Neuronal dynamics of the default mode network and anterior insular cortex: Intrinsic properties and modulation by salient stimuli.
Tzu-Hao Harry Chao, Byeongwook Lee, Li-Ming Hsu, Domenic Hayden Cerri, Wei-Ting Zhang, Tzu-Wen Winnie Wang, Srikanth Ryali, Vinod Menon, Yen-Yu Ian Shih
Science Advances February 15, 2023 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade5732 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key findings | Neuronal activity in the anterior insular cortex and default mode network nodes preceded fMRI-derived DMN activations, with cyclical transitions between brain network states. Salient oddball stimuli suppressed DMN activity and enhanced anterior insular cortex activity, and the anterior insular cortex inhibited the retrosplenial cortex, a prominent DMN node. |
Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) is critical for self-referential mental processes, and its dysfunction is implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the neurophysiological properties and task-based functional organization of the rodent DMN are poorly understood, limiting its translational utility. Here, we combine fiber photometry with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and computational modeling to characterize dynamics of putative rat DMN nodes and their interactions with the anterior insular cortex (AI) of the salience network. Our analysis revealed neuronal activity changes in AI and DMN nodes preceding fMRI-derived DMN activations and cyclical transitions between brain network states. Furthermore, we demonstrate that salient oddball stimuli suppress the DMN and enhance AI neuronal activity and that the AI causally inhibits the retrosplenial cortex, a prominent DMN node. These findings elucidate the neurophysiological foundations of the rodent DMN, its spatiotemporal dynamical properties, and modulation by salient stimuli, paving the way for future translational studies.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rat brains also have a default mode network Rats | 2012 | Observational study | |
| Large-scale topology and the default mode network in the mouse connectome Mouse brain | 2014 | Observational study | |
| Hippocampal Sharp-Wave Ripples Influence Selective Activation of the Default Mode Network Anesthetized monkeys | 2016 | Observational study | |
| Psilocybin-induced default mode network hypoconnectivity is blunted in alcohol-dependent rats Healthy rats and a rat model of alcohol relapse | 2023 | Randomized, placebo-controlled crossover pharmaco-fMRI study | |
| Altered functional connectivity within the default mode network in two animal models with opposing episodic memories Rats (control, LPS-challenged, and footshock-exposed groups) | 2018 | Animal model study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- 20 years of the default mode network: A review and synthesis Neuron May 10, 2023
- Adolescent exposure to the psychedelic 25C-NBOMe in rats induces lasting competitive avoidance through disrupted hippocampal–prefrontal synchrony Nature Neuroscience July 20, 2026
- Does the Default Mode Network Mediate an Ongoing Internal Narrative? An Evaluation of Menon's (2023) Hypothesis. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience December 1, 2025
- Space wandering in the rodent default mode network. bioRxiv September 1, 2023
- Mapping excitatory synaptic plasticity evoked by single-dose psilocybin in mice
and 1 more in the library
Cites 12
- 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
- Rat brains also have a default mode network Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences February 21, 2012
- Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience April 22, 2015
- Large-scale topology and the default mode network in the mouse connectome Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 15, 2014
and 7 more in the library