The human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anticorrelated functional networks.

Author: Fox MD1, Snyder AZ, Vincent JL, Corbetta M, Van Essen DC, Raichle ME
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Department of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. foxm@npg.wustl.edu
Conference/Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.
Date published: 2005 Jul 5
Other: Volume ID: 102 , Issue ID: 27 , Pages: 9673-8 , Word Count: 149


During performance of attention-demanding cognitive tasks, certain regions of the brain routinely increase activity, whereas others routinely decrease activity. In this study, we investigate the extent to which this task-related dichotomy is represented intrinsically in the resting human brain through examination of spontaneous fluctuations in the functional MRI blood oxygen level-dependent signal. We identify two diametrically opposed, widely distributed brain networks on the basis of both spontaneous correlations within each network and anticorrelations between networks. One network consists of regions routinely exhibiting task-related activations and the other of regions routinely exhibiting task-related deactivations. This intrinsic organization, featuring the presence of anticorrelated networks in the absence of overt task performance, provides a critical context in which to understand brain function. We suggest that both task-driven neuronal responses and behavior are reflections of this dynamic, ongoing, functional organization of the brain.

PMID: 15976020 PMCID: PMC1157105 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0504136102

DMN Default mode network RSN