Neural correlates of mind-wandering during encoding tasks: A meta-analysis of 64 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies

Description: Our minds frequently drift from the task at hand to self-generated, unrelated thoughts, a process commonly referred to as mind-wandering. Task focus typically leads to high-quality encoding of related events, whereas mind-wandering tends to result in low-quality encoding. This study conducted a meta-analysis of fMRI studies comparing high-quality and low-quality encoding to explore the neural correlates of mind-wandering. Key findings show that activation during mind-wandering is closely associated with four specific subnetworks: Default Mode Network-A, Frontoparietal Network-B and C, and Ventral Attention Network-B. In contrast, deactivation primarily occurs within Dorsal Attention Network-A, Frontoparietal Network-A, and Default Mode Network-B and C. These findings provide empirical support for several mind-wandering theories, including those focused on internal cognition, perceptual-decoupling, executive failure, executive involvement, and reduced filtering. The distinct roles of these subnetworks emphasize the importance of a detailed approach to understanding the complex network dynamics associated with mind-wandering.