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Review
. 2024 Apr 22;14(4):349.
doi: 10.3390/bs14040349.

Rest to Promote Learning: A Brain Default Mode Network Perspective

Wei Luo  1   2   3 , Biao Liu  4 , Ying Tang  1 , Jingwen Huang  5 , Ji Wu  2
Affiliations
Review

Rest to Promote Learning: A Brain Default Mode Network Perspective

Wei Luo et al. Behav Sci (Basel). .

Abstract

The brain often switches freely between focused attention and divergent thinking, and the Default Mode Network (DMN) is activated during brain rest. Since its discovery, the DMN, together with its function and characteristics, indicates that learning does not stop when the brain "rests". Therefore, DMN plays an important role in learning. Neural activities such as beta wave rhythm regulation, "subconscious" divergence thinking mode initiation, hippocampal function, and neural replay occur during default mode, all of which explains that "rest" promotes learning. This paper summarized the function and neural mechanism of DMN in learning and proposed that the DMN plays an essential role in learning, which is that it enables rest to promote learning.

Keywords: learning; neural mechanism; rest; the default mode network (DMN).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Brain Default Mode Network. Adapted from Menon [3]. Note: angular gyrus (AG), anterior temporal cortex (ATC), middle temporal gyrus (MTG) retrosplenic cortex (RSC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), medial temporal lobe (MTL), dorsalmedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC).
Figure 2
Figure 2
DMN functional map. Adapted from Menon [3]. Note: left angular gyrus (lAG), right angular gyrus (rAG), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Triple Network model. Adapted from Menon [26]. Note: Salience Network (SN) and Central Executive Network (CEN).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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