April 30, 2026
James Cooke
preprint
This paper introduces the concept of egostasis (self-based goal-directed persistence behaviour) and proposes a novel neurophenomenological theory of the experience of suffering, grounded in the framework of active inference. We argue that psychological suffering is a transmodal, aversive state arising from prediction errors being attributed to a self-model. Chronic suffering is proposed to...
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
April 28, 2026
Ilya Tarasov
The self is often described in terms of the narrative self, but the organization of first‑person experience extends beyond autobiographical continuity. The theory of self‑anchors introduces an architecture with three interacting axes: a stable self‑anchor, bodily grounding, and rhythm‑generating dynamics of the retrosplenial cortex. The stable self‑anchor is associated with the precuneus and...
Current Neuropharmacology
April 28, 2026
Hongshuang Wang, Xiaobing Li, Feng Yu et al.
The integration of psychedelics and music in therapeutic settings is gaining recognition for its potential to enhance mental health outcomes. This review synthesizes current evidence on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this synergy, focusing on receptor-level pathways (e.g., 5-HT2A receptor agonism, BDNF-TrkB signaling) and neural circuit dynamics (e.g., default mode network...
bioRxiv
April 27, 2026
Default Mode Network Connectivity Is Associated with Capture by Distractors Assigned to Learned Spatial Regularities
Commun Biol
April 24, 2026
Orbitofrontal PV interneurons modulate social interaction via default mode network dynamics.
International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology
April 23, 2026
Deepanshu Bansal
Water-based contemplative practices—from full-body underwater meditation to ice baths, breath-hold training, and mindful immersion near lakes or oceans—are associated with profound psychological and physiological benefits. While most mindfulness literature emphasizes silencing the Default Mode Network (DMN), emerging evidence suggests a more nuanced truth: the DMN does not need to be turned...
Front Aging Neurosci
April 22, 2026
Modulating the default mode network with deep TMS: a proof-of-concept framework with potential relevance to circuits implicated in lack of awareness of cognitive decline.
Neuroimage
April 22, 2026
Type 2 diabetes is related to neurochemical alterations in the default mode network: An exploratory cross-sectional magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
April 19, 2026
Sajeev Aadithya Vishnu
We present DMN v3.0, a formally specified extension to the Lár Default Mode Network (DMN) architecture introducing three novel architectural mechanisms: the Consolidation Loop, Familiarity-Weighted Retrieval, and the Learned Graph Executor (LGE). The Consolidation Loop defines a three-tier memory progression — Episodic (ChromaDB), Semantic (Dreamer-generated narratives), and Procedural (LoRA...
Cortex
April 19, 2026
Situation model manipulations differently engage semantic and default mode networks during narrative comprehension.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
April 15, 2026
Can Chen
This study aims to explore the neurophysiological mechanisms of the "awakening" state, defined as a shift in consciousness from Default Mode Network dominance to second-order observation. Based on neurophenomenological theory, we hypothesize that awakening manifests physiologically as DMN inhibition, increased cortical excitability, and high energy efficiency. Clinical EEG data from a subject...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
April 14, 2026
Meichao Zhang, Casey Paquola, Katya Krieger-Redwood et al.
Everyday cognition depends on the brain's capacity to shift between sensing the external world and constructing it from memory. To achieve this, large-scale cortical systems must flexibly integrate incoming sensory signals with internally generated representations. Here, we show that this flexibility is reflected in the macroscale architecture of the default mode network (DMN). Using convergent...
BMC Psychol
April 14, 2026
Altered functional connectivity of emotional circuits and default mode network in postpartum women: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
Front Psychol
April 10, 2026
Consciousness in Zen meditation has garnered considerable interest in psychology and neuroscience, particularly in relation to its association with enhanced self-awareness. Zen meditation fosters social harmony by addressing mental and social conflicts, linking individuals to various societal aspects through the practice. This meditation, rooted in Buddhism, aims to perceive thoughts without...
Preprints.org
April 7, 2026
Luis Miguel Gallardo
preprint
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) represent a universal human capacity for accessing and transforming the subconscious mind, employed across cultures and millennia through diverse contemplative, somatic, pharmacological, ritual, and technological modalities. This comprehensive review synthesizes evidence from over 25 distinct disciplines spanning five clusters: (A) contemplative and...
Research Square
April 6, 2026
When Being Different Becomes an Asset or a Burden: The Interaction Effect between Cultural Estrangement and Self-Esteem on Default Mode Network Activity
Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii
April 1, 2026
Features of connectivity of default mode network depending on polymorphism of serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR).
Human Brain Mapping
April 1, 2026
Paweł Orłowski, Aleksandra Domagalik, Michał Bola
Classic psychedelics profoundly alter emotional states, inducing intense acute experiences lasting hours, followed by subtler, longer-lasting changes in emotional reactivity that can persist for weeks. While experimental and clinical studies document these prolonged effects, the highly context-dependent nature of psychedelic experiences leaves open the question of whether naturalistic,...