What Is the Default Mode Network? The default mode network (DMN) is a system of connected brain areas that show increased activity when a person is not focused on what is happening around them. The ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Whenever you’re actively performing a task—say, lifting weights at the gym or taking a hard exam—the parts of your brain required to ...

The default mode network (DMN) is a set of interconnected brain regions known to be most active when humans are awake but not engaged in physical activities, such as relaxing, resting or daydreaming.

When I first heard the term "default mode network," I wondered if it had something to do with telephones or the internet. It doesn't. What it does have to do with is much more intriguing. The default ...