The Default Mode Network and Neurodiversity
By Dr. Patty Gently on October 25, 2024
Bright Insight Support Network founder and president Dr. Patricia Gently is a trauma therapist and coach who specializes in EMDR and works with gifted neurodivergent and other marginalized populations. She is an experienced author, educator, and presenter who promotes integrated inclusivity, a holistic understanding of neurodiversity, and information integrity.
The Default Mode Network and Neurodiversity
I am seeing more and more talk lately about the Default Mode Network or DMN, particularly in relation to neurodiversity. I think this is a super important exploration, particularly when I seek to focus on the importance of creativity and imaginational overexcitability for those with high developmental potential. However, to have this conversation effectively, we need to understand more about the DMN. What is it and why does it matter?
The Default Mode Network (DMN): The Brain’s Inner World
The Default Mode Network (DMN) functions like the mind’s backstage, where reflections, memories, and internal dialogues come to life when we’re not actively focused on the external world. Imagine it as the inner library or theater of the mind, where the scenes of our past, hopes for the future, and ongoing reflections are projected, allowing us to construct our inner narratives.
Key Brain Regions in the DMN: The Cast of Inner Thought
The DMN consists of several core areas, including:
Medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC) - involved in self-referential thought, such as considering identity, experiences, and perspective.
Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PCC) and Precuneus - important for memory retrieval and integrating new information with past experiences.
Angular Gyrus - linked to semantic memory, helping to make sense of information and concepts.
Hippocampus - critical for episodic memory, allowing us to recall past events and imagine future possibilities.
Let me go into each of these areas though, in greater detail so we truly understand why they matter.
(1) The Medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC) is the mirror of self, reflecting on who we are and how we see ourselves. This area is like the identity compass, guiding our values, decisions, and emotional responses. The mPFC helps us
Evaluate the personal relevance of information, by assessing whether something relates to us personally or aligns with our values.
Regulate emotions, as it’s involved in managing emotional responses and integrating them with our sense of self.
Consider others' perspectives by enabling us to empathize and predict others' feelings, which is why it’s essential for social cognition.
The dual role of understanding both ourselves and others makes the mPFC central to self-reflection and empathy, two hallmark functions of the DMN.
(2) The Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PCC) and Precuneus are the archives of the mind, where past experiences are cataloged and brought into harmony with present moments, building a sense of time and continuity. Picture this as the internal chronicle that threads together our life story, giving context and meaning to new experiences. The PCC and Precuneus help people
Retrieve autobiographical memories, which allows us to recall personal past experiences.
Integrate past with present experiences, giving us a coherent sense of time and self-continuity.
Contextualize new information, as they help us place recent experiences within the framework of what we already know.
This network also plays a role in awareness of our surroundings and internal states and is thought to help us process our sense of "self in the world." Because it connects past experiences with present thoughts, the PCC and precuneus are central to the DMN's role in introspection and reflection.
(3) The Angular Gyrus is the translator and interpreter of abstract ideas, acting as the crossroads where language and sensory input meet complex thought. This region is like the narrative editor of our minds, allowing us to find deeper meanings in words and ideas, supporting empathy and understanding. The Angular Gyrus helps us
Interpret meanings of words and symbols, linking language with conceptual understanding.
Process abstract thinking and metaphors, helping us make sense of complex or symbolic information.
Engage in theory of mind and an understanding that others have separate thoughts and beliefs, a crucial aspect of empathy.
The Angular Gyrus also integrates sensory information (like sights, sounds, and language) with higher cognitive processes, facilitating comprehension of context and aiding in forming coherent thoughts and ideas. This ability to make sense of complex information enriches the DMN’s role in internal narrative.
(4) The Hippocampus is the memory librarian, essential for storing and retrieving personal memories, shaping our personal histories, and projecting our future goals. The hippocampus is the mapmaker of time and place, enabling us to recall the details of when and where events happened and to build mental maps of the future. It more specifically helps us
Form and retrieve long-term memories, which is essential for our personal history and learning from past experiences.
Construct mental images of future scenarios by using stored experiences to imagine potential outcomes.
Navigate spatial and temporal contexts, which allows us to remember not just events but also where and when they happened.
This region is also involved in contextual memory processing, meaning it helps to encode the details around our memories, allowing us to recall events within the "big picture." In the DMN, the hippocampus works as the foundation for recalling past events and imagining the future, both of which are crucial for a cohesive sense of self and purpose.
Each of these areas contributes uniquely to the DMN’s role in introspection, memory, and social cognition. Together, they create a network that underpins our inner narrative, linking past, present, and future experiences and allowing us to explore who we are and how we relate to the world.
Functions of the DMN: The Workshop of Reflection
The DMN’s functions can be imagined as those of a creative studio or mental workshop where:
Mind-wandering and Daydreaming act like brainstorming sessions, helping us generate new ideas and solve problems creatively.
Self-Reflection and Autobiographical Memory operate as the scrapbook of self, giving us a space to review and reframe past experiences.
Social Cognition and Theory of Mind are the scriptwriting rooms where we imagine the thoughts and feelings of others, forming the basis for empathy and connection.
Interaction with Other Brain Networks
The DMN balances with the Central Executive Network (CEN), which is responsible for problem-solving, goal-directed behavior, and attention, and the Salience Network (SN), which detects important stimuli and determines which network should be active. Switching between these networks ensures a healthy balance between introspection and focus on external tasks.
The Push-Pull Anticorrelations of the DMN and Other Networks: Balancing the Spotlight
While the Default Mode Network serves essential functions in introspection, self-reflection, and social cognition, its influence is most powerful when balanced with the brain's task-focused networks. This balancing act—often seen in the anticorrelated relationship between the DMN and the Central Executive Network (CEN)—is crucial for cognitive flexibility. By toggling between introspective and goal-oriented states, these networks work together to help us adapt fluidly to shifting mental demands. This dynamic interaction sheds light on how the DMN’s activity, moderated by other networks, not only underpins our internal narratives but also affects how we engage with the external world.
We can think of this toggle between the DMN and CEN as two actors taking turns under the spotlight. When the DMN is active, the CEN fades into the background, allowing for introspection; when the CEN steps forward to manage goal-oriented tasks, the DMN dims. This push-pull dynamic ensures cognitive flexibility, enabling us to switch between self-reflection and active problem-solving.
The CEN, which includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the posterior parietal cortex, is active during focused, goal-directed tasks and analytical thinking. This network is often anticorrelated with the DMN:
When the DMN is active (e.g., during daydreaming or self-reflective thought), the CEN’s activity decreases, conserving resources by pulling energy from externally focused processing.
When the CEN is active (e.g., during attention-demanding or problem-solving activities), the DMN deactivates, improving focus and reducing self-referential distractions.
This push-pull relationship is essential for cognitive flexibility, allowing the brain to switch seamlessly between introspective and extrospective modes depending on task demands.
Now, if the DMN and CEN are actors sharing the spotlight, the Salience Network (SN) serves as the stage manager, monitoring incoming stimuli and deciding which actor should take the lead. It helps us balance between reflection and action, keeping us adaptable and ready for the next cognitive shift. The Salience Network is anchored by regions like the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex and helps determine which network (actor) should be active based on task relevance:
The SN monitors sensory information and internal thoughts, assessing whether a task requires the CEN’s focused engagement or introspective processing from the DMN.
This network modulates anticorrelations by activating or suppressing one network over the other as priorities shift.
Balanced anticorrelations enable smooth transitions between focused engagement and reflective introspection, which is essential for mental flexibility. This is like having a balanced show where the main actors share the spotlight. Optimal mental function relies on adjusting DMN activity as needed, whether for creative problem-solving, emotional regulation, or social cognition. Each actor plays their part with purpose.
Implications for Mental Health and Neurological “Conditions"
The DMN's activity levels are linked to mental health diagnoses, with both overactivity and underactivity correlating to certain patterns:
Overactivity: Commonly observed in depression, leading to excessive rumination, self-criticism, or worry.
Underactivity: Correlated with autism or schizophrenia, where self-referential and social processing appear atypical.
Anticorrelations between the DMN and other networks can be disrupted in various mental health conditions:
Depression and Anxiety: The DMN may become overactive or fail to deactivate appropriately, leading to repetitive self-focused thoughts (rumination).
ADHD: The anticorrelation between the DMN and CEN may be weaker, making focus and task-switching more challenging.
Schizophrenia: Disrupted anticorrelations can impair both self-referential and executive functioning, contributing to symptoms like difficulty differentiating internal thoughts from reality.
However, it is important to remember that conditions, diagnoses, and differences do not necessarily need to be pathologized as a problem. This is a bias I work tirelessly to challenge.
DMN, Anticorrelations, and Neurodiversity: Unique Ways of Being
Variations in DMN activity among neurodivergent (and all) individuals reflect the broad spectrum of how we process and interpret our inner and outer worlds. These variations are like different genres within the mind’s theater. It is important to consider how these differences are not necessarily pathological; rather, they represent natural forms of cognitive diversity that can shape unique ways of thinking and processing the world.
In ADHD for example, the anticorrelation between the DMN and CEN may be measurably weaker, leading to difficulty in suppressing self-referential thought during task-focused activities. However, this variability can also enhance creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, as the DMN’s activity can support unconventional connections and insights. As such, ADHDers may improvise more freely, producing spontaneous insights and connections. This can be thought of as creative jazz, where introspective thought merges seamlessly with action (yeah, sometimes at the expense of focused attention).
Autistic individuals may exhibit differences in DMN connectivity, sometimes experiencing challenges with introspective or social processing tasks typical of DMN activity. Yet, these same differences can contribute to high focus and attention to detail, often seen as strengths in neurodivergent thinking styles. This deep, detail-focused introspection is much like the fine-tuned focus of a microscope, which may come with challenges when compared to neurotypical social processing, while also allowing for focused understanding and pattern recognition.
In individuals with highly creative or gifted neurodivergent profiles, the DMN may exhibit heightened activity during both rest and cognitive tasks, enhancing the ability to engage in deep reflection and imaginative thinking. This enhanced DMN activity can support complex problem-solving, long-term planning, and theoretical exploration, which are valuable in innovative fields. This more consistent engagement can result in rich inner narratives and deep reflections, like a poet’s retreat where ideas are continuously nurtured and refined.
The Non-Pathologizing Perspective: DMN and Cognitive Diversity
Understanding DMN functioning through a neurodiversity-affirming lens invites a shift away from pathologizing cognitive differences, allowing us to see these cognitive variations as unique colors in the palette of human existence (or offerings on a Neurodiversity Smorgasbord as per Lived Experience Educator, Sonny Jane). Diverse patterns of DMN activity represent natural ways of navigating the world, reflecting human diversity. These variations play adaptive and beneficial roles in both cognition and society. Many neurodivergent traits, particularly those tied to unique DMN activity, enable people to approach problems and ideas from novel perspectives, fostering creativity, empathy, and intellectual depth.
For psychologists, as for all of us, adopting a neurodiversity-affirming approach to the DMN and its interactions with other networks means considering the whole person rather than seeing neurodivergent traits as impairments. This perspective encourages the development of supportive environments that help individuals leverage their strengths and manage challenges in ways that honor their unique cognitive styles.
Recognizing variations in DMN functioning, particularly within the context of neurodiversity, helps reframe cognitive differences as natural forms of diversity that enrich the human experience. Embracing this perspective encourages a more inclusive understanding of mental health, one that respects and values cognitive variation as a fundamental part of what it means to be human.
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