It has been suggested by multiple studies (postmortem studies, invasive animal studies, and diffusion tensor imaging in the human brain) that the thalamus is important for communication among cortical regions. Many functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, including noninvasive and whole-brain studies, have reported thalamic co-activation with several cognitive control-related cortical systems. This forms a complex network that may be important for advanced cognitive control-related processes, such as working memory and attention. Nevertheless, how the thalamus communicates with the cognitive control-related network in the intact human brain is an essential question and needs further investigation. To address this question, we conducted a study using dynamic functional connectivity analysis and effective connectivity analysis based on fMRI data from young, healthy adult participants. The results showed that the middle thalamus exhibited both high in- and out-degree regarding the complex network related to cognitive control during both rest and task conditions. Furthermore, intrinsic communication via the middle thalamic regions showed dynamically co-varying patterns, and the thalamic regions showed high flexibility in dynamic community analysis. These results indicated that the mid-thalamic region is an important station for communication between nodes in cognitive control-related networks.

多项研究（死后研究、侵入性动物研究和人脑中的扩散张量成像）表明，丘脑对于皮质区域之间的交流很重要。许多功能性磁共振成像 (fMRI) 研究，包括无创和全脑研究，都报告了丘脑与几个认知控制相关的皮层系统的共激活。这形成了一个复杂的网络，可能对高级认知控制相关过程很重要，例如工作记忆和注意力。然而，丘脑如何与完整人脑中的认知控制相关网络进行通信是一个基本问题，需要进一步研究。为了解决这个问题，我们基于来自年轻健康成人参与者的 fMRI 数据，使用动态功能连通性分析和有效连通性分析进行了一项研究。结果表明，在休息和任务条件下，中丘脑对与认知控制相关的复杂网络都表现出高度的进出度。此外，通过中丘脑区域的内在交流显示出动态的共同变化模式，并且丘脑区域在动态群落分析中表现出高度的灵活性。这些结果表明，中丘脑区域是认知控制相关网络中节点之间通信的重要站点。结果表明，在休息和任务条件下，中丘脑对与认知控制相关的复杂网络都表现出高度的进出度。此外，通过中丘脑区域的内在交流显示出动态的共同变化模式，并且丘脑区域在动态群落分析中表现出高度的灵活性。这些结果表明，中丘脑区域是认知控制相关网络中节点之间通信的重要站点。结果表明，在休息和任务条件下，中丘脑对与认知控制相关的复杂网络都表现出高度的进出度。此外，通过中丘脑区域的内在交流显示出动态的共同变化模式，并且丘脑区域在动态群落分析中表现出高度的灵活性。这些结果表明，中丘脑区域是认知控制相关网络中节点之间通信的重要站点。