Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.017
Shanshan Xiao , Natalie C. Ebner , Junhua Dang , Gull Rukh , Lars Westberg , Helgi B. Schiöth , Håkan Fischer
The role of oxytocin-related genes in social-cognitive function has been previously established, but structural brain mechanisms underlying this link remain poorly understood. Utilizing a substantial dataset from the UK Biobank (N ≈ 30,000), this research determined associations between variations in ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within three oxytocin pathway genes (i.e., the oxytocin/neurophysin I prepropetide gene, the cluster of differentiation 38 glycoprotein gene, the oxytocin receptor gene) and whole-brain gray matter volume. Carriers of the AA or AG genotypes of the oxytocin receptor gene rs237851 SNP exhibited significantly larger hippocampal volume than carriers of the GG genotype. These results support the link between variations in the oxytocin receptor gene and hippocampal structure, with possible impact on social-cognitive function such as social recognition memory.
{"title":"Associations between genetic variations in oxytocin pathway genes and hippocampal volume: Insights from the UK Biobank","authors":"Shanshan Xiao , Natalie C. Ebner , Junhua Dang , Gull Rukh , Lars Westberg , Helgi B. Schiöth , Håkan Fischer","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of oxytocin-related genes in social-cognitive function has been previously established, but structural brain mechanisms underlying this link remain poorly understood. Utilizing a substantial dataset from the UK Biobank (<em>N</em> ≈ 30,000), this research determined associations between variations in ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within three oxytocin pathway genes (i.e., the oxytocin/neurophysin I prepropetide gene, the cluster of differentiation 38 glycoprotein gene, the oxytocin receptor gene) and whole-brain gray matter volume. Carriers of the AA or AG genotypes of the oxytocin receptor gene rs237851 SNP exhibited significantly larger hippocampal volume than carriers of the GG genotype. These results support the link between variations in the oxytocin receptor gene and hippocampal structure, with possible impact on social-cognitive function such as social recognition memory.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"183 ","pages":"Pages 211-219"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142906645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.015
Marcin Szwed
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Overlapping but separate number representations in the intraparietal sulcus—Probing format- and modality-independence in sighted Braille readers” [Cortex 162 (May 2023) 65–80]","authors":"Marcin Szwed","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.015","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"183 ","pages":"Page 420"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.007
Robert D. McIntosh , D. Samuel Schwarzkopf
{"title":"A new chapter of Cortex","authors":"Robert D. McIntosh , D. Samuel Schwarzkopf","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.007","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"183 ","pages":"Pages 326-329"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143157481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.013
Guido Gainotti
{"title":"Semantic and pre-semantic defects of person recognition in semantic dementia. A commentary to the Belliard & Merck's paper: “Is semantic dementia an outdated entity? “","authors":"Guido Gainotti","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.013","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"183 ","pages":"Pages 398-403"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.013
Gwendolyn Jauny , Marine Le Petit , Shailendra Segobin , Catherine Merck , Serge Belliard , Francis Eustache , Mickael Laisney , Thomas Hinault
Healthy aging is characterized by frontal and diffuse brain changes, while certain age-related pathologies such as semantic dementia will be associated with more focal brain lesions, particularly in the temporo-parietal regions. These changes in structural integrity could influence functional brain networks. Here we use multilayer brain network analysis on structural (DWI) and functional (fMRI) data in younger and older healthy individuals and patients with semantic dementia. Relative to younger adults, results revealed lower levels of similarity of connectivity patterns between brain structure and function, and an increased network clustering in frontal regions in healthy older individuals. These changes were either associated with a preservation (similarity) and a decrease (clustering) in cognitive performance. Patients with semantic dementia showed an increase in the similarity of structural and functional connectivity patterns, as well as an increase in clustering in temporo-parietal regions. These changes were respectively associated with a preservation and a decrease in cognitive performance. These results provide a better characterization of distinct profiles of age- and pathology-brain network changes and their association with the preservation or the decline of cognitive functions.
{"title":"Linking structural and functional changes during healthy aging and semantic dementia using multilayer brain network analysis","authors":"Gwendolyn Jauny , Marine Le Petit , Shailendra Segobin , Catherine Merck , Serge Belliard , Francis Eustache , Mickael Laisney , Thomas Hinault","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Healthy aging is characterized by frontal and diffuse brain changes, while certain age-related pathologies such as semantic dementia will be associated with more focal brain lesions, particularly in the temporo-parietal regions. These changes in structural integrity could influence functional brain networks. Here we use multilayer brain network analysis on structural (DWI) and functional (fMRI) data in younger and older healthy individuals and patients with semantic dementia. Relative to younger adults, results revealed lower levels of similarity of connectivity patterns between brain structure and function, and an increased network clustering in frontal regions in healthy older individuals. These changes were either associated with a preservation (similarity) and a decrease (clustering) in cognitive performance. Patients with semantic dementia showed an increase in the similarity of structural and functional connectivity patterns, as well as an increase in clustering in temporo-parietal regions. These changes were respectively associated with a preservation and a decrease in cognitive performance. These results provide a better characterization of distinct profiles of age- and pathology-brain network changes and their association with the preservation or the decline of cognitive functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"183 ","pages":"Pages 405-419"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142892685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.10.006
Marco Catani , Luciano Mecacci
{"title":"Following in Luria’s footsteps: The first training booklet for the neuropsychological assessment of patients with brain lesions","authors":"Marco Catani , Luciano Mecacci","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.10.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.10.006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"183 ","pages":"Pages 146-166"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142791218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.015
Jonathan Curot , Vincent Dornier , Luc Valton , Marie Denuelle , Alexis Robin , Florence Rulquin , Jean-Christophe Sol , Amaury De Barros , Agnès Trébuchon , Christian Bénar , Fabrice Bartolomei , Emmanuel J. Barbeau
The precise and fleeting moment of rich recollection triggered by an environmental cue is difficult to reproduce in the lab. However, epilepsy patients can experience sudden reminiscences after intracranial electrical brain stimulation (EBS). In these cases, the transient brain state related to the activation of the engram and its conscious perception can be recorded using intracerebral EEG (iEEG).
We collected various EBS-induced reminiscences for iEEG analysis, classifying them as follows: no or weak details (familiarity); moderate details and context (semantic and personal semantic memories); high details and context (episodic). Nine brain areas were selected within the temporal lobes (including the hippocampus and temporal neocortex, ipsi- and contralateral) and the insula, defining a network (each area as a node). Functional connectivity was measured by estimating pair-wise non-linear correlations between signals recorded from these brain regions during different memory events.
Seventeen reminiscences in six patients (2 episodic, 10 personal semantic, 2 semantic memories, 5 familiar objects, 1 déjà-rêvé) were compared to 18 control experiential phenomena (unrelated to reminiscence), 18 negative EBS (which failed to elicit memories or other phenomena) in the same locations, and pre-EBS baseline activity.
The global functional connectivity in the network was higher following EBS-induced reminiscences than during baseline activity, control phenomena, or negative EBS. The degree of connectivity increased with the complexity of memories; it was higher for detailed and contextualized memories like episodic memories. More significant links compared to baseline (edges with higher non-linear correlation relative to baseline) were observed for episodic memories than for less contextualized memories. These increases in connectivity occurred in all frequency bands, except the delta band.
Our results support understanding declarative memory retrieval as having a multiplexed organization. They also show that richer memories activated by intracranial EBS are related to more complex connectivity patterns across medial and neocortical temporal lobe structures.
{"title":"Complex memories induced by intracranial electrical brain stimulation are related to complex networks","authors":"Jonathan Curot , Vincent Dornier , Luc Valton , Marie Denuelle , Alexis Robin , Florence Rulquin , Jean-Christophe Sol , Amaury De Barros , Agnès Trébuchon , Christian Bénar , Fabrice Bartolomei , Emmanuel J. Barbeau","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.11.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The precise and fleeting moment of rich recollection triggered by an environmental cue is difficult to reproduce in the lab. However, epilepsy patients can experience sudden reminiscences after intracranial electrical brain stimulation (EBS). In these cases, the transient brain state related to the activation of the engram and its conscious perception can be recorded using intracerebral EEG (iEEG).</div><div>We collected various EBS-induced reminiscences for iEEG analysis, classifying them as follows: no or weak details (familiarity); moderate details and context (semantic and personal semantic memories); high details and context (episodic). Nine brain areas were selected within the temporal lobes (including the hippocampus and temporal neocortex, ipsi- and contralateral) and the insula, defining a network (each area as a node). Functional connectivity was measured by estimating pair-wise non-linear correlations between signals recorded from these brain regions during different memory events.</div><div>Seventeen reminiscences in six patients (2 episodic, 10 personal semantic, 2 semantic memories, 5 familiar objects, 1 déjà-rêvé) were compared to 18 control experiential phenomena (unrelated to reminiscence), 18 negative EBS (which failed to elicit memories or other phenomena) in the same locations, and pre-EBS baseline activity.</div><div>The global functional connectivity in the network was higher following EBS-induced reminiscences than during baseline activity, control phenomena, or negative EBS. The degree of connectivity increased with the complexity of memories; it was higher for detailed and contextualized memories like episodic memories. More significant links compared to baseline (edges with higher non-linear correlation relative to baseline) were observed for episodic memories than for less contextualized memories. These increases in connectivity occurred in all frequency bands, except the delta band.</div><div>Our results support understanding declarative memory retrieval as having a multiplexed organization. They also show that richer memories activated by intracranial EBS are related to more complex connectivity patterns across medial and neocortical temporal lobe structures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"183 ","pages":"Pages 349-372"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142909365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.024
Olivier Godefroy , Sandrine Canaple , Pierre-Andrea Cervellera , Jeremy Neel , Sophie Tasseel-Ponche , Ardalan Aarabi , Mickael Aubignat , Martine Roussel , GRECogVASC study group
Despite its high prevalence, the mechanisms of slowing in stroke remain surprisingly poorly understood. Our objectives were (1) to determine the profile of slowing as a function of test complexity and (2) to examine the relationship between this complexity effect, test sensitivity and the recruitment of brain areas. The study focused on the 371 stroke patients and 581 controls of the GRECogVASC study assessed with eight time-limited tests: finger tapping, simple reaction time, line cancellation, Trail Making Test parts A and B, coding, and semantic and phonemic fluency tests. Action speed of patients was slower than that of controls (p = .0001); slowing worsened with test complexity (p = .0001) by 7.7% at each step of increasing complexity. The highest test sensitivity was observed (p = .0001) for more complex tests. The number of lesioned voxels associated with action speed increased with test complexity. The sensitivity of the tests roughly paralleled (p = .007) the volume of recruited brain areas. The individual slopes of action duration with test complexity correlated with the volume of lesion (p = .002), white matter hyperintensities (p = .0001) and parenchymal brain fraction (p = .0001). The effect of stroke on slowing is due both to small slowing on simple tests and to a general slowing of processing speed. The test sensitivity reflects the size of recruited brain network and its proportional vulnerability to lesion. In addition to their clinical implications, these results shed light on the organization of the systems that optimize action speed in humans.
{"title":"Poststroke action slowing increases with task complexity and is linked to broader brain recruitment","authors":"Olivier Godefroy , Sandrine Canaple , Pierre-Andrea Cervellera , Jeremy Neel , Sophie Tasseel-Ponche , Ardalan Aarabi , Mickael Aubignat , Martine Roussel , GRECogVASC study group","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2024.12.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite its high prevalence, the mechanisms of slowing in stroke remain surprisingly poorly understood. Our objectives were (1) to determine the profile of slowing as a function of test complexity and (2) to examine the relationship between this complexity effect, test sensitivity and the recruitment of brain areas. The study focused on the 371 stroke patients and 581 controls of the GRECogVASC study assessed with eight time-limited tests: finger tapping, simple reaction time, line cancellation, Trail Making Test parts A and B, coding, and semantic and phonemic fluency tests. Action speed of patients was slower than that of controls (<em>p</em> = .0001); slowing worsened with test complexity (<em>p</em> = .0001) by 7.7% at each step of increasing complexity. The highest test sensitivity was observed (<em>p</em> = .0001) for more complex tests. The number of lesioned voxels associated with action speed increased with test complexity. The sensitivity of the tests roughly paralleled (<em>p</em> = .007) the volume of recruited brain areas. The individual slopes of action duration with test complexity correlated with the volume of lesion (<em>p</em> = .002), white matter hyperintensities (<em>p</em> = .0001) and parenchymal brain fraction (<em>p</em> = .0001). The effect of stroke on slowing is due both to small slowing on simple tests and to a general slowing of processing speed. The test sensitivity reflects the size of recruited brain network and its proportional vulnerability to lesion. In addition to their clinical implications, these results shed light on the organization of the systems that optimize action speed in humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"184 ","pages":"Pages 287-297"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143377667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-25DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.005
Mikael Skagenholt , Kenny Skagerlund , Ulf Träff
Numerical cognition constitutes a set of hierarchically related skills and abilities that develop–and may subsequently begin to decline–over developmental time. An innate “number sense” has long been argued to provide a foundation for the development of increasingly complex and applied numerical cognition, such as symbolic numerical reference, arithmetic, and financial literacy. However, evidence for a direct link between basic perceptual mechanisms that allow us to determine numerical magnitude (e.g., “how many” objects are in front of us and whether some of these are of a “greater” or “lesser” quantity), and later symbolic applications for counting and mathematics, has recently been challenged. Understanding how one develops an increasingly precise sense of number and which neurocognitive mechanisms support arithmetic development and achievement is crucial for developing successful mathematics curricula, supporting individual financial literacy and decision-making, and designing appropriate intervention and remediation programs for mathematical learning disabilities as well as mathematics anxiety. The purpose of this review is to provide a broad overview of the cognitive, neural, and affective underpinnings of numerical cognition–spanning the earliest hours of infancy to senior adulthood–and highlight gaps in our knowledge that remain to be addressed.
{"title":"Numerical cognition across the lifespan: A selective review of key developmental stages and neural, cognitive, and affective underpinnings","authors":"Mikael Skagenholt , Kenny Skagerlund , Ulf Träff","doi":"10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Numerical cognition constitutes a set of hierarchically related skills and abilities that develop–and may subsequently begin to decline–over developmental time. An innate “number sense” has long been argued to provide a foundation for the development of increasingly complex and applied numerical cognition, such as symbolic numerical reference, arithmetic, and financial literacy. However, evidence for a direct link between basic perceptual mechanisms that allow us to determine numerical magnitude (e.g., “how many” objects are in front of us and whether some of these are of a “greater” or “lesser” quantity), and later symbolic applications for counting and mathematics, has recently been challenged. Understanding how one develops an increasingly precise sense of number and which neurocognitive mechanisms support arithmetic development and achievement is crucial for developing successful mathematics curricula, supporting individual financial literacy and decision-making, and designing appropriate intervention and remediation programs for mathematical learning disabilities as well as mathematics anxiety. The purpose of this review is to provide a broad overview of the cognitive, neural, and affective underpinnings of numerical cognition–spanning the earliest hours of infancy to senior adulthood–and highlight gaps in our knowledge that remain to be addressed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10758,"journal":{"name":"Cortex","volume":"184 ","pages":"Pages 263-286"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143196212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}