Contributions of default mode network to subjective valuation and maladaptive decision making
David Victor Smith, Dominic S. Fareri, Ekaterina Dobryakova preprint
The default mode network (DMN) directly supports subjective valuation and value-based decision-making. Core DMN regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex, overlap with the brain's valuation system and may share computational roles. Distinct subregions within the posterior cingulate cortex support internal simulation, memory retrieval, and evaluative processing. The DMN dynamically interacts with reward-related regions, memory systems, and control networks during value-guided decisions, especially in social contexts. These interactions shift with motivational demands and individual differences. Disruptions in these dynamics occur in depression and schizophrenia, revealing mechanisms behind maladaptive decision making. The DMN is an integrative hub for constructing internal valuations and guiding goal-directed behavior.