default mode network
Mind-wandering neural system
The default mode network is a set of brain regions that become active when the mind is at rest—not focused on the outside world.
It's associated with daydreaming, self-reflection, and mind-wandering.
Neuroscientists discovered it by noticing consistent brain activity during "do nothing" periods between tasks.
Often abbreviated DMN.
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- hippocampusMemory formation region
- neuroimagingVisualizing nervous system structure
- mind-wanderingUnfocused, spontaneous thought
- lost in thoughtDeeply mentally preoccupied
neuroscience · executive functions · resting state · self-referential · daydreaming · self-awareness · introspection · self reflection · prefrontal cortex · decision making · mental simulation · rumination · functional MRI · emotion regulation · internal · brain · wandering · baseline
- brain partscerebellum, hippocampus, brainstem, thalamus, hypothalamus
- brain markersmyelin basic protein, tangles, plaque buildup, brain waves, BDNF
- neuroimagingbrain MRI, functional MRI, brain scan, fMRI, voxel
- cognitive sciencecognitive psychology, cognitive science, cognitive development, cognitive load, cognitive maps
- psychedelicsLSD, psilocybin, DMT, mescaline, ayahuasca
network, default, defaults, defaulted, defaulter, modality, defaulting, defaulters, nondefault