Rat brains also have a default mode network
Hanbing Lu, Qihong Zou, Hong Gu, Marcus E. Raichle, Elliot A. Stein, Yihong Yang
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences February 21, 2012 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1200506109 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA brain network called the default mode network (DMN), previously studied mainly in humans and primates, also exists in rats. The DMN in rats is broadly similar to that in nonhuman primates and humans, suggesting it is a fundamental feature of mammalian brains. The network appears to integrate sensory and emotional information to guide behavior in anticipation of changing environmental conditions, despite the distinct evolutionary paths of rodents and primates. The findings help clarify the DMN's core functions, which remain poorly understood in humans.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Citations | 627 |
| Key finding | Rats possess a default mode network broadly similar to that of nonhuman primates and humans, suggesting the DMN is a fundamental mammalian brain feature that integrates multimodal sensory and affective information to guide behavior. |
Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) in humans has been suggested to support a variety of cognitive functions and has been implicated in an array of neuropsychological disorders. However, its function(s) remains poorly understood. We show that rats possess a DMN that is broadly similar to the DMNs of nonhuman primates and humans. Our data suggest that, despite the distinct evolutionary paths between rodent and primate brain, a well-organized, intrinsically coherent DMN appears to be a fundamental feature in the mammalian brain whose primary functions might be to integrate multimodal sensory and affective information to guide behavior in anticipation of changing environmental contingencies.