Fig. 1 |. A new view of the default mode network.

a | Activity in the default mode network (DMN) is modulated by incoming external information (top arrow), which is actively accumulated (grey expanding triangle) and integrated (red circle) over hundreds of seconds (horizontal arrow) with our intrinsic information (long-term memories (LTMs), conditional responses, beliefs and so on, represented by the bottom arrow) to form a rich, context-dependent, dynamic model of the unfolding situation. b | Our thoughts, feelings and actions are constantly being shaped by the actions, memories and stories of others. At the same time, our LTMs shape the way we process the external input. This unique interplay between the extrinsic and intrinsic forces provides a space for negotiating a shared neural code necessary for establishing shared meanings, shared communication tools, shared narratives and, importantly, shared communities and social networks. c | Regions of the DMN defined by functional connectivity analysis. These regions include the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and precuneus (Prec), the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and the bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ). IPL, inferior parietal lobule; LH, left hemisphere; RH, right hemisphere; MFG, middle frontal gyrus; MTG, middle temporal gyrus. Part c adapted from REF.²⁶, CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).