Default mode network can support the level of detail in experience during active task states
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences August 27, 2018 Mladen Sormaz, Charlotte Murphy, Hao-ting Wang et al. 291 citations
The default mode network (DMN), a set of brain regions traditionally linked to off-task or mind-wandering states, actually contributes to detailed, task-relevant cognition during active tasks. Using fMRI, participants performed working-memory tasks while reporting their thoughts. Patterns of neural activity showed that distinctions between on- and off-task thought involved regions near sensory and motor cortex, not the DMN. However, the level of detail in ongoing thought corresponded to activity patterns within the DMN during memory maintenance. These findings indicate the DMN supports detailed cognition under active task conditions, challenging the view that it is solely task-negative.