Development of the Brain's Default Mode Network from Wakefulness to Slow Wave Sleep
Philipp G. Sämann, Renate Wehrle, David Hoehn, Victor I. Spoormaker, Henning Peters, Carolin Tully, Florian Holsboer, Michael Czisch
Cerebral Cortex February 17, 2011 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhq295 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Healthy participants |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Citations | 408 |
| Key findings | During non-REM sleep, functional connectivity within the default mode network and between it and its anticorrelated network breaks down, with the posterior cingulate/retrosplenial cortex playing a key role in consciousness regulation. |
Abstract
Falling asleep is paralleled by a loss of conscious awareness and reduced capacity to process external stimuli. Little is known on sleep-associated changes of spontaneously synchronized anatomical networks as detected by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). We employed functional connectivity analysis of rs-fMRI series obtained from 25 healthy participants, covering all non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stages. We focused on the default mode network (DMN) and its anticorrelated network (ACN) that are involved in internal and external awareness during wakefulness. Using independent component analysis, cross-correlation analysis (CCA), and intraindividual dynamic network tracking, we found significant changes in DMN/ACN integrity throughout the NREM sleep. With increasing sleep depth, contributions of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/retrosplenial cortex (RspC), parahippocampal gyrus, and medial prefrontal cortex to the DMN decreased. CCA revealed a breakdown of corticocortical functional connectivity, particularly between the posterior and anterior midline node of the DMN and the DMN and the ACN. Dynamic tracking of the DMN from wakefulness into slow wave sleep in a single subject added insights into intraindividual network fluctuations. Results resonate with a role of the PCC/RspC for the regulation of consciousness. We further submit that preserved corticocortical synchronization could represent a prerequisite for maintaining internal and external awareness.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 61
- The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network PLoS One February 18, 2015
- Dynamic functional connectivity of the default mode network tracks daydreaming Neuroimage June 25, 2014
- Sleep deprivation reduces default mode network connectivity and anti-correlation during rest and task performance Neuroimage August 19, 2011
- The Default Mode Network in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Brain Connectivity December 5, 2016
- Dreaming as mind wandering: evidence from functional neuroimaging and first-person content reports. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
and 56 more in the library
Cites 14
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Cerebral Cortex April 9, 2008
- Breakdown of Cortical Effective Connectivity During Sleep Science September 29, 2005
- The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Neuroimage June 13, 2008
- Functional connectivity of default mode network components: Correlation, anticorrelation, and causality Human Brain Mapping January 24, 2008
and 9 more in the library