The default mode network in cognition: a topographical perspective

The default mode network (DMN) is a set of widely distributed brain regions in the parietal, temporal and frontal cortex. These regions often show reductions in activity during attention-demanding tasks but increase their activity across multiple forms of complex cognition, many of which are linked to memory or abstract thought. Within the cortex, the DMN has been shown to be located in regions furthest away from those contributing to sensory and motor systems. Here, we consider how our knowledge of the topographic characteristics of the DMN can be leveraged to better understand how this network contributes to cognition and behaviour. Regions of the default mode network (DMN) are distributed across the brain and show patterns of activity that have linked them to various different functional domains. In this Perspective, Smallwood and colleagues consider how an examination of the topographic characteristics of the DMN can shed light on its contribution to cognition.