medRxiv • July 10, 2026 • Lada Kohoutová, Jevita Potheegadoo, Léa F Duong Phan Thanh et al.
Hallucinations in Parkinson's disease, from minor to structured, are linked to changes in brain connectivity and cognitive decline. Non-demented patients with minor or structured hallucinations share a common pattern of resting-state functional connectivity that is absent in patients without hallucinations. This pattern involves connections between subcortical areas and visual, attention, and default mode networks, as well as within-cerebellar and within-subcortical connectivity. The pattern is equally expressed in both hallucination groups and is associated with impairments in attention and executive function, as well as increased sensitivity to an experimental procedure that induces presence hallucinations. The findings suggest that altered subcortical-cortical connectivity underlies hallucinations even in their early, minor forms.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • July 3, 2026 • Sébastien Czajko, Jelle Zorn, Oussama Abdoun et al.
Nondual meditation, specifically Open Presence (OP) practice, is associated with reduced bodily self susceptibility and increased large-scale integration of functional brain networks. Expert meditators with over 10,000 hours of practice showed lower global network eccentricity during OP compared to novices, particularly in dorsal attention, ventral attention, and frontoparietal networks, indicating greater integration. These neural patterns correlated positively with measures of bodily self illusion and negatively with cognitive defusion, a construct reflecting reduced self-grasping toward thoughts. The findings suggest that nondual awareness involves alterations in self-representation and large-scale functional brain integration.
Communications Biology • July 3, 2026 • Fengkai He, Xiaojun Xu, Y Y Zhu et al.
Depression involves disrupted communication across brain circuits, and ketamine can rapidly alleviate depressive symptoms. A new analytical framework, the frequency-varying multilayer brain functional network (FMBFN), was developed to examine how brain regions coordinate activity both within and across different frequency bands. Using local field potential recordings from eight brain regions in male mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress (a model of depression), the framework revealed that stress led to frequency-specific hyperconnectivity and altered network integration during social interaction. Ketamine reversed social avoidance and reorganized the multilayer network topology, with the lateral habenula showing a response pattern opposite to other regions. Exploratory analysis also linked ketamine-associated gut microbial changes to global network topology, suggesting possible gut-brain associations.
Social cognitive and affective neuroscience • June 16, 2026 • Isaac R Christian, Samuel A Nastase
Thinking about the minds of others and thinking about one's own mind rely on both shared and distinct brain regions. Using fMRI and multi-voxel pattern analysis, brain activity patterns in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex encoded mental state inferences only for the self, while more dorsal regions encoded such inferences for both self and others. The posterior cingulate cortex distinguished whether the target of mental state inference was self or other. Cross-classification analysis revealed that patterns in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and right temporoparietal junction were sensitive to mental state reasoning regardless of whether the target was self or other. These findings suggest a functional hierarchy where some brain areas support agent-specific reasoning and others support more abstract, agent-general reasoning.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America • June 16, 2026 • Adam R Pines, Xue Zhang, John Kochalka et al.
Psychedelic drugs consistently reduce the strength and bottom-up direction of signal flow within the brain's default mode network, according to analyses of four independent datasets spanning humans and mice and three different psychedelic compounds (MDMA, psilocybin, and LSD). This attenuation of cortical propagations is not explained by data quality or previously known effects of psychedelics and is uniquely tied to self-reported outcomes. The findings clarify how psychedelics alter macroscale hierarchical processing in the brain.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • June 16, 2026 • Paulina Clara Dagnino, Irene Acero-pousa, Gorka Zamora‐lópez et al. • 1 citation
Psilocybin and the conventional antidepressant escitalopram produce opposite changes in the brain's hierarchical non-equilibrium dynamics when treating major depressive disorder. Using resting-state fMRI before and after treatment, researchers built whole-brain models and measured how much each patient's brain activity deviated from the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. Baseline measures distinguished treatment responders from non-responders within each group. The deviation from the fluctuation-dissipation theorem may serve as a marker to differentiate the brain effects of psilocybin and escitalopram, contributing to understanding how these treatments work for depression.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) • June 12, 2026 • Nikola Jajcay, Čestmír Vejmola, Jakub Korčák et al.
Psilocybin accelerates the temporal dynamics of large-scale brain activity while preserving access to the normal repertoire of brain states. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 15 healthy volunteers, EEG microstate analysis revealed that psilocybin increased the number of global field power peaks and reduced microstate lifespan while increasing their frequency of occurrence during peak intoxication (50–100 minutes after administration), indicating faster transitions between brain states. Microstate coverage was largely unchanged except for a transient difference in the 2–20 Hz bandwidth. Individual differences in these microstate dynamics correlated with both acute subjective experience intensity and self-reported psychological changes 28 days later, suggesting EEG microstates as candidate neural markers linking acute psychedelic effects to longer-term outcomes.
Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience • June 4, 2026 • Elena Bondi, Flavia Carbone, Giandomenico Schiena et al.
People with affective disorders (ADs) show emotional processing deficits involving disrupted brain network activity, especially in default mode and fronto-temporal circuits with abnormal theta and alpha oscillations. This exploratory study used virtual reality (VR) scenarios to induce awe—a self-transcendent emotion that may reduce rumination and boost positive affect—while recording EEG in ADs and healthy controls (HCs). HCs exhibited high awe responses with scenario-specific modulations in alpha and theta band activity and connectivity, indicating preserved cognitive flexibility.
Psychophysiology • June 1, 2026 • Tongxin Liu, Sonja A. Kotz, Antonio Criscuolo et al. • 1 citation
Spontaneous pupil fluctuations during rest offer a non-invasive, low-cost index of central arousal dynamics. This review synthesizes evidence on the resting-state pupil-brain system, focusing on central neuromodulatory circuits and large-scale cortical networks. It examines the relationship between pupil fluctuations and the ascending arousal system, including noradrenergic, cholinergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic nuclei, and details coupling with intrinsic functional networks—default mode, salience, and sensorimotor systems. Converging evidence from animal and human neuroimaging studies reveals robust spatiotemporal and spectral coupling between pupil fluctuations and neural activity across micro- and macro-scales. The findings support a systems-level framework where pupil fluctuations serve as integrative markers linking subcortical neuromodulation with large-scale cortical dynamics, with potential utility as biomarkers for neuropsychiatric conditions and altered states of consciousness.
Current neuropharmacology • April 28, 2026 • Hongshuang Wang, Xiaobing Li, Feng Yu et al.
Combining psychedelics with music in therapy may improve mental health outcomes by acting on specific brain mechanisms. Psychedelics like psilocybin activate 5-HT2A receptors and BDNF-TrkB signaling, increase neural plasticity, and desynchronize the default mode network, while music guides emotional processing and amplifies psychological insights. This synergy shows promise for treating depression, PTSD, and addiction. The review provides a mechanistic framework for understanding these interactions and identifies neurobiological targets for optimizing future therapeutic protocols.
Nature Communications • July 18, 2016 • 689 citations
The default mode network (DMN) reconfigures moment by moment to encode information about a changing environment, as shown by a new method called inter-subject functional correlation (ISFC). ISFC isolates stimulus-dependent correlations between brains exposed to the same stimulus, separating them from intrinsic neural processes and noise. In an fMRI experiment, subjects listened to an auditory narrative or temporally scrambled versions. ISFC revealed DMN correlation patterns locked to each narrative segment and specific to its meaning. These patterns were highly replicable across groups, and DMN coupling strength predicted memory of narrative segments, linking brain network dynamics to stimulus features and behavior.
Annual Review of Neuroscience • May 4, 2015 • 4,082 citations
The brain's default mode network consists of discrete, bilateral, and symmetrical cortical areas found in humans, nonhuman primates, cats, and rodents. It was discovered unexpectedly through PET imaging when novel, attention-demanding tasks were compared with quiet rest. This network consistently decreases its activity during such tasks relative to relaxed states. Its discovery renewed interest in the brain's ongoing or intrinsic activity, and resting-state studies now play a major role in understanding the human brain in health and disease, with the default mode network central to this work.
NeuroImage • May 24, 2014 • 828 citations
The salience network drives switching between the default mode network (DMN), active when the brain is not focused on a task, and the central executive network (CEN), active during attention-demanding tasks. Combining dynamic causal modelling with independent component analysis, this work tested network switching in resting-state data from two independent datasets. The results confirm that the salience network is responsible for this switching and demonstrate the repeatability of the novel technique.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience • January 1, 2014 • Robin Carhart‐Harris, Robert Leech, Peter J. Hellyer et al. • 1,289 citations
Entropy, a measure of uncertainty or disorder, is applied to brain function and consciousness, focusing on the psychedelic state induced by psilocybin. The psychedelic state is considered a primary or primitive state of consciousness, characterized by elevated entropy in brain function, including a greater repertoire of functional connectivity motifs that form and fragment over time. This suggests primary states may exhibit criticality, a transition zone between order and disorder. Normal waking consciousness suppresses entropy, operating just below criticality, which constrains cognition and enables metacognitive functions like reality-testing and self-awareness. Entry into primary states involves collapse of default-mode network activity and decoupling from medial temporal lobes. These hypotheses can be tested by comparing brain activity in REM sleep, early psychosis, normal waking consciousness, and anesthesia.
Annual Review of Clinical Psychology • March 29, 2012 • 1,485 citations
The default mode network (DMN), a set of brain regions more active at rest than during demanding tasks, shows abnormal hyperactivation and hyperconnectivity in schizophrenia and depression. In schizophrenia, this may contribute to excessive self-reference and problems with attention and working memory. In depression, DMN hyperactivity may underlie negative rumination. Greater DMN suppression in healthy brains is linked to better performance on attention-focused tasks. The review considers these findings in relation to the DMN's psychological functions and its alteration across various neuropsychiatric disorders.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences • January 23, 2012 • Alessandro Colasanti, Robin J. Tyacke, Robert Leech et al. • 1,191 citations
Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, produce profound changes in consciousness by decreasing activity and connectivity in key brain hub regions. Using functional MRI, researchers observed that psilocybin reduced cerebral blood flow and BOLD signal, especially in the thalamus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Decreased activity in the ACC and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) predicted the intensity of subjective psychedelic effects. Psilocybin also reduced positive coupling between the mPFC and PCC. These findings suggest that psychedelics work by dampening the brain's connector hubs, leading to a state of unconstrained cognition.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience • January 1, 2012 • 807 citations
The brain's default mode network (DMN), typically more active during rest than tasks, is also engaged by certain tasks, particularly social cognition like attributing mental states to others. Evidence from meta-analyses of functional MRI and studies of structural and functional connectivity in the social brain supports a partial overlap between DMN and social brain networks. A DMN also exists in non-human primates. These findings have implications for understanding brain organization and social processing.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences • November 23, 2011 • Judson A. Brewer, Patrick D. Worhunsky, Jeremy R. Gray et al. • 1,410 citations
Experienced meditators show reduced activity in brain regions linked to self-referential thought and mind-wandering, particularly the medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortices, across different meditation types. They also exhibit stronger connections between areas involved in self-monitoring and cognitive control, such as the posterior cingulate, dorsal anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, both at rest and during meditation. These neural patterns align with decreased mind-wandering, offering insight into how meditation may support present-moment awareness and well-being.
Journal of Neuroscience • March 2, 2011 • 801 citations
The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a core region of the default mode network (DMN), shows distinct roles in attention depending on its dorsal and ventral parts. Using fMRI during a working-memory task, standard subtraction analysis showed overall deactivation with increasing difficulty. However, dual-regression functional connectivity revealed a dissociation: the ventral PCC reduced integration with the DMN and anticorrelation with the cognitive control network (CCN) as task demands rose, while the dorsal PCC increased DMN integration and anticorrelation with the CCN. At rest, the dorsal PCC connected with both DMN and attentional networks. These results indicate the PCC supports internally directed thought at low demands and that the dorsal PCC modulates dynamic interactions between networks for attention allocation.
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience • July 6, 2009 • 1,023 citations
A core brain network called the default mode network (DMN) supports three distinct self-referential processes: remembering the past, imagining the future, and understanding others' minds. Functional MRI scans revealed a common pattern of neural activation across all three processes within the DMN. Autobiographical remembering and prospection more strongly engaged midline DMN structures, while theory-of-mind reasoning more strongly engaged lateral DMN areas. Activity in a key DMN node, the medial prefrontal cortex, correlated with activity in other DMN regions during all three tasks. The findings suggest the DMN provides a shared neural foundation for simulating internal experiences.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences • June 19, 2009 • 706 citations
A natural reduction of consciousness during sleep alters the correlation between components of the default-mode network (DMN), particularly reducing the involvement of frontal cortex. This suggests the DMN may play an important role in sustaining conscious awareness. The finding contrasts with a recent study in anesthetized primates that proposed DMN activity reflects general network dynamics rather than conscious mentation.
NeuroImage • June 13, 2008 • Peter Fransson, Guillaume Marrelec • 1,236 citations
Functional connectivity within the default mode network was assessed during rest and a continuous working memory task using partial correlation analysis. The precuneus/posterior cingulate region showed strong interactions with the rest of the network, while the left and right medial temporal lobes interacted strongly with each other but weakly with other regions. Strong interactions were also found between the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex and the left inferior parietal lobe, and between dorsal and ventral sections of the medial prefrontal cortex. These findings support a pivotal role for the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex in the default mode network.
Cerebral Cortex • April 9, 2008 • 2,227 citations
Resting-state functional connectivity MRI, which measures correlated brain activity while a person lies quietly in a scanner, has been questioned as possibly reflecting noise rather than true neural connections. By combining diffusion tensor imaging tractography with resting-state functional connectivity MRI, this work tested whether the functional correlations correspond to actual structural pathways. Focusing on the default mode network—a set of brain regions involved in memory, including the medial prefrontal cortex, medial temporal lobes, and posterior cingulate/retrosplenial cortex—the analysis found that structural connections matched the functional connectivity maps. Medial temporal lobes connected to retrosplenial cortex, while medial prefrontal cortex connected to posterior cingulate cortex. The results demonstrate that resting-state functional connectivity reflects structural connectivity, and combining methods can deepen understanding of brain networks.
Human Brain Mapping • January 24, 2008 • 1,198 citations
The default mode network (DMN), which is most active when the mind is at rest, is often treated as a single system, but its two main hubs—the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)—interact with different task-focused brain networks. Using resting-state fMRI and a seed correlation approach, activity in vmPFC negatively predicted activity in networks for visual spatial and temporal attention, while activity in PCC negatively predicted activity in motor control circuits. Granger causality analyses indicated that vmPFC and PCC exert greater influence on their anticorrelated networks than the reverse, suggesting these DMN nodes may directly modulate task-positive networks. The DMN is thus more heterogeneous than commonly appreciated.