Left superior parietal lobe mediates the link between spontaneous mind-wandering tendency and task-switching performance

• Published in: Biological psychology Vol. 185; p. 108726
• Main Authors: Wong, Yi-Sheng, Yu, Junhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Brain; Brain Mapping; Exogenous switching; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mental flexibility; Mental set shifting; Parietal Lobe - diagnostic imaging; Reaction Time; Task-unrelated thoughts; Mental set shifting; Task-unrelated thoughts; Exogenous switching; Mental flexibility
• ISSN: 0301-0511; 1873-6246
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108726

While increasing studies have documented the link between mind wandering and task switching, less is known about which brain regions mediate this relationship. Using the MPI-Leipzig Mind-Brain-Body dataset (N = 173), we investigated the association between trait-level tendencies of mind wandering, task-switching performance, structural connectivity, and resting-state functional connectivity. At the behavioral level, we found that higher spontaneous mind-wandering trait scores were associated with shorter reaction times on both repeat and switch trials. The whole brain cortical thickness analysis revealed a strong mediating role of the left superior parietal lobe, which is part of the dorsal attention network, in the link between spontaneous mind-wandering tendency and task-switching performance. The resting-state functional connectivity analysis further demonstrated that this association was partly mediated by the negative dorsal attention network-default mode network functional connectivity. No significant mediating effects were found for deliberate mind-wandering tendency. Overall, the findings highlight the pivotal role of the left superior parietal lobe in activating new mental set during mind-wandering and task-switching processes, providing another evidence in favor of a role for switching in mind wandering. •Higher spontaneous mind-wandering trait scores were linked to shorter reaction times.•Cortical thickness of the left superior parietal lobe mediates this relationship.•The results provide evidence in favor of a role for switching in mind wandering.