Stability of the Default Mode Network Estimated from Electroencephalogram

Abstract

The Default Mode Network (DMN) is associated with an internal self-referential view of the world, and its intrinsic properties have been linked to different cognitive abilities. While its function and structure has been well characterized through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), much less is known about its behavior using electroencephalography (EEG). This study examines the stability of EEG-based DMN functional connectivity. We focus on eyes-open resting-state across multiple sessions. Using the debiased weighted Phase Lag Index (dwPLI), we analyzed connectivity patterns in the alpha band across four sessions involving twenty participants. Our results show consistent DMN connectivity patterns both within and across individuals and sessions. This indicates that EEG-derived DMN connectivity is relatively stable over time and across people. Such stability could be relevant for the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) for cognitive training that adapt to individual connectivity patterns.