Antagonistic Activation Patterns Underlie Multi-functionality of the Right Temporo-Parietal Junction

The right temporo-parietal junction (RTPJ) is consistently implicated in two cognitive domains - attention and social cognitions. We conducted multi-modal connectivity-based parcellation to investigate potentially separate functional modules within RTPJ implementing this cognitive dualism. Both task-constrained meta-analytic co activation mapping and task-free resting-state connectivity analysis independently identified two distinct clusters within RTPJ, subsequently characterized by network mapping and functional forward/reverse inference. The anterior cluster increased activity concomitantly with a midcingulate-motor-insular network, functionally associated with attention, and decreased activity with a parietal network, functionally associated with social cognition and introspection. The posterior cluster showed the exactly opposite association pattern. Our data thus suggest that RTPJ links two antagonistic brain networks processing external versus internal information.