqi Dong(董家奇), and Lianchun Yu(俞连春)†
School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou Center for Theoretical Physics, Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics of Gansu Province, Key Laboratory of Quantum Theory and Applications of Ministry of Education, Gansu Provincial Research Center for Basic Disciplines of Quantum Physics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Abstract It has been argued that the human brain, as an information-processing machine, operates near a phase transition point in a non-equilibrium state, where it violates detailed balance leading to entropy production. Thus, the assessment of irreversibility in brain networks can provide valuable insights into their non-equilibrium properties. In this study, we utilized an open-source whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset from both resting and task states to evaluate the irreversibility of large-scale human brain networks. Our analysis revealed that the brain networks exhibited significant irreversibility, violating detailed balance, and generating entropy. Notably, both physical and cognitive tasks increased the extent of this violation compared to the resting state. Regardless of the state (rest or task), interactions between pairs of brain regions were the primary contributors to this irreversibility. Moreover, we observed that as global synchrony increased within brain networks, so did irreversibility. The first derivative of irreversibility with respect to synchronization peaked near the phase transition point, characterized by the moderate mean synchronization and maximized synchronization entropy of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals. These findings deepen our understanding of the non-equilibrium dynamics of large-scale brain networks, particularly in relation to their phase transition behaviors, and may have potential clinical applications for brain disorders.
Fund: Project supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant Nos. lzujbky-2021-62 and lzujbky-2024-jdzx06), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12247101), the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province, China (Grant Nos. 22JR5RA389 and 23JRRA1740), and the ‘111 Center’ Fund (Grant No. B20063).
Jing Wang(王菁), Kejian Wu(吴克俭), Jiaqi Dong(董家奇), and Lianchun Yu(俞连春) Irreversibility as a signature of non-equilibrium phase transition in large-scale human brain networks: An fMRI study 2025 Chin. Phys. B 34 058703
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