The functional connectivity pattern of the ACC demonstrated interesting spatial differences between groups, as healthy brains showed greater correlation with the ventral posterior cingulate cortex as compared to injured brains; and injured brains had greater connectivity with most of the cingulate cortex and particularly the dorsal aspect of the posterior cingulate cortex than healthy brains. An altered connectivity pattern within the cingulate cortex has been found among clinical populations. Castellanos et al. (2008)54 reported compromised connectivity between the precuneus/posterior cingulate and areas of the default mode network including the anterior cingulate. Furthermore, Wang et al., (2006)22 found patients with early stage Alzheimer’s disease showed compromised resting state connectivity between the posterior cingulate and the hippocampus, areas involved in the default mode network. Taken together, these studies and the results from the present investigation suggest the connectivity between anterior and posterior cingulate may be sensitive to compromise in clinical populations with functional or neurocognitive deficits. Furthermore, the results of this study support examining the functional connectivity between various brain regions involved in the default mode network, as their connectedness may be a marker of cerebral integrity or compromise.
