Default-mode network

Default-mode network (DMN) is a network of interacting brain regions known to have activity highly correlated with each other and distinct from other networks in the brain.

Overview

The default-mode network is most commonly shown to be active when a person is not focused on the outside world and the brain is at wakeful rest, such as during daydreaming and mind-wandering. But it is also active when the individual is thinking about others, thinking about themselves, remembering the past, and planning for the future. The network is usually contrasted with networks showing increased activity when a person is in a goal-oriented state, such as when they are focused on a task in the outside world.

Structure

The default-mode network includes the precuneus, posterior cingulate, angular gyrus, and medial prefrontal cortex. These areas are all highly interconnected with each other, as well as with other brain networks. The default-mode network is active when the brain is in a state of wakeful rest, not focused on the outside world.

Function

The function of the default-mode network is not fully understood. Current theories propose that this network is involved in many aspects of cognition, including but not limited to: self-referential thought, theory of mind, and episodic memory retrieval.

Clinical significance

Alterations in the default-mode network are associated with a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and depression.

See also

• Resting state fMRI
• Functional connectivity

References

Default-mode network Resources
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