Disentangling large-scale brain dynamics and their links to behavior during the emotional face matching task

Emotion processing engages multiple large-scale brain networks. However, prior investigations relying on a priori, contrast-based models obscure networks’ distinct temporal dynamics and roles in task performance. Using tensor independent component analysis, we identified and tracked concurrent brain processes during the emotional face matching task in healthy young adults (n = 413; n = 416 replication). Ten task-recruited large-scale brain networks were identified, reflecting flexible recoupling of visual association cortex to diverse non-visual networks. These networks collectively engaged 74% of cortex and more strongly explained variability in cognition and emotion interference than contrast-based amygdala activation/connectivity. Variability in task-recruited network activity was more strongly linked to cognition than affect. These findings reveal concurrent brain processes underlying emotional face processing subcomponents, with implications for understanding individual differences in emotion regulation and psychopathology.