Anosognosia and impairment of insight are characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which can lead to delays in appropriate medical care and significant family discord. The default mode network (DMN), a distributed but highly connected network of brain regions more active during rest than during task, is integrally involved in awareness. DMN dysfunction is common in AD, and disrupted communication between memory-related and self-related DMN networks is associated with anosognosia in AD patients. In addition, the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is a key region of the “social brain” and also contributes to representations of the self. The exact classification of the TPJ within the DMN is unclear, though connections between the TPJ and DMN have been highlighted in multiple avenues of research. Here we discuss the relationship between the TPJ, DMN, and AD, as well as the potential involvement of the TPJ in anosognosia in AD. We review past and present findings to raise attention to the TPJ, with a specific emphasis on neuroimaging technologies which suggest a pivotal role of the TPJ within large-scale brain networks linked to anosognosia in AD.

中文翻译：

---

阿尔茨海默病颞顶交界处与失认症的紧急关系

失认和洞察力障碍是阿尔茨海默病 (AD) 的特征，这可能导致适当的医疗护理延迟和严重的家庭不和。默认模式网络 (DMN) 是一个分布式但高度连接的大脑区域网络，在休息期间比在任务期间更活跃，它与意识密切相关。DMN 功能障碍在 AD 中很常见，并且记忆相关和自我相关 DMN 网络之间的通信中断与 AD 患者的失认症有关。此外，颞顶交界处（TPJ）是“社会大脑”的关键区域，也有助于自我表征。DMN 中 TPJ 的确切分类尚不清楚，尽管 TPJ 和 DMN 之间的联系已在多种研究途径中得到强调。在这里，我们讨论了 TPJ、DMN 和 AD 之间的关系，以及 TPJ 在 AD 中的潜在参与。我们回顾过去和现在的研究结果以引起对 TPJ 的关注，特别强调神经影像技术，这表明 TPJ 在与 AD 中失认症相关的大规模脑网络中的关键作用。