Distinctive and Complementary Roles of Default Mode Network Subsystems in Semantic Cognition

The default mode network (DMN) typically deactivates during external tasks but supports semantic cognition. Analysis of four human fMRI datasets shows that its subsystems respond differently: the frontotemporal subsystem activates across domains and modalities, especially during abstract verbal tasks, and shows more tuned states with higher semantic retrieval demands. The medial temporal subsystem activates for both perceptually coupled scenes and decoupled autobiographical memory, with stronger responses to picture associations, supporting scene construction. The core DMN consistently deactivates, particularly for externally oriented tasks. These distinct responses relate to each subsystem's location on intrinsic connectivity gradients, revealing complementary roles in semantic cognition.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The default mode network (DMN) typically deactivates to external tasks, yet supports semantic cognition. It comprises medial temporal (MT), core, and frontotemporal (FT) subsystems, but its functional organization is unclear: the requirement for perceptual coupling versus decoupling, input modality (visual/verbal), type of information (social/spatial), and control demands all potentially affect its recruitment. We examined the effect of these factors on activation and deactivation of DMN subsystems during semantic cognition, across four task-based human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets, and localized these responses in whole-brain state space defined by gradients of intrinsic connectivity. FT showed activation consistent with a central role across domains, tasks, and modalities, although it was most responsive to abstract, verbal tasks; this subsystem uniquely showed more "tuned" states characterized by increases in both activation and deactivation when semantic retrieval demands were higher. MT also activated to both perceptually coupled (scenes) and decoupled (autobiographical memory) tasks and showed stronger responses to picture associations, consistent with a role in scene construction. Core DMN consistently showed deactivation, especially to externally oriented tasks. These diverse contributions of DMN subsystems to semantic cognition were related to their location on intrinsic connectivity gradients: activation was closer to the sensory-motor cortex than deactivation, particularly for FT and MT, while activation for core DMN was distant from both visual cortex and cognitive control. These results reveal distinctive yet complementary DMN responses: MT and FT support different memory-based representations that are accessed externally and internally, while deactivation in core DMN is associated with demanding, external semantic tasks.