A novel algorithm for measuring graph similarity: Application to brain networks

Measuring similarity among graphs is a challenging issue in many disciplines including neuroscience. Several algorithms, mainly based on vertices or edges properties, were proposed to address this issue. Most of them ignore the physical location of the vertices, which is a crucial factor in the analysis of brain networks. Indeed, functional brain networks are usually represented as graphs composed of vertices (brain regions) connected by edges (functional connectivity). In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm to measure a similarity between graphs. The novelty of our approach is to account for vertices, edges and spatiality at the same time. The proposed algorithm is evaluated using synthetic graphs. It shows high ability to detect and measure similarity between graphs. An application to real functional brain networks is then described. The algorithm allows for quantification of the inter-subjects variability during a picture naming task.