Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
12:09
Network Analysis of the Default Mode Network Using Functional Connectivity MRI in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Published on: August 5, 2014
The brain's default network: anatomy, function, and relevance to disease.
Randy L Buckner1, Jessica R Andrews-Hanna, Daniel L Schacter
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 33 Kirkland Drive, Cambridge, MA 02148, USA. rbuckner@wjh.harvard.edu
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|April 11, 2008
Summary
The brain's default network is a specific system active during internal thought, like memory recall and future planning. This network is crucial for self-relevant mental simulations and understanding others.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Thirty years of brain imaging research has identified the brain's default network.
- This network is preferentially active during internal cognitive processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize evidence defining the default network's anatomy and function.
- To explore the default network's role in internal cognition and mental simulation.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of existing brain imaging studies.
- Analysis of connectional anatomy in non-human primates.
Main Results:
- The default network is an anatomically defined system active during non-externally focused cognition.
- It comprises interacting subsystems, including medial temporal lobe and medial prefrontal regions.
- The network supports autobiographical memory retrieval, future envisioning, and perspective-taking.
Conclusions:
- The default network is essential for mental simulation, social cognition, and utilizing past experiences for future planning.
- Dysfunction in the default network is implicated in disorders like autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:31Organization of the Brain
The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
01:20Anatomy of the Brain: Major Regions
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It consists of four main parts: the cerebrum, diencephalon, cerebellum, and brainstem.
The cerebrum is the largest section of the brain and divides into left and right hemispheres, separated by a deep fissure. The cerebral outer layer of grey matter — the cerebral cortex — comprises elevations called gyri and shallow groves called sulci. The inner portion of white matter includes long nerve fibers known as axons, which connect various areas...
The cerebrum is the largest section of the brain and divides into left and right hemispheres, separated by a deep fissure. The cerebral outer layer of grey matter — the cerebral cortex — comprises elevations called gyri and shallow groves called sulci. The inner portion of white matter includes long nerve fibers known as axons, which connect various areas...
01:13Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation
The reticular formation is a complex network of gray and white matter located within the brainstem extending from the medulla to the midbrain.
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...
01:15Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System
The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
01:01Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
01:25Neural Circuits
Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...