Abstract
It has been widely accepted that attention can be divided into three subnetworks - alerting, orienting and executive control (EC), and the subnetworks of attention are linked to distinct brain regions. However, the association between specific white matter fibers and the subnetworks of attention is not clear enough. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), the white matter connectivity related to the performance of attention was assessed by attention network test (ANT) in 85 healthy adolescents. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic diffusion tractography analysis demonstrated that cerebellothalamic tract was involved in alerting, while orienting depended upon the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). In addition, EC was under the control of anterior corona radiata (ACR). Our findings suggest that different fiber pathways are involved in the three distinct subnetworks of attention. The current study will yield more precise information about the structural substrates of attention function and may aid the efforts to understand the neurophysiology of several attention disorders.
Highlights
Attention refers to the cognitive process of concentrating on the relevant information while ignoring the irrelevant ones
Consistent with Posner’s framework of attentional systems, recent brain imaging studies have consistently supported the idea that there are three key distinct subsystems of attention, namely alerting, orienting, and executive control (EC) [1,2,3].Briefly, alerting is defined as achieving and maintaining a state of high sensitivity; orienting is the selection of sensory information; and EC is involved with the process of resolving cognitively incongruent stimuli [4]
There was no significant difference in the ratio scores of alerting, orienting, EC and accuracy between the two groups (Table 2)
Summary
Attention refers to the cognitive process of concentrating on the relevant information while ignoring the irrelevant ones. Consistent with Posner’s framework of attentional systems, recent brain imaging studies have consistently supported the idea that there are three key distinct subsystems of attention, namely alerting, orienting, and executive control (EC) [1,2,3].Briefly, alerting is defined as achieving and maintaining a state of high sensitivity; orienting is the selection of sensory information; and EC is involved with the process of resolving cognitively incongruent stimuli [4]. Numerous brain imaging studies have indicated that distinct cortical and subcortical areas are engaged in the three subnetworks of attention [5,6,7,8]. It remains largely unknown whether the fiber pathways between these regions are associated with attention function. With the extensive use of DTI, many white matter regions have been reported to be involved in attention function (Table 1)
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