Attention network

The attention networks are large-scale brain systems critical for different aspects of attention, including alerting, orienting, and executive control. The dorsal attention network (DAN) primarily involves the intraparietal sulcus and frontal eye fields and is responsible for voluntary or top-down control of visuospatial attention. The ventral attention network (VAN) includes temporoparietal and inferior frontal regions and is involved in detecting salient or unexpected stimuli and shifting attention accordingly. The executive attention network (also called the cingulo-opercular network) is centered on the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, supporting conflict monitoring and cognitive control. These functional networks are defined by distributed activity and connectivity patterns, not by the presence of a single protein, gene, or receptor. While key neuromodulatory systems (e.g., norepinephrine, acetylcholine, dopamine) interact with these networks, no single molecular entity constitutes the network itself.

Other names

Attentional networkDorsal attention network (DAN)Ventral attention network (VAN)Executive attention networkAlerting networkOrienting networkAttention system

Neurotransmitter systems modulating these networks include adrenergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic mechanisms.