Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42763393›Full record

ArticleBMC neuroscience2026

Structural characteristics of local cortical networks wired by distance dependent connectivity rules.

Bernhard Hellwig

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author.

Bernhard Hellwig, Rempartstr. 11, 79098, Freiburg, Germany. hellwig@npi-freiburg.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe function of the cerebral cortex is shaped by its anatomical connectivity, yet experimental findings on connection probabilities in local cortical networks remain inconsistent. This study explores structural characteristics of local cortical networks based on distance dependent, Gaussian connectivity profiles. Monolayers of 101 × 101 pyramidal neurons were examined. Their connectivity was based on experimental anatomical or electrophysiological data. In the anatomical setting the connection probability between neighboring neurons was 0.8. In the electrophysiological scenario connection probabilities for adjacent neurons ranged between 0.08 and 0.23. All distance dependent networks were compared to the configuration model which generates degree-preserving but otherwise randomly rewired networks. The networks thus constructed were analyzed applying tools of network science, i.e. average degrees, degree distributions, local clustering coefficients and graph distances. Moreover, the numbers, sizes and spatial dimensions of cliques were investigated as well as the cost of connectivity.

resultsDistance-dependent networks differed fundamentally from configuration-model networks across all structural measures. They showed substantially higher local clustering, formed more numerous and more spatially compact groups of strongly connected neurons, and required lower wiring cost. Importantly, the structure of distance-dependent networks was highly sensitive to near-neighbor connectivity: when neurons had a high probability of connecting locally, the network reliably developed tightly wired, spatially localized neuronal clusters.

conclusionsDistance-dependent connectivity gives rise to structural network features that may facilitate the emergence of functional neuronal assemblies. Based on the findings of this study, a general probabilistic rule for local cortical connectivity is proposed that can be used to design artificial neural networks with biologically inspired wiring principles.

Indexed as

Cerebral CortexModels, NeurologicalNerve NetPyramidal CellsAnimalsNeural PathwaysCerebral cortexConnection probabilityDistance dependentLocal connectivityNetwork scienceNeuronal assemblyPyramidal neuron

Identifiers

PMID42763393
PMCPMC13589859

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.