What Can the Organization of the Brain's Default Mode Network Tell us About Self-Knowledge?
Joseph M Moran, William M Kelley, Todd F Heatherton
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience July 17, 2013 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00391 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Cognitive neuroscience Medial prefrontal cortex Posterior cingulate cortex Self-reflection |
| Key findings | Argues that the posterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortices, collectively the cortical midline structures, are most associated with self-reflection, and that self-reflection is special in memory while these regions also engage during thinking about others. Proposes three overlapping interpretations: self as an ordinary case of a person-thinking system, the medial prefrontal cortex as a processing 'hub', and as a cortical director of conscious thought. |
Abstract
Understanding ourselves has been a fundamental topic for psychologists and philosophers alike. In this paper we review the evidence linking specific brain structures to self-reflection. The brain regions most associated with self-reflection are the posterior cingulate and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortices, together known as the cortical midline structures (CMSs). We review evidence arguing that self-reflection is special in memory, while noting that these brain regions are often engaged when we think about others in our social worlds. Based on the CMSs' patterns of connectivity and activity, we speculate about three possible interpretations of their role in supporting self-reflection that are somewhat overlapping, and not intended to be mutually exclusive. First, self may be a powerful, but ordinary case for a cognitive system specialized for thinking about people. Second, mPFC may serve as a processing "hub," binding together information from all sensory modalities with internally generated information. Third, mPFC may serve as a cortical director of thought, helping to guide moment-by-moment conscious processing. Suggestions are made for future research avenues aimed at testing such possibilities.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Brain's Default Mode Network | 2015 | Review | |
| Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology | 2012 | Review | |
| 20 years of the default mode network: A review and synthesis | 2023 | Review | |
| On the relationship between the “default mode network” and the “social brain” | 2012 | Review | |
| The default mode network and social understanding of others: what do brain connectivity studies tell us Healthy subjects, with some studies on patients with autism and psychopathy | 2014 | Review |