The Control of Global Brain Dynamics: Opposing Actions of Frontoparietal Control and Default Mode Networks on Attention
Peter J. Hellyer, Murray Shanahan, Gregory Scott, Richard J. S. Wise, David J. Sharp, Robert Leech
Journal of Neuroscience January 8, 2014 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1853-13.2014 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort with computational modeling Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Humans |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Citations | 225 |
| Key findings | Activation of the frontoparietal control/dorsal attention network increases global synchrony and decreases metastability, while default mode network activation has opposite effects, suggesting that the balance between these networks controls attentional state. |
Abstract
Understanding how dynamic changes in brain activity control behavior is a major challenge of cognitive neuroscience. Here, we consider the brain as a complex dynamic system and define two measures of brain dynamics: the synchrony of brain activity, measured by the spatial coherence of the BOLD signal across regions of the brain; and metastability, which we define as the extent to which synchrony varies over time. We investigate the relationship among brain network activity, metastability, and cognitive state in humans, testing the hypothesis that global metastability is "tuned" by network interactions. We study the following two conditions: (1) an attentionally demanding choice reaction time task (CRT); and (2) an unconstrained "rest" state. Functional MRI demonstrated increased synchrony, and decreased metastability was associated with increased activity within the frontoparietal control/dorsal attention network (FPCN/DAN) activity and decreased default mode network (DMN) activity during the CRT compared with rest. Using a computational model of neural dynamics that is constrained by white matter structure to test whether simulated changes in FPCN/DAN and DMN activity produce similar effects, we demonstate that activation of the FPCN/DAN increases global synchrony and decreases metastability. DMN activation had the opposite effects. These results suggest that the balance of activity in the FPCN/DAN and DMN might control global metastability, providing a mechanistic explanation of how attentional state is shifted between an unfocused/exploratory mode characterized by high metastability, and a focused/constrained mode characterized by low metastability.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 15
- The effects of psilocybin and MDMA on between-network resting state functional connectivity in healthy volunteers Frontiers in Human Neuroscience May 27, 2014
- Dynamic functional connectivity and brain metastability during altered states of consciousness Neuroimage October 3, 2017
- States of Mind: Characterizing the Neural Bases of Focus and Mind-wandering through Dynamic Functional Connectivity Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience October 25, 2016
- Dynamic Default Mode Network across Different Brain States Scientific Reports April 6, 2017
- The brain's code and its canonical computational motifs. From sensory cortex to the default mode network: A multi-scale model of brain function in health and disease Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews May 5, 2015
and 10 more in the library