Greater moment-to-moment fluctuation in brain activity within the default mode network during rest predicts more frequent spontaneous mind wandering. People who report higher mindfulness skills tend to experience less spontaneous mind wandering. The findings suggest a link between the brain's resting-state dynamics and the tendency for the mind to wander, and indicate that mindfulness may relate to reduced variability in this brain network.
Lucid dreaming—becoming aware that one is dreaming while still in the dream—blends the sensory richness of REM sleep with waking self-awareness. Using a multimodal brain-imaging technique (mCCA + jICA), this exploratory study identified structural brain features linked to how often people naturally have lucid dreams. Lucid-dream frequency was associated with a joint grey-matter and white-matter component spanning frontal, temporal, parietal, and cerebellar regions involved in metacognition, imagery, and volitional control, plus a grey-matter-specific component in visual and attentional areas such as the cuneus. Ordinary dream recall, by contrast, was linked only to two white-matter-specific components, with no overlap. The results indicate that the tendency for lucid dreams depends on distributed, integrated brain systems distinct from those supporting general dream recall.
People who frequently use acceptance as an emotion regulation strategy show distinct brain structure and personality traits compared to those who rarely use it. Using a machine learning approach, the authors identified two brain networks that differ between high and low accepters: one network (overlapping with the Default Mode Network) showed decreased gray and white matter concentration, while another (related to the Central Executive Network) showed increased concentration. High accepters also scored higher on openness to experience. The findings suggest that dispositional acceptance is associated with measurable neural and psychological differences.
Higher scores on the Dark Triad personality traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—are linked to distinct patterns of brain network activity. Analyzing resting-state brain scans from 200 participants (mean age 32.43 years; 105 females) with group Independent Component Analysis, two macro-networks predicted DT traits: the Central Executive Network (CEN) showed increased temporal variability, while the posterior hub of the Default Mode Network (DMN) showed decreased variability. Increased CEN activity may relate to enhanced strategic planning and manipulative abilities, particularly for Machiavellianism. Reduced DMN activity may correspond to diminished self-reflection and emotional capacities. The findings suggest specific neural correlates underlying these socially impactful traits.