Replay, the default mode network and the cascaded memory systems model
Karola Kaefer, Federico Stella, B. McNaughton, F. Battaglia
Nature Reviews Neuroscience August 15, 2022 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00620-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key points | Proposes that the default mode network acts as a hub for cascaded replay across the brain, mediating memory consolidation and retrieval. |
Abstract
The spontaneous replay of patterns of activity related to past experiences and memories is a striking feature of brain activity, as is the coherent activation of sets of brain areas — particularly those comprising the default mode network (DMN) — during rest. We propose that these two phenomena are strongly intertwined and that their potential functions overlap. In the ‘cascaded memory systems model’ that we outline here, we hypothesize that the DMN forms the backbone for the propagation of replay, mediating interactions between the hippocampus and the neocortex that enable the consolidation of new memories. The DMN may also independently ignite replay cascades, which support reactivation of older memories or high-level semantic representations. We suggest that transient cortical activations, inducing long-range correlations across the neocortex, are a key mechanism supporting a hierarchy of representations that progresses from simple percepts to semantic representations of causes and, finally, to whole episodes. Battaglia and colleagues discuss evidence for functional interactions between memory replay and default mode network (DMN) activity and propose an updated model of memory consolidation and retrieval in which the DMN acts as a hub for cascaded replay across the brain.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The default mode network in cognition: a topographical perspective | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The default mode network: where the idiosyncratic self meets the shared social world | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The default-mode, ego-functions and free-energy: a neurobiological account of Freudian ideas | 2010 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cooperation between the default mode network and the frontal–parietal network in the production of an internal train of thought | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A State-of-the-art Review. Current Neuropharmacology 2024
- What can we learn from studying replay in humans? Trends in Cognitive Sciences July 7, 2026
- Enhanced default mode network stability in highly superior autobiographical memory. Neuroimage March 25, 2026
- The default mode network: where spontaneous thought meets memory consolidation. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences February 1, 2026
- Neural variability in the default mode network compresses with increasing belief precision during Bayesian inference Cerebral Cortex September 1, 2025
and 6 more in the library
Cites 10
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- The Brain's Default Mode Network Annual Review of Neuroscience May 4, 2015
- The default mode network in cognition: a topographical perspective Nature Reviews Neuroscience July 5, 2021
- Ongoing Cortical Activity at Rest: Criticality, Multistability, and Ghost Attractors Journal of Neuroscience March 7, 2012
- Rat brains also have a default mode network Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences February 21, 2012
and 5 more in the library