Functional coupling of the lateral prefrontal cortex and the default mode network predicts performance in mental rotation
Radek Ptak, Naz Doganci, Emilie Marti, Sélim Yahia Coll
Imaging Neuroscience August 14, 2025 DOI: 10.1162/imag.a.112 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 59 |
| Population | Healthy individuals |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key findings | Resting-state connectivity between the left lateral prefrontal cortex and the default mode network correlated with mental rotation error rates, and this relationship was negative and much stronger for bodily (hands) than non-bodily (letters) stimuli, indicating that greater lPFC-DMN connectivity was associated with poorer mental rotation performance. The authors argue that effective mental rotation relies on functional disconnection of the default mode network from motor planning networks. |
Abstract
Abstract Mental transformations, such as mental rotation, rely on motor representations and engage neural processes similarly to physical actions. Neuroimaging studies reveal that mental rotation activates the occipito-parietal cortex and motor-related areas, with differences based on whether stimuli are bodily or non-bodily. These findings emphasize the role of frontoparietal networks in mental rotation, similar to those used in motor planning. This study investigated whether resting-state functional connectivity of the left lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC), a region linked to motor planning, and other functional brain networks predicts mental rotation performance. Fifty-nine healthy individuals underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to capture resting-state blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) activity and completed mental rotation tasks using bodily (hands) and non-bodily (letters) stimuli. Performance in both mental rotation tasks exhibited the expected peak of difficulty with completely inverted stimuli, which require a mental transformation of 180 degrees. At the functional level, mental rotation error rates correlated with lPFC connectivity to the default mode network (DMN). However, this relationship was negative and much stronger for the hands task, indicating that lPFC-DMN interactions were associated with poorer mental rotation performance. These results indicate that effective mental rotation relies on the functional disconnection of the DMN from motor planning networks. The findings highlight the significance of studying resting-state functional connectivity to understand how brain networks contribute to cognitive functions and how their interactions can enhance or impair performance. This work advances our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying mental rotation, emphasizing the interplay between motor cognition and resting-state dynamics.
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 |