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Enhanced default mode network stability in highly superior autobiographical memory.

Fabrizio Parente, Tiziana Pedale, Ilenia Salsano, Patrizia Campolongo, Valerio Santangelo

Neuroimage March 25, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121888 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational case-control study Peer reviewed
Sample size 43
Population 12 individuals with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) and 31 matched controls
Topics Default mode network
Keywords Hippocampus Nerve net Humans Magnetic resonance imaging Brain mapping Female Young adult Memory, episodic Resting state Autobiographical memory Network analysis
Key findings HSAM individuals showed enhanced and more temporally stable resting-state functional connectivity within memory-related, schema-related, and self-referential default mode network regions, including the hippocampus, temporal pole, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The authors suggest this more integrated and stable DMN organization may support continuous memory replay and consolidation of autobiographical experiences and may represent a neural signature of HSAM.

Abstract

The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a large-scale intrinsic brain network critically involved in internally oriented cognition, including autobiographical memory. Core DMN regions such as the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex are central to memory retrieval, schema construction and self-referential processing. Individuals with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) provide a unique model to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying exceptional memory ability. However, the intrinsic functional connectivity and temporal dynamics of the DMN in HSAM remain largely unexplored. To provide new insight into the baseline network mechanisms that supports HSAM irrespective of memory retrieval, in this study we examined both static and dynamic features of DMN functional architecture in 12 HSAM individuals and 31 matched controls during resting-state fMRI. Using a multilevel analytical framework encompassing link-level, node-level, and whole-network level measures, we characterized connectivity strength, temporal variability, and co-activation dynamics within the DMN. HSAM individuals showed enhanced and more temporally stable functional connectivity among memory-related, schema-related, and self-referential DMN regions, including the hippocampus, temporal pole, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that HSAM is associated with a more integrated and stable DMN organization, potentially supporting continuous memory replay and the consolidation of autobiographical experiences. This enhanced DMN coherence may represent a neural signature of HSAM.

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

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