Shared subcortical arousal systems across sensory modalities during transient modulation of attention.
Aya Khalaf, Erick Lopez, Jian Li, Andreas Horn, Brian L Edlow, Hal Blumenfeld
NeuroImage May 15, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121224 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSubcortical arousal systems help control sustained changes in attention and conscious awareness, and recent studies suggest they also influence short-term dynamic modulation of visual attention, but their role across sensory modalities is unclear. Analyzing fMRI data from 1561 participants performing visual, auditory, tactile, and taste perception tasks, a shared circuit of subcortical arousal systems was identified. This circuit shows early transient increases in activity in the midbrain reticular formation and central thalamus across all sensory modalities, with less consistent increases in the pons, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and basal ganglia. Identifying these networks is critical for understanding normal attention and consciousness and may aid subcortical targeting for therapeutic neuromodulation.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,561 |
| Population | Participants performing visual, auditory, tactile, and taste perception tasks |
| Keywords | Arousal Attention modulation Consciousness Subcortical networks FMRI |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key finding | A shared circuit of subcortical arousal systems shows early transient increases in activity in the midbrain reticular formation and central thalamus across visual, auditory, tactile, and taste perception modalities. |
Abstract
Subcortical arousal systems are known to play a key role in controlling sustained changes in attention and conscious awareness. Recent studies indicate that these systems have a major influence on short-term dynamic modulation of visual attention, but their role across sensory modalities is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated shared subcortical arousal systems across sensory modalities during transient changes in attention using block and event-related fMRI paradigms. We analyzed massive publicly available fMRI datasets collected while 1561 participants performed visual, auditory, tactile, and taste perception tasks. Our analyses revealed a shared circuit of subcortical arousal systems exhibiting early transient increases in activity in midbrain reticular formation and central thalamus across perceptual modalities, as well as less consistent increases in pons, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and basal ganglia. Identifying these networks is critical for understanding mechanisms of normal attention and consciousness and may help facilitate subcortical targeting for therapeutic neuromodulation.