SalienceNetzwerk

SalienceNetzwerk, commonly referred to in English as the salience network, is a distributed brain network that identifies behaviorally relevant stimuli and orchestrates the allocation of neural resources in response to environmental demands. Core nodes are centered in the right anterior insula and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, with additional involvement from the opercular regions of the frontal cortex and, to a lesser extent, the amygdala, ventral striatum, and frontal prefrontal areas. The network is detectable with resting-state functional MRI and task-based studies.

The primary function of the salience network is to detect salient or unexpected stimuli—sensory, cognitive, and affective—and to integrate interoceptive and autonomic information with external cues. Through its interactions with large-scale networks, particularly the default mode network (DMN) and the central executive network (CEN), the SN is thought to act as a dynamic switch that reallocates attention and working memory resources from internally focused processes to goal-directed action when required.

Functional connectivity within the SN is typically lateralized, with a strong emphasis on the right anterior insula as a hub. Individual variation exists, and connectivity patterns can be altered by age, stress, learning, and disease.

Dysfunction of the salience network has been linked to several psychiatric and neurological conditions, including major depression, anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia. Abnormal SN connectivity or hub efficiency may contribute to impaired detection of salient cues and maladaptive switching between brain networks.

Historically, the SN was described as part of a broader triple-network model that also includes the DMN and the CEN, highlighting its central role in coordinating cognitive and affective processes across the brain.