title: Neural correlates of establishing, maintaining, and switching brain states.
abstract: Although the study of brain states is an old one in neuroscience, there has been growing interest in brain state specification owing to MRI studies tracing brain connectivity at rest. In this review, we summarize recent research on three relatively well-described brain states: the resting, alert, and meditation states. We explore the neural correlates of maintaining a state or switching between states, and argue that the anterior cingulate cortex and striatum play a critical role in state maintenance, whereas the insula has a major role in switching between states. Brain state may serve as a predictor of performance in a variety of perceptual, memory, and problem solving tasks. Thus, understanding brain states is critical for understanding human performance.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech Neuroimaging Institute and Department of Psychology, Texas Tech University, TX 79409, USA. yiyuan.tang@ttu.edu
authors.forename: Yi-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rothbart
authors.forename: Michael I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Posner
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019122:Meditation; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*