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, in order 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 the default network (DN) and the dorsal attentional network (DAN). This 2-fold FPCN differentiation was observed across four independent data sets, across 9 different conditions (rest and 8 tasks), as well as in meta-analytic co-activation patterns. The extent of FPCN differentiation varied across conditions, suggesting flexible adaptation to task demands. These findings reveal a flexible and heterogeneous FPCN organization that may in part emerge from separable DN and DAN processing streams.
Neurotransmitter receptors support the propagation of signals in the human brain. How receptor systems are situated within macroscale neuroanatomy and how they shape emergent function remains poorly understood, and there exists no comprehensive atlas of receptors. Here we collate positron emission tomography scans in >1200 healthy individuals to construct a whole-brain 3-D normative atlas of 18 receptors and transporters across 9 different neurotransmitter systems. We find that receptor profiles align with structural connectivity and mediate function, including neurophysiological oscillatory dynamics and resting state hemodynamic functional connectivity. Using the Neurosynth cognitive atlas, we uncover a topographic gradient of overlapping receptor distributions that separates extrinsic and intrinsic psychological processes. Finally, we find both expected and novel associations between receptor distributions and cortical thinning patterns across 13 disorders. We replicate all findings in an independently collected autoradiography dataset. This work demonstrates how chemoarchitecture shapes brain structure and function, providing a new direction for studying multi-scale brain organization.
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