The frontoparietal network (FPN), generally also known as the central executive network (CEN) or, more specifically, the lateral frontoparietal network (L-FPN) (see

Nomenclature Nomenclature (, ) is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. The principles of naming vary from the relatively informal conventions of everyday speech to the internationally agre ...

), is a large-scale brain network primarily composed of the

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 until adultho ...

and posterior

parietal cortex The parietal lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The parietal lobe is positioned above the temporal lobe and behind the frontal lobe and central sulcus. The parietal lobe integrates sensory informa ...

, around the

intraparietal sulcus The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is located on the lateral surface of the parietal lobe, and consists of an oblique and a horizontal portion. The IPS contains a series of functionally distinct subregions that have been intensively investigated usin ...

. It is involved in sustained attention, complex problem-solving and

working memory Working memory is a cognitive system with a limited capacity that can hold information temporarily. It is important for reasoning and the guidance of decision-making and behavior. Working memory is often used synonymously with short-term memory, ...

. The FPN is one of three networks in the so-called triple-network model, along with the

salience network The salience network (SN), also known anatomically as the midcingulo-insular network (M-CIN), is a large scale brain network of the human brain that is primarily composed of the anterior insula (AI) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). ...

and the

default mode network In neuroscience, the default mode network (DMN), also known as the default network, default state network, or anatomically the medial frontoparietal network (M-FPN), is a large-scale brain network primarily composed of the dorsal medial pre ...

(DMN). The salience network facilitates switching between the FPN and DMN.

Anatomy

The FPN is primarily composed of the rostral lateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (especially the

middle frontal gyrus The middle frontal gyrus makes up about one-third of the frontal lobe of the human brain. (A ''gyrus'' is one of the prominent "bumps" or "ridges" on the surface of the human brain.) The middle frontal gyrus, like the inferior frontal gyrus ...

) and the anterior

inferior parietal lobule The inferior parietal lobule (subparietal district) lies below the horizontal portion of the intraparietal sulcus, and behind the lower part of the postcentral sulcus. Also known as Geschwind's territory after Norman Geschwind, an American neuro ...

. Additional regions include the middle

cingulate gyrus The cingulate cortex is a part of the brain situated in the medial aspect of the cerebral cortex. The cingulate cortex includes the entire cingulate gyrus, which lies immediately above the corpus callosum, and the continuation of this in the c ...

and potentially the dorsal

precuneus In neuroanatomy, the precuneus is the portion of the superior parietal lobule on the medial surface of each brain hemisphere. It is located in front of the cuneus (the upper portion of the occipital lobe). The precuneus is bounded in front by t ...

, posterior inferior

temporal lobe The temporal lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The temporal lobe is located beneath the lateral fissure on both cerebral hemispheres of the mammalian brain. The temporal lobe is involved in proc ...

, dorsomedial

thalamus The thalamus (from Greek θάλαμος, "chamber") is a large mass of gray matter located in the dorsal part of the diencephalon (a division of the forebrain). Nerve fibers project out of the thalamus to the cerebral cortex in all direction ...

and the head of the

caudate nucleus The caudate nucleus is one of the structures that make up the corpus striatum, which is a component of the basal ganglia in the human brain. While the caudate nucleus has long been associated with motor processes due to its role in Parkinson's d ...

Function

The FPN is involved in executive function and goal-oriented, cognitively demanding tasks. It is crucial for rule-based problem solving, actively maintaining and manipulating information in working memory and making decisions in the context of goal-directed behaviour. Based on current cognitive demands, the FPN flexibly divides into two subsystems that connect to other networks: the

for introspective processes and the

dorsal attention network The dorsal attention network (DAN), also known anatomically as the dorsal frontoparietal network (D-FPN), is a large-scale brain network of the human brain that is primarily composed of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and frontal eye fields (F ...

for perceptual attention.

Clinical significance

Disruption of the nodes of the FPN has been found in virtually every psychiatric and neurological disorder, from

autism The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social wi ...

and depression to

frontotemporal dementia Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), or frontotemporal degeneration disease, or frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder, encompasses several types of dementia involving the progressive degeneration of frontal and temporal lobes. FTDs broadly present a ...

and Alzheimer's disease.

Nomenclature

The term central executive network (CEN) is generally equivalent to the frontoparietal network in literature, distinguishing it from the

(DAN), with which it has several similarities, though sometimes it has been used to include the DAN. The FPN has fewer similarities with the

(which has also been equated with the cingulo-opercular network or

ventral attention network The salience network (SN), also known anatomically as the midcingulo-insular network (M-CIN), is a large scale brain network of the human brain that is primarily composed of the anterior insula (AI) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). ...

). Regardless, it has sometimes been grouped together with either the DAN or the salience network (usually the latter) under the name executive control network (ECN). The term frontoparietal control network (FPCN) has also been used, generally also for a grouping of the FPN and the salience network. Other names for the FPN have included the multiple-demand system, extrinsic mode network, domain-general system and cognitive control network. In 2019, Uddin et al. proposed that ''lateral frontoparietal network'' (''L-FPN'') be used as the standard name for this network.

References

{{Human connectomics Brain Neural circuits

Anatomy

Function

Clinical significance

Nomenclature

See also

References