Large-scale cortical functional networks are organised in structured cycles

The brain seamlessly performs a diverse set of cognitive functions like attention, memory, and sensory processing, yet it is unclear how it ensures that each of these is fulfilled within a reasonable period. One way in which this requirement can be met is if each of these cognitive functions occur as part of a repeated cycle. Here, we studied the temporal evolution of canonical large-scale cortical functional networks that are thought to underly cognition. We show that while network dynamics are stochastic, the overall ordering of their activity forms a robust cyclical pattern. This cyclical structure groups states with similar function and spectral content at specific phases of the cycle and occurs at timescales of 300-1000 ms. These results are reproduced in five large magnetoencephalography (MEG) datasets. Moreover, we show that metrics that characterize the cycle strength and speed are heritable, and relate to age, cognition, and behavioural performance. These results show that the activations of a canonical set of large-scale cortical functional networks are organised in an inherently cyclical manner, ensuring periodic activation of essential cognitive functions.