Mapping the self in the brain's default mode network
NeuroImage February 15, 2016 Christopher G. Davey, Jesús Pujol, Ben J. Harrison 576 citations
The brain's default mode network (DMN) is linked to self-referential thought during rest, but it also serves other functions, and self-reference involves regions outside the DMN. In 88 participants, self-referential and resting-state brain activity were compared to identify DMN areas common to both conditions that also show specialization for self-reference. The 'core-self' DMN regions—medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and inferior parietal lobule—were analyzed with dynamic causal modeling. The optimal model indicated that self-related processes are driven by posterior cingulate activity and moderated by the medial prefrontal cortex. This confirms these regions' importance for self-reference and clarifies their specialized roles.