Dopamine Transporters in Striatum Correlate with Deactivation in the Default Mode Network during Visuospatial Attention
Dardo G. Tomasi, Nora D. Volkow, Ruiliang Wang, F. Telang, Gene‐Jack Wang, Linda Chang, Thomas Ernst, J. Fowler
PLoS One June 30, 2009 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006102 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational neuroimaging study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy controls |
| Measures | positron emission tomography with [11C]cocaine, blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key findings | DAT availability in caudate and putamen correlated negatively with deactivation in ventral parietal default mode network regions (precuneus, BA 7) and positively with deactivation in a small ventral anterior cingulate region (BA 24/32); with increasing attentional load, caudate DAT correlated negatively with load-related deactivation increases in precuneus. The authors argue these findings indicate dopamine transporters modulate neural activity in the default mode network and anterior cingulate during visuospatial attention. |
Abstract
Background Dopamine and dopamine transporters (DAT, which regulate extracellular dopamine in the brain) are implicated in the modulation of attention but their specific roles are not well understood. Here we hypothesized that dopamine modulates attention by facilitation of brain deactivation in the default mode network (DMN). Thus, higher striatal DAT levels, which would result in an enhanced clearance of dopamine and hence weaker dopamine signals, would be associated to lower deactivation in the DMN during an attention task. Methodology/Principal Findings For this purpose we assessed the relationship between DAT in striatum (measured with positron emission tomography and [11C]cocaine used as DAT radiotracer) and brain activation and deactivation during a parametric visual attention task (measured with blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging) in healthy controls. We show that DAT availability in caudate and putamen had a negative correlation with deactivation in ventral parietal regions of the DMN (precuneus, BA 7) and a positive correlation with deactivation in a small region in the ventral anterior cingulate gyrus (BA 24/32). With increasing attentional load, DAT in caudate showed a negative correlation with load-related deactivation increases in precuneus. Conclusions/Significance These findings provide evidence that dopamine transporters modulate neural activity in the DMN and anterior cingulate gyrus during visuospatial attention. Our findings suggest that dopamine modulates attention in part by regulating neuronal activity in posterior parietal cortex including precuneus (region involved in alertness) and cingulate gyrus (region deactivated in proportion to emotional interference). These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of stimulant medications (increase dopamine by blocking DAT) in inattention reflect in part their ability to facilitate the deactivation of the DMN.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functional connectivity of default mode network components: Correlation, anticorrelation, and causality Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study using resting-state fMRI and seed correlation analysis | |
| Patterns of Brain Activity Supporting Autobiographical Memory, Prospection, and Theory of Mind, and Their Relationship to the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2009 | Experimental study using fMRI | |
| Dynamic reconfiguration of the default mode network during narrative comprehension Human subjects | 2016 | Experimental study | |
| Broadband Cortical Desynchronization Underlies the Human Psychedelic State Healthy human participants | 2013 | Experimental study | |
| The brain on art: intense aesthetic experience activates the default mode network Human observers | 2012 | Observational study with fMRI and behavioral analysis |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Visual misperceptions and hallucinations in Parkinson's disease: Dysfunction of attentional control networks? Movement Disorders September 23, 2011
- DRD2 Genotype-Based Variation of Default Mode Network Activity and of Its Relationship With Striatal DAT Binding Schizophrenia Bulletin October 5, 2011
- Characterization of the hemodynamic response function in default mode network subregions for task-evoked negative BOLD responses bioRxiv September 19, 2025
- The Journey of the Default Mode Network: Development, Function, and Impact on Mental Health Biology April 1, 2025
- Open monitoring meditation reduces the involvement of brain regions related to memory function Scientific Reports July 2, 2018
and 4 more in the library