Using modern brain imaging techniques, new discoveries are being made concerning the spontaneous activity of the brain when it is devoid of attention-demanding tasks. Spatially separated patches of neuronal assemblies have been found to show synchronized oscillatory activity behavior and are said to be functionally connected. One of the most robust of these is the default mode network, which is associated with intrinsic processes like mind wandering and self-projection. Furthermore, activity in this network is anticorrelated with activity in a network that is linked to attention to external stimuli. The integrity of both networks is disturbed in altered states of consciousness, like sleep, general anesthesia and hypnosis. In coma and related disorders of consciousness, encompassing the vegetative state (unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) and minimally conscious state, default mode network integrity correlates with the level of remaining consciousness, offering the possibility of using this information for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Functional brain imaging is currently being validated as a valuable addition to the standardized behavioral assessments that are already in use.

中文翻译：

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意识状态改变时脑功能的默认模式。

使用现代的大脑成像技术，在没有需要注意的任务的情况下，人们就大脑的自发活动获得了新的发现。已经发现，在空间上分离的神经元组件的斑块显示出同步的振荡活动行为，并且据说在功能上是相连的。其中最强大的功能之一就是默认模式网络，它与诸如心灵漫游和自我投射之类的内在过程相关。此外，该网络中的活动与与关注外部刺激相关的网络中的活动反相关。睡眠，全身麻醉和催眠等意识状态的改变会扰乱两个网络的完整性。在昏迷和相关的意识障碍中，默认模式网络完整性涵盖植物人状态（无反应的清醒综合征）和最低意识状态，它与剩余意识水平相关，从而提供了将这些信息用于诊断和预后目的的可能性。目前，功能性脑成像已被验证为已在使用的标准化行为评估中的宝贵补充。