Time-varying functional connectivity predicts fluctuations in sustained attention in a serial tapping task.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Brain Network Dynamics

Background:

• Sustained attention mechanisms remain unclear.
• Attention fluctuates, suggesting dynamic brain network connectivity changes.
• Brain networks involved in internal and external attention allocation are key.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate how brain network activity varies with different levels of attentional focus.
• Identify network dynamics distinguishing "in-the-zone" (high focus) from "out-of-the-zone" (low focus) states.
• Explore the role of time-varying functional connectivity in sustained attention.

Main Methods:

• Participants performed a finger-tapping task.
• Defined "in-the-zone" by low reaction time variability and "out-of-the-zone" by the inverse.
• Utilized quasi-periodic pattern analysis for time-varying functional connectivity of low-frequency fluctuations.

Main Results:

• Default mode network (DMN) and task positive network (TPN) were more anti-correlated during "in-the-zone" states.
• Frontoparietal control network (FPCN) switching differentiated zone states.
• FPCN synchronized with DMN during "out-of-the-zone" and switched to DAN during "in-the-zone" states.
• Dorsal attention network (DAN) and DMN were desynchronized across states.
• Ventral attention network (VAN) synchronized more with DMN during "in-the-zone" states.

Conclusions:

• Time-varying functional connectivity across brain networks fluctuates with sustained attention.
• The FPCN's dynamic switching between DMN and DAN is crucial for attentional focus.
• Network interactions, particularly FPCN-DAN and FPCN-DMN, underlie attentional state changes.