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Science 6 July 2007:
Vol. 317. no. 5834, p. 43
DOI: 10.1126/science.1140801
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Technical Comments

Comment on "Wandering Minds: The Default Network and Stimulus-Independent Thought"

Sam J. Gilbert,1* Iroise Dumontheil,2 Jon S. Simons,3 Chris D. Frith,4 Paul W. Burgess1

Mason et al. (Reports, 19 January 2007, p. 393) attributed activity in certain regions of the "resting" brain to the occurrence of mind-wandering. However, previous research has demonstrated the difficulty of distinguishing this type of stimulus-independent thought from stimulus-oriented thought (e.g., watchfulness). Consideration of both possibilities is required to resolve this ambiguity.

1 Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
2 Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK.
3 Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
4 Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: sam.gilbert{at}ucl.ac.uk

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)