Default mode network connectivity during task execution
NeuroImage July 26, 2015 D. Vatansever, D.K. Menon, A.E. Manktelow et al. 157 citations
The default mode network, long thought to be deactivated during focused tasks and to interfere with performance, may actually help fulfill cognitive demands. In a finger-tapping task with functional MRI, the network showed task-specific changes in its topography. Faster reaction times were predicted by stronger connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and the left superior frontal gyrus. The network's connections reconfigured dynamically during the task, maintaining efficient small-world organization while supporting higher-level parallel processing. These results suggest the default mode network does not disengage but may contribute to task-relevant processing.