Multiple Brain Activation Patterns for the Same Perceptual Decision-Making Task.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Characterizing variations in internal brain states that influence cognition and behavior is difficult.
• Understanding how the brain achieves the same goal through different neural pathways is crucial for neuroscience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether distinct brain region activation patterns exist for the same task performed across different trials.
• To explore the diversity of neural mechanisms underlying cognitive tasks using functional MRI data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to record brain-wide signals during three perceptual decision-making experiments.
• Applied trial-to-trial fluctuation analysis and modularity-maximization clustering to classify brain activation patterns.
• Estimated and clustered brain activations for each trial to identify distinct subtypes.

Main Results:

• Identified multiple distinct and stable trial subtypes within each experiment, indicating varied brain activation patterns for the same task.
• Observed significant default mode network activation in one subtype, contrary to expectations for externally focused tasks.
• Found that default mode network subtype exhibited similar behavioral performance to subtypes with task-positive network activation.

Conclusions:

• The same perceptual decision-making task can be accomplished via multiple, distinct brain activation patterns.
• The default mode network may play a role in task performance, even during externally focused cognitive processes.
• Brain activity patterns are more flexible than previously assumed, offering new insights into neural plasticity and cognitive control.