Behavior Differentially Shapes Spontaneous Cortical Network Dynamics Across Frequencies

The rapid and coordinated propagation of neural activity across a network of distributed brain regions underpins complex behavior and cognition. Yet how multiple distributed processes are facilitated in parallel across timescales and behavioral states remains unclear. Using simultaneous fast wide-field voltage and hemodynamic imaging in awake mice, we show that behavior differentially shapes cortical network dynamics across frequencies and signal types. Although static functional connectivity preserved canonical networks across frequencies, the underlying dynamics diverged. Low-frequency and hemodynamic activity were dominated by behavior-dependent persistence of network states, whereas higher-frequency activity exhibited stable network structure with modulation through changes in state expression. Despite these differences, shared network organization was preserved across timescales and signal types. This indicates that similar functional connectivity can arise from distinct temporal dynamics. These findings reveal that cortical networks are governed by frequency-dependent principles through which behavior shapes the persistence and expression of large-scale brain states.