A dynamic framework of brain functional patterns shaped by spontaneous thoughts beyond the default mode network.
Sandrine Cremona, Achille Gillig, Emmanuel Mellet, Marc Joliot
Scientific Reports August 4, 2025 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-10432-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,717 |
| Population | Human participants |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Nerve net Humans Magnetic resonance imaging Brain mapping Cognition Thinking Adolescent Middle aged Female Young adult |
| Key findings | Rich and diverse spontaneous thought profiles align with distinct patterns of functional network integration and segregation, reconceptualizing resting-state brain activity as a dynamic, distributed pattern of functional connectivity. |
Abstract
Cognitive functions emerge from the dynamic interplay of distributed, large-scale brain networks. Functional connectivity (FC) reflects stable brain organization and general cognitive abilities, while also capturing individual variations in transient cognitive states. Analyzing data from 1,717 participants, we show that rich and diverse spontaneous thought profiles align with distinct patterns of functional network integration. Evocative profiles were linked to the integration of self-awareness, executive, and visual networks; vigilant profile to salience and sensorimotor networks integration; and fluctuating profile to executive networks integration. Conversely, visual and verbal-predominant profiles were associated with the segregation of visual and language networks, respectively. Covering the full spectrum of observed spontaneous thought profiles, these findings reconceptualize the resting-state as a dynamic, distributed pattern of FC, varying across individuals and defined by the intricate balance of functional network integration and segregation, rather than a simple 'default mode network.'
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
Cites 11
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- 20 years of the default mode network: A review and synthesis Neuron May 10, 2023
- Dynamic functional connectivity of the default mode network tracks daydreaming Neuroimage June 25, 2014
- Default mode network can support the level of detail in experience during active task states Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences August 27, 2018
- A Correspondence between Individual Differences in the Brain's Intrinsic Functional Architecture and the Content and Form of Self-Generated Thoughts PLoS One May 13, 2014
and 6 more in the library