Salience network

The salience network (SN), also known anatomically as the midcingulo-insular network (M-CIN) or ventral attention network, is a large scale network of the human brain that is primarily composed of the anterior insula (AI) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). It is involved in detecting and filtering salient stimuli, as well as in recruiting relevant functional networks. Together with its interconnected brain networks, the SN contributes to a variety of complex functions, including communication, social behavior, and self-awareness through the integration of sensory, emotional, and cognitive information.

The network is detectable through independent component analysis of resting state fMRI images, as well as seed based functional connectivity analysis. The functional connectivity has been linked with structural connectivity through diffusion tensor imaging, which reveals white matter tracts between the AI and dACC.