Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading
While reading, our mind can wander to unrelated autobiographical information, creating a perceptually decoupled state detrimental to narrative comprehension. To understand how this mind-wandering state emerges, we asked whether retrieving autobiographical content necessitates functional disengagemen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2022-03-01
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| Series: | eLife |
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/74011 |
| _version_ | 1818026526696800256 |
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| author | Meichao Zhang Boris C Bernhardt Xiuyi Wang Dominika Varga Katya Krieger-Redwood Jessica Royer Raúl Rodríguez-Cruces Reinder Vos de Wael Daniel S Margulies Jonathan Smallwood Elizabeth Jefferies |
| author_facet | Meichao Zhang Boris C Bernhardt Xiuyi Wang Dominika Varga Katya Krieger-Redwood Jessica Royer Raúl Rodríguez-Cruces Reinder Vos de Wael Daniel S Margulies Jonathan Smallwood Elizabeth Jefferies |
| author_sort | Meichao Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While reading, our mind can wander to unrelated autobiographical information, creating a perceptually decoupled state detrimental to narrative comprehension. To understand how this mind-wandering state emerges, we asked whether retrieving autobiographical content necessitates functional disengagement from visual input. In Experiment 1, brain activity was recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an experimental situation mimicking naturally occurring mind-wandering, allowing us to precisely delineate neural regions involved in memory and reading. Individuals read expository texts and ignored personally relevant autobiographical memories, as well as the opposite situation. Medial regions of the default mode network (DMN) were recruited during memory retrieval. In contrast, left temporal and lateral prefrontal regions of the DMN, as well as ventral visual cortex, were recruited when reading for comprehension. Experiment two used functional connectivity both at rest and during tasks to establish that (i) DMN regions linked to memory are more functionally decoupled from regions of ventral visual cortex than regions in the same network engaged when reading; and (ii) individuals with more self-generated mental contents and poorer comprehension, while reading in the lab, showed more decoupling between visually connected DMN sites important for reading and primary visual cortex. A similar pattern of connectivity was found in Experiment 1, with greater coupling between this DMN site and visual cortex when participants reported greater focus on reading in the face of conflict from autobiographical memory cues; moreover, the retrieval of personally relevant memories increased the decoupling of these sites. These converging data suggest we lose track of the narrative when our minds wander because generating autobiographical mental content relies on cortical regions within the DMN which are functionally decoupled from ventral visual regions engaged during reading. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:33:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d1dfa46828de41aaa4e4b9f2e7827c48 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:33:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1dfa46828de41aaa4e4b9f2e7827c482022-12-22T02:02:05ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2022-03-011110.7554/eLife.74011Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and readingMeichao Zhang0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9594-7229Boris C Bernhardt1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9256-6041Xiuyi Wang2Dominika Varga3Katya Krieger-Redwood4Jessica Royer5Raúl Rodríguez-Cruces6Reinder Vos de Wael7Daniel S Margulies8Jonathan Smallwood9Elizabeth Jefferies10Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United KingdomMcConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of York, York, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology, University of York, York, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology, University of York, York, United KingdomMcConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, CanadaMcConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, CanadaMcConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, CanadaIntegrative Neuroscience and Cognition Centre (UMR 8002), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Université de Paris, Paris, FranceDepartment of Psychology, Queen's University, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of York, York, United KingdomWhile reading, our mind can wander to unrelated autobiographical information, creating a perceptually decoupled state detrimental to narrative comprehension. To understand how this mind-wandering state emerges, we asked whether retrieving autobiographical content necessitates functional disengagement from visual input. In Experiment 1, brain activity was recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an experimental situation mimicking naturally occurring mind-wandering, allowing us to precisely delineate neural regions involved in memory and reading. Individuals read expository texts and ignored personally relevant autobiographical memories, as well as the opposite situation. Medial regions of the default mode network (DMN) were recruited during memory retrieval. In contrast, left temporal and lateral prefrontal regions of the DMN, as well as ventral visual cortex, were recruited when reading for comprehension. Experiment two used functional connectivity both at rest and during tasks to establish that (i) DMN regions linked to memory are more functionally decoupled from regions of ventral visual cortex than regions in the same network engaged when reading; and (ii) individuals with more self-generated mental contents and poorer comprehension, while reading in the lab, showed more decoupling between visually connected DMN sites important for reading and primary visual cortex. A similar pattern of connectivity was found in Experiment 1, with greater coupling between this DMN site and visual cortex when participants reported greater focus on reading in the face of conflict from autobiographical memory cues; moreover, the retrieval of personally relevant memories increased the decoupling of these sites. These converging data suggest we lose track of the narrative when our minds wander because generating autobiographical mental content relies on cortical regions within the DMN which are functionally decoupled from ventral visual regions engaged during reading.https://elifesciences.org/articles/74011default mode networkmind-wanderingreadingautobiographical memory |
| spellingShingle | Meichao Zhang Boris C Bernhardt Xiuyi Wang Dominika Varga Katya Krieger-Redwood Jessica Royer Raúl Rodríguez-Cruces Reinder Vos de Wael Daniel S Margulies Jonathan Smallwood Elizabeth Jefferies Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading eLife default mode network mind-wandering reading autobiographical memory |
| title | Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading |
| title_full | Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading |
| title_fullStr | Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading |
| title_short | Perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind-wandering and reading |
| title_sort | perceptual coupling and decoupling of the default mode network during mind wandering and reading |
| topic | default mode network mind-wandering reading autobiographical memory |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/74011 |
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