Functional connectivity among brain networks in continuous feedback of finger force

• Addressing the neural basis of motor feedback with a continuous design paradigm.
• Revealing differences in network connectivity between real and sham feedbacks.
• Left frontal–parietal network plays a key functional role in the feedback process.

Motor feedback usually engages distinct sensory and cognitive processes based on different feedback conditions, e.g., the real and sham feedbacks. It was thought that these processes may rely on the functional connectivity among the brain networks. However, it remains unclear whether there is a difference in the network connectivity between the two feedback conditions. To address this issue, we carried out a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study by employing a new paradigm, i.e., continuous feedback (8 min) of finger force. Using independent component analysis and functional connectivity analysis, we found that as compared with the sham feedback, the real feedback recruited stronger negative connectivity between the executive network (EN) and the posterior default mode network (pDMN). More intriguingly, the left frontal parietal network (lFPN) exhibits positive connectivity with the pDMN in the real feedback while in the sham feedback, the lFPN shows connectivity with the EN. These results suggest that the connectivity among EN, pDMN, lFPN could differ depending on the real and sham feedbacks, and the lFPN may balance the competition between the pDMN and EN, thus supporting the sensory and cognitive processes of the motor feedback.