Dorsal attention network
pain
SECONDARY, CORTEX
The DAN is a task-positive network that supports several cognitive functions, such as internal evaluation, working memory, attention, and creativity (We found that anodal and cathodal tDCS led to an increased FC between the DAN and right parietal operculum, cathodal tDCS also showed an increased FC in the DAN-right postcentral gyrus in comparison with the sham group. The correlation analysis showed that the increased FC in the DAN-right operculum (detected in the comparison between cathodal and sham groups) was positively correlated with placebo analgesia in the cathodal tDCS group but not in the anodal and sham tDCS groups.In addition, the DAN- right parietal operculum FC after tDCS (right before the placebo/nocebo effect testing) was also correlated with placebo analgesia across all subjects. These findings suggest that tDCS, particularly cathodal tDCS, can increase the FC of the DAN that may further modulate placebo effects.The operculum is the cortical structure adjacent to the insular lobe that plays a role in sensory processing, autonomic and cognitive processing, motor processing, and language. (Moreover, the parietal operculum houses the secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), while the postcentral gyrus is located in the lateral parietal lobe and constitutes the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Both S1 and S2 are responsible for the identification and process of different stimuli from the body, including pain (