Triangulating a Cognitive Control Network Using Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Functional MRI

By Adam R. Aron, Timothy Edward John Behrens, Steve M. Smith, Michael J Frank, Russell A. Poldrack. 2007

989 citations recorded by the source corpus.

The ability to stop motor responses depends critically on the right inferior frontal cortex (IFC) and also engages a midbrain region consistent with the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Here we used diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) tractography to show that the IFC and the STN region are connected via a white matter tract, which could underlie a “hyperdirect” pathway for basal ganglia control. Using a novel method of “triangulation” analysis of tractography data, we also found that both the IFC and the STN region are connected with the presupplementary motor area (preSMA). We hypothesized that the preSMA could play a conflict detection/resolution role within a network between the preSMA, the IFC, and the STN region. A second experiment tested this idea with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a conditional stop-signal paradigm, enabling examination of behavioral and neural signatures of conflict-induced slowing. The preSMA, IFC, and STN region were significantly activated the greater the conflict-induced slowing. Activation corresponded strongly with spatial foci predicted by the DWI tract analysis, as well as with foci activated by complete response inhibition. The results illustrate how tractography can reveal connections that are verifiable with fMRI. The results also demonstrate a three-way functional–anatomical network in the right hemisphere that could either brake or completely stop responses.

Subfields: Cognitive Neuroscience, Neurology, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

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Citations in the corpus

Executive control in bilinguals: A concise review on fMRI studies. (2016, neutral): “This network included the bilateral inferior frontal and temporal cortices, as well as subcortical regions, which have all been implicated in cognitive control (Aron, Behrens, Smith, Frank & Poldrack, 2007).”
The ecology of human fear: survival optimization and the nervous system (2015, background): “In humans, a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)/fMRI study by Aron and coworkers showed the right IFG to be part of a wider cognitive control network that included the subthalamic nucleus and preSMA (Aron et al., 2007).”
Neurophysiology of performance monitoring and adaptive behavior. (2014, background): “In addition to a pMFC source found for all three ERPs, an additional N2 source was found in the right inferior frontal cortex, which is in line with other findings suggesting an involvement of this area in motor inhibition (14, 15).”
On the Plurality of (Methodological) Worlds: Estimating the Analytic Flexibility of fMRI Experiments (2012, methodology): “Further details on sample characteristics, task specifications, and imaging acquisition are given in the original report of these data (Aron et al., 2007).”
Error-related anterior cingulate cortex activity and the prediction of conscious error awareness (2012, background): “…between activity in the SMA and aware error RT such that higher levels of activity in the SMA were associated with slower aware-error RT. SMC (comprising the SMA and the pre-SMA) is reliably implicated in successful response inhibition (Aron et al., 2007; Simmonds et al., 2008; Sharp et al., 2010).”
Salience network integrity predicts default mode network function after traumatic brain injury (2012, methodology): “Therefore, we defined the connections between loci of activation observed during SST performance, in an approach similar to the one used by Aron and colleagues (56).”
The expected value of control: An integrative theory of anterior cingulate cortex function (2013, positive): “Several studies have shown that dACC interacts directly with structures proposed to implement changes of threshold, such as the subthalamic nucleus (Aron et al., 2007; Aron and Poldrack, 2006; Cavanagh et al., 2011; Jahfari et al., 2011; Wiecki and Frank, 2013), as well as those thought to…”
Hidden Fluid Mechanics: A Navier-Stokes Informed Deep Learning Framework for Assimilating Flow Visualization Data (2018, methodology): “addition to the shear stresses estimation that is of interest, quantification of blood distribution and oxygenation in cerebral arteries using modalities such as perfusion CT [12] and functional magnetic resonance imaging [42] has been practiced and is crucial in the assessment of brain activity for”
The Common Neural Basis of Exerting Self-Control in Multiple Domains (2009, neutral): “…using Di usion Tensor Imaging (DTI) have been noted between the right VLPFC and the preSMA, an area thought to be involved in conict detection (Aron et al., 2007). e preSMA may signal when there is a con ict between an intention (e.g., to resist drug use) and an impulse (e.g., craving)—in…”
Confirmation of functional zones within the human subthalamic nucleus: Patterns of connectivity and sub-parcellation using diffusion weighted imaging (2012, methodology): “The cortical connectivity was analysed by applying a previously described method of STN-cortical thresholding (Aron et al., 2007).”
NeuroVault.org: a web-based repository for collecting and sharing unthresholded statistical maps of the human brain (2014, methodology): “This includes Z or T maps derived from task-based, resting state fMRI, and PET experiments as well as statistics derived from analyses of structural data (e.g., Voxel Based Morphometry, VBM).”