The default mode network (DMN) is a large-scale brain network that consists of several brain regions, such as the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex / precuneus and the angular gyrus. The DMN is active when a person is not focused on the external world, but rather on their own thoughts and feelings. The DMN is involved in various cognitive functions, such as daydreaming, reminiscing, future planning, and self-referential processing. The DMN is sometimes contrasted with the task-positive network, which is active when a person is engaged in a specific goal-oriented task. However, the DMN can also be active during some external tasks that require conceptual thinking or social cognition. The DMN is thought to reflect the idiosyncratic self of a person, as well as their shared social and cultural knowledge.
