13 November 2013
Daydreams
When you daydream the pattern of activity in your brain, at least to a neuroscientist, is known as the default mode network. The recent discovery of this brain state came as something of a surprise since it occurs when you’re not actively thinking about or doing anything. Scientists can measure brain activity by looking at changes in the amount of oxygen carried by the blood to different parts of the brain. A technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) here highlights the ‘resting’ patterns of brain activity in 34 patients with schizophrenia. These data suggest that the default mode network may be altered in patients with schizophrenia, who still have symptoms despite taking medication. Now the challenge is to find out why.
Written by
- Image and research by Elias Mouchlianitis and Michael Bloomfield
- Courtesy of the Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre
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