The functional overlap between respiration and global signal and its behavioral relevance

Resting-state fMRI studies encounter the challenge of interpreting fluctuations in the global signal (GS). The GS has been linked to arousal, vigilance states, cognition, and psychiatric disorders, suggesting its functional relevance. However, GS also partially arises from physiological factors, particularly respiration. In this study, we investigate whether respiration and GS exhibit functional topographic overlap in the brain and its impact on behavior. Using resting-state fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project (N = 770), we find strong spatial consistency between GS and respiration topography with regional specificity. Furthermore, canonical correlation analysis reveals a shared pattern between the GS-behavior and respiration-behavior relationships, demonstrated as the linking between default mode network and psychiatric problems. In contrast, only GS topography correlates with cognitive performance. The reliability of respiration-GS relationships is confirmed via 10-fold cross-validated canonical correlation analysis. Additionally, this relationship is not replicated for another physiological signal, i.e., cardiac activity. Our findings underscore the functional and cognitive relevance of respiration to GS, rather than mere physiological noise. We propose the importance of considering respiration's multifaceted roles in modulating GS dynamics that underpin brain-body integration supporting mental health and cognitive function.