Michael W. Cole
@mwcole.bsky.social
Professor, director of neuroscience lab at Rutgers University – neuroimaging, cognitive control, network neuroscience
Writing book “Brain Flows: How Network Dynamics Generate The Human Mind” for Princeton University Press
https://www.colelab.org
Writing book “Brain Flows: How Network Dynamics Generate The Human Mind” for Princeton University Press
https://www.colelab.org
Pinned
Michael W. Cole
@mwcole.bsky.social
· Sep 14
Lab’s latest is out in Imaging Neuroscience, led by Kirsten Peterson: “Regularized partial correlation provides reliable functional connectivity estimates while correcting for widespread confounding”, where we demonstrate a major improvement to standard fMRI functional connectivity (correlation) 1/n
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
10) Please check out the full paper here: “Dynamically shifting from compositional to conjunctive brain representations supports cognitive task learning”, doi.org/10.1038/s414...
Dynamically shifting from compositional to conjunctive brain representations supports cognitive task learning - Nature Communications
Learning shifts multi-task representations from compositional to conjunctive formats. Cortical conjunctions uniquely associate with effects of practice, and index switch costs. Subcortex is critical f...
doi.org
November 20, 2025 at 5:08 PM
10) Please check out the full paper here: “Dynamically shifting from compositional to conjunctive brain representations supports cognitive task learning”, doi.org/10.1038/s414...
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
Excited to see our paper with @mwcole.bsky.social finally out in peer-reviewed form @natcomms.nature.com! We examine how the human brain learns new tasks and optimizes representations over practice…1/n
November 19, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Excited to see our paper with @mwcole.bsky.social finally out in peer-reviewed form @natcomms.nature.com! We examine how the human brain learns new tasks and optimizes representations over practice…1/n
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
2/3 Imagine if NFL coaches were hired because they were friends with the White House. You’d end up with bad football teams pretty fast. Same deal with NIH IC Directors and science.
October 23, 2025 at 4:11 AM
2/3 Imagine if NFL coaches were hired because they were friends with the White House. You’d end up with bad football teams pretty fast. Same deal with NIH IC Directors and science.
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
Wanna better understand what society has gained from research? This website crowd-sources societal benefits that stem from US government-funded research publicusaresearchbenefits.com
Searchable database of tangible benefits that federally-funded research gave us.
A crowd-sourced site. Health and Well-being. National Security. Prosperity.
publicusaresearchbenefits.com
September 19, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Wanna better understand what society has gained from research? This website crowd-sources societal benefits that stem from US government-funded research publicusaresearchbenefits.com
The graphical lasso functional connectivity approach that performed best in the paper can be implemented using the Activity Flow Toolbox: colelab.github.io/ActflowToolb...
And also using the paper's code release: github.com/ColeLab/Reli... [12/n]
And also using the paper's code release: github.com/ColeLab/Reli... [12/n]
ActflowToolbox
colelab.github.io
September 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
I think both of those explanations are plausible. I co-authored a paper on functional/effective connectivity in 2019 that may be helpful: Reid et al. (2019). "Advancing functional connectivity research from association to causation". Nature Neuroscience. www.colelab.org/pubs/Reid201...
www.colelab.org
September 17, 2025 at 1:43 AM
I think both of those explanations are plausible. I co-authored a paper on functional/effective connectivity in 2019 that may be helpful: Reid et al. (2019). "Advancing functional connectivity research from association to causation". Nature Neuroscience. www.colelab.org/pubs/Reid201...
Ideally, regularized partial correlation would have become the default back then. Instead, 90%+ of studies have continued to use pairwise correlations, especially with fMRI. I think one reason is that the advantages of the new approach hadn't been shown clearly, which is what we try to do here.
September 16, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Ideally, regularized partial correlation would have become the default back then. Instead, 90%+ of studies have continued to use pairwise correlations, especially with fMRI. I think one reason is that the advantages of the new approach hadn't been shown clearly, which is what we try to do here.
The graphical lasso functional connectivity approach that performed best in the paper can be implemented using the Activity Flow Toolbox: colelab.github.io/ActflowToolb...
And also using the paper's code release: github.com/ColeLab/Reli... [12/n]
And also using the paper's code release: github.com/ColeLab/Reli... [12/n]
ActflowToolbox
colelab.github.io
September 14, 2025 at 9:39 PM
The graphical lasso functional connectivity approach that performed best in the paper can be implemented using the Activity Flow Toolbox: colelab.github.io/ActflowToolb...
And also using the paper's code release: github.com/ColeLab/Reli... [12/n]
And also using the paper's code release: github.com/ColeLab/Reli... [12/n]
Together, results demonstrated vast improvements in fMRI functional connectivity estimation using regularized partial correlation. Thanks to first author Kirsten Peterson, and coauthors Ruben Sanchez-Romero and
@ravimill.bsky.social!
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG... #neuroscience #neuroimaging [11/n]
@ravimill.bsky.social!
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG... #neuroscience #neuroimaging [11/n]
Regularized partial correlation provides reliable functional connectivity estimates while correcting for widespread confounding
Abstract. Functional connectivity (FC) has been invaluable for understanding the brain's communication network, with strong potential for enhanced FC approaches to yield additional insights. Unlike wi...
doi.org
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Together, results demonstrated vast improvements in fMRI functional connectivity estimation using regularized partial correlation. Thanks to first author Kirsten Peterson, and coauthors Ruben Sanchez-Romero and
@ravimill.bsky.social!
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG... #neuroscience #neuroimaging [11/n]
@ravimill.bsky.social!
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG... #neuroscience #neuroimaging [11/n]
And regularization improved prediction of individual differences in demographics (age) and behavior/cognition (general intelligence) relative to standard partial correlation. The glasso results were more interpretable than pairwise correlation (fewer false connections) 10/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
And regularization improved prediction of individual differences in demographics (age) and behavior/cognition (general intelligence) relative to standard partial correlation. The glasso results were more interpretable than pairwise correlation (fewer false connections) 10/n
Also empirical, prediction of task-evoked activity (via activity flow modeling) was better with regularized partial correlation 9/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Also empirical, prediction of task-evoked activity (via activity flow modeling) was better with regularized partial correlation 9/n
As another empirical validation, regularized partial correlation was much less susceptible to motion artifacts than pairwise correlation. Percent connections linked to motion = Pairwise correlation FC: 56.4% vs. graphical lasso FC: 0.01% 8/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
As another empirical validation, regularized partial correlation was much less susceptible to motion artifacts than pairwise correlation. Percent connections linked to motion = Pairwise correlation FC: 56.4% vs. graphical lasso FC: 0.01% 8/n
First empirical validation: regularized partial correlation was much closer to structural connectivity, which doesn’t have the causal confounding problem (despite other issues) 7/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
First empirical validation: regularized partial correlation was much closer to structural connectivity, which doesn’t have the causal confounding problem (despite other issues) 7/n
This pattern of results was mirrored in empirical resting-state fMRI data across 4 validation measures. Regularization was key to estimating individual subject-level networks with reduced confounding. 6/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
This pattern of results was mirrored in empirical resting-state fMRI data across 4 validation measures. Regularization was key to estimating individual subject-level networks with reduced confounding. 6/n
In simulations, pairwise (standard) correlation led to many false connections, but so did partial correlation. Regularized partial correlation (glasso) better recovered the true network organization 5/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
In simulations, pairwise (standard) correlation led to many false connections, but so did partial correlation. Regularized partial correlation (glasso) better recovered the true network organization 5/n
We hypothesized that low reliability of partial correlation is due to overfitting to noise, with regularization (model simplification) improving reliability. 4/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
We hypothesized that low reliability of partial correlation is due to overfitting to noise, with regularization (model simplification) improving reliability. 4/n
Pairwise correlations are known to be susceptible to false positives in theory. For example, region A causing activity in unconnected regions B and C (B<-A->C) can lead to a false B-C connection. Partial correlation can correct for this error, but not reliably 3/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Pairwise correlations are known to be susceptible to false positives in theory. For example, region A causing activity in unconnected regions B and C (B<-A->C) can lead to a false B-C connection. Partial correlation can correct for this error, but not reliably 3/n
In brief: Improvements to pairwise (standard) correlation: 1) reduced false connections (confounding), 2) reduced sensitivity to in-scanner motion, 3) better correspondence to task-related activity, and 4) more interpretable links with individual differences in behavior 2/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
In brief: Improvements to pairwise (standard) correlation: 1) reduced false connections (confounding), 2) reduced sensitivity to in-scanner motion, 3) better correspondence to task-related activity, and 4) more interpretable links with individual differences in behavior 2/n
Lab’s latest is out in Imaging Neuroscience, led by Kirsten Peterson: “Regularized partial correlation provides reliable functional connectivity estimates while correcting for widespread confounding”, where we demonstrate a major improvement to standard fMRI functional connectivity (correlation) 1/n
September 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Lab’s latest is out in Imaging Neuroscience, led by Kirsten Peterson: “Regularized partial correlation provides reliable functional connectivity estimates while correcting for widespread confounding”, where we demonstrate a major improvement to standard fMRI functional connectivity (correlation) 1/n
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
New paper in Imaging Neuroscience by Malte R. Güth, Travis E. Baker, et al:
Right posterior theta reflects human parahippocampal phase resetting by salient cues during goal-directed navigation
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG...
Right posterior theta reflects human parahippocampal phase resetting by salient cues during goal-directed navigation
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG...
September 10, 2025 at 5:41 AM
New paper in Imaging Neuroscience by Malte R. Güth, Travis E. Baker, et al:
Right posterior theta reflects human parahippocampal phase resetting by salient cues during goal-directed navigation
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG...
Right posterior theta reflects human parahippocampal phase resetting by salient cues during goal-directed navigation
doi.org/10.1162/IMAG...
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
Ask courageous questions.
Do not be satisfied with superficial answers. Be open to wonder and at the same time subject all claims to knowledge, without exception, to critical scrutiny.
Be aware of human fallibility.
Cherish your species and your planet.
- Carl Sagan.
Do not be satisfied with superficial answers. Be open to wonder and at the same time subject all claims to knowledge, without exception, to critical scrutiny.
Be aware of human fallibility.
Cherish your species and your planet.
- Carl Sagan.
September 6, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Ask courageous questions.
Do not be satisfied with superficial answers. Be open to wonder and at the same time subject all claims to knowledge, without exception, to critical scrutiny.
Be aware of human fallibility.
Cherish your species and your planet.
- Carl Sagan.
Do not be satisfied with superficial answers. Be open to wonder and at the same time subject all claims to knowledge, without exception, to critical scrutiny.
Be aware of human fallibility.
Cherish your species and your planet.
- Carl Sagan.
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
I still get chills
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
I still get chills
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
Reposted by Michael W. Cole
“Top-down and bottom-up neuroscience: overcoming the clash of research cultures”
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Small contribution in this piece by @frosas.bsky.social and colleagues on how we need both types of research culture in neuroscience.
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Small contribution in this piece by @frosas.bsky.social and colleagues on how we need both types of research culture in neuroscience.
#neuroskyence
July 22, 2025 at 3:59 PM
“Top-down and bottom-up neuroscience: overcoming the clash of research cultures”
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Small contribution in this piece by @frosas.bsky.social and colleagues on how we need both types of research culture in neuroscience.
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Small contribution in this piece by @frosas.bsky.social and colleagues on how we need both types of research culture in neuroscience.
#neuroskyence
Maybe being anxious is a sign of being a good scientist? Accurate theories/hypotheses should stand up to many tests developed from a skeptical perspective. Starting from empirical constraints & modeling their interaction can help keep theories grounded, perhaps increasing the odds they'll be correct
July 11, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Maybe being anxious is a sign of being a good scientist? Accurate theories/hypotheses should stand up to many tests developed from a skeptical perspective. Starting from empirical constraints & modeling their interaction can help keep theories grounded, perhaps increasing the odds they'll be correct
Once you have a flow model that generates a phenomenon of interest, you can lesion each empirical constraint (e.g., each connection or task-evoked activation) to determine which contributed to generation of that phenomenon. Follow-up empirical stimulation or lesion work can further verify this.
July 11, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Once you have a flow model that generates a phenomenon of interest, you can lesion each empirical constraint (e.g., each connection or task-evoked activation) to determine which contributed to generation of that phenomenon. Follow-up empirical stimulation or lesion work can further verify this.