Default mode network functional connectivity is associated with intention interference in healthy aging.

Abstract

Prospective memory (PM), the ability to fulfil an intended action, is important in daily life. However, completed intentions can interfere with subsequent behaviors, known as the aftereffect. The neural basis of this phenomenon remains unclear, particularly from a network perspective. Based on cognitive theories, the present study aimed to examine the underlying neural mechanisms, focusing on the default mode network (DMN) and the frontoparietal network (FPN) to resolve previously inconsistent findings. Thirty-six middle-to-older adults completed a memory-for-intention task, with outdated cues assessing aftereffects through commission errors and prolonged reaction time. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were used to calculate functional connectivity (FC) between regions of interest within the DMN and the FPN. The results showed that FC between the left superior frontal gyrus and right middle temporal pole was associated with the late aftereffect reflected by prolonged reaction time. No significant associations were found within the FPN. The findings highlight the role of intrinsic connectivity in the DMN, suggesting that task disengagement and self-referential processing may contribute to the unintended activation of completed intentions, supporting the spontaneous retrieval account in the dual mechanism theory.