Default mode network resting-state functional connectivity and event centrality in adult acute trauma survivors.
Scientific Reports May 21, 2026 Amy Z Wang, Carissa W Tomas, Sarah Stevens et al.
Among 215 acute traumatic injury survivors, the strength of resting-state functional connectivity between two nodes of the default mode network—the lateral parietal cortex and hippocampus—measured 2–4 weeks post-injury was significantly associated with how central the traumatic event became to a person's identity and life story (event centrality) 12 months later. Event centrality at 3 and 12 months was also significantly linked to adverse psychological outcomes, and specific adverse psychological outcomes mediated the relationship between brain connectivity and event centrality. This suggests that disrupted communication within the default mode network may contribute to both increased psychological distress and the tendency to view the trauma as central to one's identity during recovery.