The precuneus and consciousness
Abstract
This article reviews the rapidly growing literature on the functional anatomy and behavioral correlates of the precuneus, with special reference to imaging neuroscience studies using hamodynamic techniques. The precuneus, along with adjacent areas within the posteromedial parietal cortex, is among the most active cortical regions according to the "default mode" of brain function during the conscious resting state, whereas it selectively deactivates in a number of pathophysiological conditions (ie, sleep, vegetative state, drug-induced anesthesia), and neuropsychiatric disorders (ie, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia) characterized by impaired consciousness. These findings, along with the widespread connectivity pattern, suggest that the precuneus may play a central role in the neural network correlates of consciousness. Specifically, its activity seems to correlate with self-reflection processes, possibly involving mental imagery and episodic/autobiographical memory retrieval.
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Enhanced PCC connectivity during rest may represent an increase in ongoing self-referential processes such as self-consciousness, sense of agency, and self-reflection.
“Enhanced PCC connectivity during rest may represent an increase in ongoing self-referential processes such as self-consciousness, sense of agency, and selfreflection (Cavanna, 2007;Cavanna et al., 2006).”
From Oxytocin effects on complex brain networks are moderated by experiences of maternal love withdrawal (2013) · cites this paper as Cavanna, 2007
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- Authors
- Cavanna, A. E.
- Affiliations
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Cavanna, Andrea E.
- ORCID
- Cavanna, Andrea E.
- Venue
- CNS Spectrums
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2007-07
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 545-552
- ISSN
- 1092-8529 (ISSN-L)
- 2165-6509
- OpenAlex
- W1761383808
- Cited by
- 363
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 0.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- CNS Spectrums (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BOA (University of Milano-Bicocca) (submittedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Mind wandering and attention
- Keywords
- precuneus, consciousness, default mode network, neural correlates of consciousness, resting state, brain deactivation, sleep, vegetative state, anesthesia, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, self-reflection, mental imagery, episodic memory retrieval
- MeSH terms
- Anesthesia, Mental Disorders, Brain, Brain Diseases, Consciousness, Humans, Nerve Net, Parietal Lobe, Sleep, Persistent Vegetative State
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