Heterogeneity within the frontoparietal control network and its relationship to the default and dorsal attention networks

Abstract

The frontoparietal control network (FPCN) plays a central role in executive control. It has been predominantly viewed as a unitary domain general system. Here, we examined patterns of FPCN functional connectivity (FC) across multiple conditions of varying cognitive demands, to test for FPCN heterogeneity. We identified two distinct subsystems within the FPCN based on hierarchical clustering and machine learning classification analyses of within-FPCN FC patterns. These two FPCN subsystems exhibited distinct patterns of FC with the default network (DN) and the dorsal attention network (DAN). FPCN exhibited stronger connectivity with the DN than the DAN, whereas FPCN exhibited the opposite pattern. This twofold FPCN differentiation was observed across four independent datasets, across nine different conditions (rest and eight tasks), at the level of individual-participant data, as well as in meta-analytic coactivation patterns. Notably, the extent of FPCN differentiation varied across conditions, suggesting flexible adaptation to task demands. Finally, we used meta-analytic tools to identify several functional domains associated with the DN and DAN that differentially predict activation in the FPCN subsystems. These findings reveal a flexible and heterogeneous FPCN organization that may in part emerge from separable DN and DAN processing streams. We propose that FPCN may be preferentially involved in the regulation of introspective processes, whereas FPCN may be preferentially involved in the regulation of visuospatial perceptual attention.

Spatial dynamics within and between brain functional domains: A hierarchical approach to study time‐varying brain function

“…In addition to interdigitated parallel networks, there are several fMRI studies demonstrating that the distributed large-scale networks occur in subportions across different mental states and tasks supporting the spatial reconfiguration observed over time in this study scenarios (Andrews-Hanna et al, 2010; Cole et al, 2013; Dixon et al, 2018; Leech et al, 2011). Furthermore, regarding default mode, intracranial electrophysiology studies demonstrate different patterns of activity across multiple regions of the default mode over time (for review please read (Fox et al, 2018)).…”

Activation‐based association profiles differentiate network roles across cognitive loads

“…Previous study has disclosed that the DAN is a goal‐directed cognitive control network that top‐down regulates responses to external stimuli (Corbetta & Shulman, ). Recent studies have also reported that the entire FPN is composed of three heterogeneous modules (namely, DMN aligned, DAN aligned, and dual aligned) that dissociably mediate global communication (Dixon et al, ; Spreng et al, ). This accords with the concept that the DAN globally regulates the positive networks by overseeing visuospatial encoding/planning (Spreng et al, ; Stawarczyk, Jeunehomme, & D'Argembeau, ), episodic retrieval, and WM (Luckmann, Jacobs, & Sack, ; Nee & Jonides, ).…”

Cross-species Functional Alignment Reveals Evolutionary Hierarchy Within the Connectome

“…In humans the frontoparietal and attention networks have been suggested to be dissociable into pairs of networks that are dissociable with respect to their functional proximity to unimodal versus transmodal systems (i.e. the default mode network) 53,54 . In our analysis, the FHI readily distinguished between the frontoparietal network-A (FN-A) and frontoparietal network-B (FN-B).…”