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Dorsomedial prefontal cortex supports spontaneous thinking per se
T T Raij1,2, T J J Riekki3
1Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Human Brain Mapping
|April 4, 2017
Summary
Spontaneous thinking activates widespread brain networks, including cortical midline structures. The anterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex specifically supports spontaneous thought processes, suggesting its role in abstract functions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Spontaneous thinking is crucial for daily experience and adaptive functions.
- Mind wandering, associated with default mode network activation, is a related phenomenon.
- The neural basis of spontaneous thinking remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the brain activation patterns associated with spontaneous thinking.
- To differentiate the neural correlates of spontaneous thinking from spontaneous perception.
- To explore the role of specific brain regions in spontaneous thought processes.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used in 51 healthy subjects.
- A comprehensive experience-sampling paradigm was employed during scanning.
- Brain activity during spontaneous thinking, spontaneous perception, and fixation was compared.
Main Results:
- Spontaneous thinking and perception engaged widespread brain networks, including cortical midline structures, anterior cingulate cortex, and visual cortex.
- Direct comparison revealed activation in the anterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex during spontaneous thinking versus spontaneous perception.
- Findings suggested modality congruence, with the lingual gyrus linked to visual thinking.
Conclusions:
- Cortical midline structures form an integrative substrate for spontaneous thinking, connecting with other systems based on thought characteristics.
- The anterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex is implicated in the control of abstract functions characterizing spontaneous thinking.
- These findings advance our understanding of the neural underpinnings of spontaneous cognitive processes.
Keywords:
braincortical midline structuresdefault mode networkexperience samplingfunctional magnetic resonance imaginghumanthoughtMore Related Videos
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