The dorsal attention network (DAN), also known anatomically as the dorsal frontoparietal network (D-FPN), is a

large-scale brain network Large-scale brain networks (also known as intrinsic brain networks) are collections of widespread brain regions showing Resting state fMRI#Functional, functional connectivity by statistical analysis of the Functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMR ...

of the human brain that is primarily composed of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and frontal eye fields (FEF). It is named and most known for its role in voluntary orienting of visuospatial attention. As the IPS and FEF were noticed to be activated during many attention-demanding tasks, this network was sometimes referred to as the task-positive network to contrast it against the task-negative network, or default mode network. However, this dichotomy is now considered misleading, because the default mode network can be active in certain cognitive tasks.

Anatomy

The core regions of the DAN are the IPS and FEF of each hemisphere. Other regions of the network may include the middle temporal region (MT+), superior parietal lobule (SPL), supplementary eye field (SEF), and ventral

premotor cortex The premotor cortex is an area of the motor cortex lying within the frontal lobe of the brain just anterior to the primary motor cortex. It occupies part of Brodmann's area 6. It has been studied mainly in primates, including monkeys and human ...

. More recent works indicate that the

cerebellum The cerebellum (: cerebella or cerebellums; Latin for 'little brain') is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as it or eve ...

may participate in this network as well. Less studied regions include the right

dorsolateral prefrontal cortex The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC or DL-PFC) is an area in the prefrontal cortex of the primate brain. It is one of the most recently derived parts of the human brain. It undergoes a prolonged period of maturation which lasts into adulthoo ...

and

superior colliculus In neuroanatomy, the superior colliculus () is a structure lying on the tectum, roof of the mammalian midbrain. In non-mammalian vertebrates, the Homology (biology), homologous structure is known as the optic tectum or optic lobe. The adjective f ...

Function

The DAN is most prominently involved in goal-directed, voluntary control of visuospatial attention. Corbetta et al., who first defined and named the DAN in the early-to-mid 2000s, suggest that the network is involved in general top-down selection of stimuli and responses, including other modalities (e.g. auditory, tactile). However, evidence that the full DAN is involved in auditory top-down attention has been questioned, as tests that make said claims incorporated both auditory and visual stimuli. The dorsal attention network dynamically interacts with the ventral attention network (or salience network) according to task demands. The inferior frontal junction configures this interaction between the two networks during task switches or attention shifts.

Clinical significance

Reduced connectivity within the dorsal and ventral attention networks has been linked to higher levels of

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple con ...

symptoms. Similarly, reduced connectivity between the DAN and the frontoparietal network is associated with

major depressive disorder Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive depression (mood), low mood, low self-esteem, and anhedonia, loss of interest or pleasure in normally ...

. On the other hand, overactivation of the DAN has been observed in patients with

schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...

Nomenclature

There are several variations of this network's name in neuroscience literature, such as the dorsal attention system, dorsal frontoparietal attention network, and frontoparietal attention network. Until the discovery of other networks, such as the frontoparietal control network, the term ''task-positive network'' referred to the DAN. The term ''task-positive networks'' is still sometimes used to refer to all non- default-mode networks. In 2019, Uddin et al. proposed that ''dorsal frontoparietal network'' (''D-FPN'') be used as a standard anatomical name for this network.

References

{{Human connectomics Brain Attention Cognitive neuroscience