Cited by 682Functional Brain Connectivity StudiesMind wandering and attentionNeural dynamics and brain function

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 159 of the 159 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 6 of the 76 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

The default mode network: where the idiosyncratic self meets the shared social world

Open access
Yeshurun, Yaara, Nguyen, Mai, Hasson, Uri·2021·Nature Reviews Neuroscience

Abstract

The default mode network (DMN) is classically considered an ‘intrinsic’ system, specializing in internally oriented cognitive processes such as daydreaming, reminiscing and future planning. In this Perspective, we suggest that the DMN is an active and dynamic ‘sense-making’ network that integrates incoming extrinsic information with prior intrinsic information to form rich, context-dependent models of situations as they unfold over time. We review studies that relied on naturalistic stimuli, such as stories and movies, to demonstrate how an individual’s DMN neural responses are influenced both by external information accumulated as events unfold over time and by the individual’s idiosyncratic past memories and knowledge. The integration of extrinsic and intrinsic information over long timescales provides a space for negotiating a shared neural code, which is necessary for establishing shared meaning, shared communication tools, shared narratives and, above all, shared communities and social networks. The role of the default mode network (DMN) is unclear. In this Perspective, Yeshurun, Nguyen and Hasson review evidence that the DMN integrates extrinsic inputs with intrinsic information over long timescales, enabling it to represent meaning in a way that can be shared between individuals.

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/s41583-020-00420-w

Cites

159 of 159 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims the paper makes

41 Own interpretation · 37 Not checked yet · 2 Partly supported · 1 No basis given · accuracy not yet measured

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 17
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 11
25 of 25
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Naturalistic stimuli such as stories and movies engage the same default mode network processes that operate during real-world social interaction.

    “These findings also highlight the importance of studying the brain’s dynamics under temporally extended, ecological conditions29.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Sensory areas produce shared neural activity because they tend to align with low-level perceptual features of external stimuli.

    “Shared neural activity at the sensory level naturally arises from the tendency of these areas to align with the low-level perceptual properties of the external stimuli.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    A given situation can be conveyed through speech, writing or abstract animated shapes.

    “The same situation can be described using spoken words, written text or abstract animated shapes.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Across contexts, the same situation can carry very different meanings tied to different actions.

    “Conversely, the same situation can have markedly different meanings associated with different actions across different contexts.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    In formal education, new and sometimes technical information has to pass from an expert's brain to novices' brains.

    “In such contexts, novel, sometimes jargonized, information must be transmitted from an expert’s brain to novices’ brains.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    A central feature of formal teaching and learning is the growth of shared understanding of concepts.

    “The development of shared understanding of concepts is also the hallmark of teaching and learning in formal education.”
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Citations

Cites

Show all 156 references

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Serre, T. in Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience (eds Jaeger, D. & Jung, R.) 1–12 (Springer, 2013).
  2. Dodel, S. et al. in Foundations of Augmented Cognition. Directing the Future of Adaptive Systems (eds Schmorrow, D. D. & Fidopiastis, C. M.) 288–297 (Springer, 2011).

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Metadata

Authors
Yeshurun, Y., Nguyen, M., & Hasson, U.
Affiliations
Tel Aviv University (IL)
Corresponding author
  • Yeshurun, Yaara
  • Hasson, Uri
Venue
Nature Reviews Neuroscience
Published
2021-01-22
Volume
22
Issue
3
Pages
181-192
ISSN
  • 1471-003X (ISSN-L)
  • 1471-0048
OpenAlex
W3124266865
Cited by
682
References
156
Citations by year
2026: 94 · 2025: 141 · 2024: 148 · 2023: 125 · 2022: 127 · 2021: 44
FWCI
16.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature reviews. Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH112566)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (DP1HD091948)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Mind wandering and attention
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
default mode network, extrinsic information, sensemaking, shared meaning, social cognition, memory integration, narrative comprehension, naturalistic stimuli, social networks
MeSH terms
Default Mode Network, Animals, Cognition, Communication, Ego, Humans, Nerve Net, Nervous System Physiological Phenomena, Neural Pathways

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