The human endogenous attentional control network includes a ventro-temporal cortical node

TitleThe human endogenous attentional control network includes a ventro-temporal cortical node
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsSani, I, Stemmann, H, Caron, B, Bullock, D, Stemmler, T, Fahle, M, Pestilli, F, Freiwald, WA
JournalNature Communications
Volume12
Issue1
Date Published02/2021
Abstract

Endogenous attention is the cognitive function that selects the relevant pieces of sensory information to achieve goals and it is known to be controlled by dorsal fronto-parietal brain areas. Here we expand this notion by identifying a control attention area located in the temporal lobe. By combining a demanding behavioral paradigm with functional neuroimaging and diffusion tractography, we show that like fronto-parietal attentional areas, the human posterior inferotemporal cortex exhibits significant attentional modulatory activity. This area is functionally distinct from surrounding cortical areas, and is directly connected to parietal and frontal attentional regions. These results show that attentional control spans three cortical lobes and overarches large distances through fiber pathways that run orthogonally to the dominant anterior-posterior axes of sensory processing, thus suggesting a different organizing principle for cognitive control.

URLhttp://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20583-5
DOI10.1038/s41467-020-20583-5
Short TitleNat Commun

Associated Module: 

CBMM Relationship: 

  • CBMM Funded