To solve a mental puzzle, the brain’s executive command network for externally focused, goal-oriented thinking must activate, piece the network for internally directed thinking similar daydreaming must last turned downwards to avoid interference – or in addition to thus nosotros thought.
New interrogation led yesteryear Cornell University neuroscientist Nathan Spreng shows for the starting fourth dimension time that engaging encephalon areas linked to so-called “off-task” mental activities (such every bit mind-wandering in addition to reminiscing) tin mail away truly boost surgical physical care for on roughly challenging mental tasks. The results advance our agreement of how externally in addition to internally focused neural networks interact to facilitate complex thought, the authors say.
“The prevailing sentiment is that activating encephalon regions referred to every bit the default network impairs surgical physical care for on attention-demanding tasks because this network is associated amongst behaviors such every bit mind-wandering,” said Spreng. “Our written report is the starting fourth dimension to demonstrate the contrary – that engaging the default network tin mail away besides improve performance.”
There are enough of neuroimaging studies showing that default network activation interferes amongst complex mental tasks – but inwards most, Spreng explained, the mental processes associated amongst default network conflict amongst chore goals. If you lot laid out thinking nearly what you lot did final weekend piece taking notes during a lecture, for example, your note-taking in addition to might to spill out upwards volition suffer.
Spreng in addition to his squad developed a novel approach inwards which off-task processes such every bit reminiscing tin mail away back upwards rather than conflict amongst the aims of the experimental task. Their novel task, “famous faces n-back,” tests whether accessing long-term retentiveness nearly famous people, which typically engages default network encephalon regions, tin mail away back upwards short-term retentiveness performance, which typically engages executive command regions.
While undergoing encephalon scanning, 36 immature adults viewed sets of famous in addition to anonymous faces inwards sequence in addition to were asked to position whether the electrical current confront matched the ane presented 2 faces back. The squad industrial plant life participants were faster in addition to to a greater extent than accurate when matching famous faces than when matching anonymous faces in addition to that this improve short-term retentiveness surgical physical care for was associated amongst greater activeness inwards the default network. The results demonstrate that activeness inwards the default encephalon regions tin mail away back upwards surgical physical care for on goal-directed tasks when chore demands align amongst processes supported yesteryear the default network, the authors say.
“Outside the laboratory, pursuing goals involves processing data filled amongst personal pregnant – noesis nearly yesteryear experiences, motivations, hereafter plans in addition to social context,” Spreng said. “Our written report suggests that the default network in addition to executive command networks dynamically interact to facilitate an ongoing dialogue betwixt the pursuit of external goals in addition to internal meaning.”
The study, “Goal-congruent default network activeness facilitates cognitive control,” published inwards Oct inwards the Journal of Neuroscience, was funded inwards utilisation yesteryear the National Institutes of Health in addition to the Natural Sciences in addition to Engineering Research Council of Canada.