A default mode network subsystem supports both item and associative word encoding: Insights from a meta-analysis
Hongkeun Kim
Imaging Neuroscience October 22, 2024 DOI: 10.1162/imag_a_00321 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key findings | The authors report that the dmPFC subsystem of the default mode network facilitates successful word encoding, including semantic processing, and extends to associative word encoding, with left inferior frontal cortex regions more active during associative than item encoding. They argue this contrasts with prior work linking the DMN's core subsystem to encoding interference, supporting a more nuanced view of the network's roles. |
Abstract
Abstract Recent meta-analytic evidence has underscored the significant role of the default mode network (DMN) in facilitating item word encoding. This study builds on this finding through a comprehensive meta-analysis of fMRI-based subsequent memory studies that use words as stimuli. The results highlight several key functions within the DMN. Firstly, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) subsystem of the DMN plays a pivotal role in enhancing successful word encoding, suggesting its vital involvement in the semantic processing of incoming verbal information. Secondly, the utility of the dmPFC subsystem extends beyond item word encoding to associative word encoding tasks, demonstrating its broad applicability in verbal information encoding. Thirdly, regions within the left inferior frontal cortex, a core component of the dmPFC subsystem, show increased activity during associative compared to item word encoding, emphasizing their role in integrating verbal information with contextual details. Contrary to previous research that linked the DMN with encoding interference—often attributed to the core subsystem’s tendency for mind-wandering—this study highlights the facilitative role of the dmPFC subsystem in memory encoding. The contrasting roles of the DMN subsystems, both interfering and facilitating, challenge traditional views and advocate for a more nuanced understanding of the network’s role in memory encoding.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The wandering brain: Meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies of mind-wandering and related spontaneous thought processes | 2015 | Meta-analysis | |
| Investigating the Functional Heterogeneity of the Default Mode Network Using Coordinate-Based Meta-Analytic Modeling | 2009 | Meta-analysis | |
| The Default Mode Network in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy individuals | 2016 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| Dreaming as mind wandering: evidence from functional neuroimaging and first-person content reports. | 2013 | Systematic review with meta-analytic comparison | |
| Default Mode Network Modulation by Psychedelics: A Systematic Review Participants from included studies | 2022 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Task-invariant networks interfere with and task-specific networks support memory formation: An fMRI meta-analysis. Imaging Neuroscience 2026
- Recollection of verbal materials engages the default mode network more strongly than recollection of visual materials: An fMRI meta-analysis. Biological Psychology June 3, 2026