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Taubert M, Ziegler G, Lehmann N. Higher surface folding of the human premotor cortex is associated with better long-term learning capability. Commun Biol 2024; 7:635. [PMID: 38796622 PMCID: PMC11127997 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06309-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The capacity to learn enabled the human species to adapt to various challenging environmental conditions and pass important achievements on to the next generation. A growing body of research suggests links between neocortical folding properties and numerous aspects of human behavior, but their impact on enhanced human learning capacity remains unexplored. Here we leverage three training cohorts to demonstrate that higher levels of premotor cortical folding reliably predict individual long-term learning gains in a challenging new motor task, above and beyond initial performance differences. Individual folding-related predisposition to motor learning was found to be independent of cortical thickness and intracortical microstructure, but dependent on larger cortical surface area in premotor regions. We further show that learning-relevant features of cortical folding occurred in close spatial proximity to practice-induced structural brain plasticity. Our results suggest a link between neocortical surface folding and human behavioral adaptability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Taubert
- Department of Sport Science, Institute III, Faculty of Humanities, Otto von Guericke University, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104, Magdeburg, Germany.
- Center for Behavioral and Brain Science (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106, Magdeburg, Germany.
- Collaborative Research Center 1436 Neural Resources of Cognition, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Gabriel Ziegler
- Collaborative Research Center 1436 Neural Resources of Cognition, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Germany German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Straße 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nico Lehmann
- Department of Sport Science, Institute III, Faculty of Humanities, Otto von Guericke University, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104, Magdeburg, Germany
- Collaborative Research Center 1436 Neural Resources of Cognition, Otto von Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Willbrand EH, Parker BJ, Voorhies WI, Miller JA, Lyu I, Hallock T, Aponik-Gremillion L, Koslov SR, Bunge SA, Foster BL, Weiner KS. Uncovering a tripartite landmark in posterior cingulate cortex. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn9516. [PMID: 36070384 PMCID: PMC9451146 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn9516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding brain structure-function relationships, and their development and evolution, is central to neuroscience research. Here, we show that morphological differences in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a hub of functional brain networks, predict individual differences in macroanatomical, microstructural, and functional features of PCC. Manually labeling 4511 sulci in 572 hemispheres, we found a shallow cortical indentation (termed the inframarginal sulcus; ifrms) within PCC that is absent from neuroanatomical atlases yet colocalized with a focal, functional region of the lateral frontoparietal network implicated in cognitive control. This structural-functional coupling generalized to meta-analyses consisting of hundreds of studies and thousands of participants. Additional morphological analyses showed that unique properties of the ifrms differ across the life span and between hominoid species. These findings support a classic theory that shallow, tertiary sulci serve as landmarks in association cortices. They also beg the question: How many other cortical indentations have we missed?
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan H. Willbrand
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Benjamin J. Parker
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Willa I. Voorhies
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Jacob A. Miller
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Ilwoo Lyu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Tyler Hallock
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | | | - Seth R. Koslov
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Silvia A. Bunge
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Brett L. Foster
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kevin S. Weiner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
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3
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Bogolepova IN, Agapov PA, Malofeeva IG. Structural Organization of the Motor Speech Area of an Outstanding Writer. Bull Exp Biol Med 2022; 173:497-499. [DOI: 10.1007/s10517-022-05569-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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4
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Sabin TD. James Wenceslas Papez’s journey into eugenics. Ir J Med Sci 2020; 189:633-638. [DOI: 10.1007/s11845-019-02093-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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5
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Vasung L, Yun HJ, Feldman HA, Grant PE, Im K. An Atypical Sulcal Pattern in Children with Disorders of the Corpus Callosum and Its Relation to Behavioral Outcomes. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:4790-4799. [PMID: 32307538 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypogenesis (hCC) and dysgenesis (dCC) of the corpus callosum (CC) are characterized by its smaller size or absence. The outcomes of these patients vary considerably and are unrelated to the size of the CC abnormality. The aim of the current study was to characterize the sulcal pattern in children with hCC and dCC and to explore its relation to clinical outcome. We used quantitative sulcal pattern analysis that measures deviation (similarity index, SI) of the composite or individual sulcal features (position, depth, area, and graph topology) compared to the control group. We calculated SI for each hemisphere and lobe in 11 children with CC disorder (hCC = 4, dCC = 7) and 15 controls. hCC and dCC had smaller hemispheric SI compared to controls. dCC subjects had smaller regional SI in the frontal and occipital lobes, which were driven by a smaller SI in a position or a graph topology. The significantly decreased SI gradient was found across groups only in the sulcal graph topology of the temporal lobes (controls > hCC > dCC) and was related to clinical outcome. Our results suggest that careful examination of sulcal pattern in hCC and dCC patients could be a useful biomarker of outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Vasung
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hyuk Jin Yun
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Henry A Feldman
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Patricia Ellen Grant
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kiho Im
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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6
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Abstract
The human brain is often characterized in terms of a duality, with the left and right brains serving complementary functions, and even individuals are sometimes classified as either "left-brained" or "right-brained." Recent evidence from brain imaging shows that hemispheric asymmetry is multidimensional, comprised of independent lateralized circuits. Cerebral asymmetries, which include handedness, probably arise in phylogenesis through the fissioning of ancestral systems that divided and lateralized with increasing demand for specialization. They also vary between individuals, with some showing absent or reversed asymmetries. It is unlikely that this variation is controlled by a single gene, as sometimes assumed, but depends rather on complex interplay among several, perhaps many, genes. Hemispheric asymmetry has often been regarded as a unique mark of being human, but it has also become evident that behavioral and cerebral asymmetries are not confined to humans, and are widespread among animal species. They nevertheless exist against a fundamental background of bilateral symmetry, suggesting a tradeoff between the two. Individual differences in asymmetry, moreover, are themselves adaptive, contributing to the cognitive and behavioral specializations necessary for societies to operate efficiently.
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7
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Meng Y, Li G, Wang L, Lin W, Gilmore JH, Shen D. Discovering cortical sulcal folding patterns in neonates using large-scale dataset. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:3625-3635. [PMID: 29700891 PMCID: PMC6203677 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Revised: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The folding of the human cerebral cortex is highly complex and variable across individuals, but certain common major patterns of cortical folding do exist. Mining such common patterns of cortical folding is of great importance in understanding the inter-individual variability of cortical folding and their relationship with cognitive functions and brain disorders. As primary cortical folds are mainly genetically influenced and are well established at term birth, neonates with minimal exposure to the complicated postnatal environmental influences are ideal candidates for mining the major patterns of cortical folding. In this paper, we propose a sulcal-pit-based method to discover the major sulcal patterns of cortical folding. In our method, first, the sulcal pattern is characterized by the spatial distribution of sulcal pits, which are the locally deepest points in cortical sulci. Since deep sulcal pits are genetically related, relatively consistent across individuals, and also stable during brain development, they are well suited for representing and characterizing the sulcal patterns. Then, the similarity between the distributions of sulcal pits is measured from the spatial, geometrical, and topological points of view. Next, a comprehensive similarity matrix is constructed for the whole dataset by adaptively fusing these measurements together, thus capturing both their common and complementary information. Finally, leveraging the similarity matrix, a hierarchical affinity propagation algorithm is used to group similar sulcal folding patterns together. The proposed method has been applied to 677 neonatal brains, and revealed multiple distinct and meaningful sulcal patterns in the central sulcus, superior temporal sulcus, and cingulate sulcus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Meng
- Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
- Department of Radiology and BRICUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Radiology and BRICUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Radiology and BRICUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Weili Lin
- Department of Radiology and BRICUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Dinggang Shen
- Department of Radiology and BRICUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
- Department of Brain and Cognitive EngineeringKorea UniversitySeoul02841Republic of Korea
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8
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Acosta LMY. The knit wit of Einstein. Neurology 2018; 91:325-326. [DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000006008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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9
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Falk D. Einstein’s brain: lost and found. Brain 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dean Falk
- Hale G. Smith Professor of Anthropology & Distinguished Research Professor Florida State University, USA Senior Scholar School for Advanced Research, USA
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10
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Sheikhi S, Saboory E, Farjah GH. Correlation of nerve fibers in corpus callosum and number of neurons in cerebral cortex: an innovative mathematical model. Int J Neurosci 2018; 128:995-1002. [PMID: 29619891 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2018.1458725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose/aim: It is estimated that 109 bits/s information are processed in the human brain. The transmission of this huge amount of information requires all connections in the brain to be highly accurate and have order. The current study attempted to present a new aspect of order and proportion in the ultra-structure of the human brain and to calculate the degree of neural interdependence between the two hemispheres. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this model, intensity of interdependence of the brain to hemispheres is estimated to be equal to the mathematical proportion of number of neurons in cerebral cortex divided by 2 (number of hemispheres), divided by number of nerve fibers in the human corpus callosum. RESULTS The calculated number is equal to 30-50 and it indicates that for every 30-50 neurons between the two hemispheres, there is a neural interconnecting bridge. CONCLUSIONS This connection indicates that the brain's function output follows a mathematical relation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siamak Sheikhi
- a Neurophysiology Research Center , Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Ehsan Saboory
- a Neurophysiology Research Center , Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia , Iran
| | - Gholam Hosein Farjah
- b Department of Anatomy, Faculty of medicine , Urmia University of Medical Sciences , Urmia Iran
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11
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García-Tabernero A, Peña-Melián A, Rosas A. Primary visual cortex in neandertals as revealed from the occipital remains from the El Sidrón site, with emphasis on the new SD-2300 specimen. J Anat 2018; 233:33-45. [PMID: 29624658 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The comparative analysis of the endocranial surface of the El Sidrón new occipital fragment SD-2300 shows meaningful differences in the configuration of the occipital pole region between neandertals and anatomically modern humans (AMH). The particular asymmetries found in neandertals in the venous sinus drainage and the petalial patterns are recognizable in this new specimen as well. In addition, the supra- and infracalcarine fossae of the occipital pole region appear to deviate obliquely from the mid-line when compared with sapiens. Due to the excellent preservation conditions of SD-2300, the main sulci and gyri of the occipital pole area have been identified, this degree of detail being uncommon in a fossil specimen; in general, the gyrification pattern is similar to AMH, but with some notable differences. Particularly interesting is the description of the lunate and the calcarine sulci. The lunate sulcus is located close to the occipital pole, in a similar posterior position to in other Homo species. Regarding the calcarine sulcus, there are significant differences in the primary visual cortex, with the V1 area, or Brodmann area 17, being larger in Homo neanderthalensis than in Homo sapiens. This may lead to greater visual acuity in neandertals than in sapiens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angel Peña-Melián
- Departamento de Anatomía, Facultad de Medicina, (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Rosas
- Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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12
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Woo J, Kim JE, Im JJ, Lee J, Jeong HS, Park S, Jung SY, An H, Yoon S, Lim SM, Lee S, Ma J, Shin EY, Han YE, Kim B, Lee EH, Feng L, Chun H, Yoon BE, Kang I, Dager SR, Lyoo IK, Lee CJ. Astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 modulates brain plasticity in both mice and humans: a potential gliogenetic mechanism underlying language-associated learning. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:1021-1030. [PMID: 29565042 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The role of astrocytes in brain plasticity has not been extensively studied compared with that of neurons. Here we adopted integrative translational and reverse-translational approaches to explore the role of an astrocyte-specific major water channel in the brain, aquaporin-4 (AQP4), in brain plasticity and learning. We initially identified the most prevalent genetic variant of AQP4 (single nucleotide polymorphism of rs162008 with C or T variation, which has a minor allele frequency of 0.21) from a human database (n=60 706) and examined its functionality in modulating the expression level of AQP4 in an in vitro luciferase reporter assay. In the following experiments, AQP4 knock-down in mice not only impaired hippocampal volumetric plasticity after exposure to enriched environment but also caused loss of long-term potentiation after theta-burst stimulation. In humans, there was a cross-sectional association of rs162008 with gray matter (GM) volume variation in cortices, including the vicinity of the Perisylvian heteromodal language area (Sample 1, n=650). GM volume variation in these brain regions was positively associated with the semantic verbal fluency. In a prospective follow-up study (Sample 2, n=45), the effects of an intensive 5-week foreign language (English) learning experience on regional GM volume increase were modulated by this AQP4 variant, which was also associated with verbal learning capacity change. We then delineated in mice mechanisms that included AQP4-dependent transient astrocytic volume changes and astrocytic structural elaboration. We believe our study provides the first integrative evidence for a gliogenetic basis that involves AQP4, underlying language-associated brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Woo
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Neuroscience Program, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - J E Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Scranton College, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - J J Im
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - J Lee
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - H S Jeong
- Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - S Park
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - S-Y Jung
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Neuroscience Program, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - H An
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - S Yoon
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - S M Lim
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - S Lee
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - J Ma
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - E Y Shin
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Scranton College, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Y-E Han
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Neuroscience Program, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - B Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - E H Lee
- Green Cross Laboratories, Yongin, Republic of Korea
| | - L Feng
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - H Chun
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - B-E Yoon
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Nanobiomedical Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - I Kang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Scranton College, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - S R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - I K Lyoo
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Scranton College, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - C J Lee
- Center for Neural Science and Functional Connectomics, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Neuroscience Program, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,KU-KIST, Graduate School of Convergence Technology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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13
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Colombo JA. A critical view of the quest for brain structural markers of Albert Einstein's special talents (a pot of gold under the rainbow). Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:2515-2518. [PMID: 29470677 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1625-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Assertions regarding attempts to link glial and macrostructural brain events with cognitive performance regarding Albert Einstein, are critically reviewed. One basic problem arises from attempting to draw causal relationships regarding complex, delicately interactive functional processes involving finely tuned molecular and connectivity phenomena expressed in cognitive performance, based on highly variable brain structural events of a single, aged, formalin fixed brain. Data weaknesses and logical flaws are considered. In other instances, similar neuroanatomical observations received different interpretations and conclusions, as those drawn, e.g., from schizophrenic brains. Observations on white matter events also raise methodological queries. Additionally, neurocognitive considerations on other intellectual aptitudes of A. Einstein were simply ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Colombo
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA, CEMIC-CONICET), Investigador Principal (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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14
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Nikolić V, Savić S, Antunović V, Marinković S, Andrieux C, Tomić I. Decapitation in reality and fine art: A review. Forensic Sci Int 2017; 280:103-112. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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15
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Network attributes underlying intellectual giftedness in the developing brain. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11321. [PMID: 28900176 PMCID: PMC5596014 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11593-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain network is organized to maximize the efficiency of both segregated and integrated information processing that may be related to human intelligence. However, there have been surprisingly few studies that focus on the topological characteristics of brain network underlying extremely high intelligence that is intellectual giftedness, particularly in adolescents. Here, we examined the network topology in 25 adolescents with superior intelligence (SI-Adol), 25 adolescents with average intelligence (AI-Adol), and 27 young adults with AI (AI-Adult). We found that SI-Adol had network topological properties of high global efficiency as well as high clustering with a low wiring cost, relative to AI-Adol. However, contrary to the suggested role that brain hub regions play in general intelligence, the network efficiency of rich club connection matrix, which represents connections among brain hubs, was low in SI-Adol in comparison to AI-Adol. Rather, a higher level of local connection density was observed in SI-Adol than in AI-Adol. The highly intelligent brain may not follow this efficient yet somewhat stereotypical process of information integration entirely. Taken together, our results suggest that a highly intelligent brain may communicate more extensively, while being less dependent on rich club communications during adolescence.
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16
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Vandervert L. How music training enhances working memory: a cerebrocerebellar blending mechanism that can lead equally to scientific discovery and therapeutic efficacy in neurological disorders. CEREBELLUM & ATAXIAS 2015; 2:11. [PMID: 26339499 PMCID: PMC4559002 DOI: 10.1186/s40673-015-0030-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Background Following in the vein of studies that concluded that music training resulted in plastic changes in Einstein’s cerebral cortex, controlled research has shown that music training (1) enhances central executive attentional processes in working memory, and (2) has also been shown to be of significant therapeutic value in neurological disorders. Within this framework of music training-induced enhancement of central executive attentional processes, the purpose of this article is to argue that: (1) The foundational basis of the central executive begins in infancy as attentional control during the establishment of working memory, (2) In accordance with Akshoomoff, Courchesne and Townsend’s and Leggio and Molinari’s cerebellar sequence detection and prediction models, the rigors of volitional control demands of music training can enhance voluntary manipulation of information in thought and movement, (3) The music training-enhanced blending of cerebellar internal models in working memory as can be experienced as intuition in scientific discovery (as Einstein often indicated) or, equally, as moments of therapeutic advancement toward goals in the development of voluntary control in neurological disorders, and (4) The blending of internal models as in (3) thus provides a mechanism by which music training enhances central executive processes in working memory that can lead to scientific discovery and improved therapeutic outcomes in neurological disorders. Results Within the framework of Leggio and Molinari’s cerebellar sequence detection model, it is determined that intuitive steps forward that occur in both scientific discovery and during therapy in those with neurological disorders operate according to the same mechanism of adaptive error-driven blending of cerebellar internal models. Conclusion It is concluded that the entire framework of the central executive structure of working memory is a product of the cerebrocerebellar system which can, through the learning of internal models, incorporate the multi-dimensional rigor and volitional-control demands of music training and, thereby, enhance voluntary control. It is further concluded that this cerebrocerebellar view of the music training-induced enhancement of central executive control in working memory provides a needed mechanism to explain both the highest level of scientific discovery and the efficacy of music training in the remediation of neurological impairments.
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Li W, Yang W, Li W, Li Y, Wei D, Li H, Qiu J, Zhang Q. Brain Structure and Resting-State Functional Connectivity in University Professors with High Academic Achievement. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2015.1030311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Weiner KS. On (ab)normality: Einstein's fusiform gyrus. Brain Cogn 2015; 94:1-3. [PMID: 25562419 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2014.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Recently, Hines (2014) wrote an evocative paper challenging findings from both histological and morphological studies of Einstein's brain. In this discussion paper, I extend Hines' theoretical point and further discuss how best to determine 'abnormal' morphology. To do so, I assess the sulcal patterning of Einstein's fusiform gyrus (FG) for the first time. The sulcal patterning of the FG was unconsidered in prior studies because the morphological features of the mid-fusiform sulcus have only been clarified recently. On the one hand, the sulcal patterning of Einstein's FG is abnormal relative to averages of 'normal' brains generated from two independent datasets (N = 39 and N = 15, respectively). On the other hand, within the 108 hemispheres used to make these average brains, it is not impossible to find FG sulcal patterns that resemble those of Einstein. Thus, concluding whether a morphological pattern is normal or abnormal heavily depends on the chosen analysis method (e.g. group average vs. individual). Such findings question the functional meaning of morphological 'abnormalities' when determined by comparing an individual to an average brain or average frequency characteristics. These observations are not only important for analyzing a rare brain such as that of Einstein, but also for comparing macroanatomical features between typical and atypical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin S Weiner
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Chen H, Chen S, Zeng L, Zhou L, Hou S. Revisiting Einstein's brain in Brain Awareness Week. Biosci Trends 2014; 8:286-9. [PMID: 25382446 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2014.01045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Albert Einstein's brain has long been an object of fascination to both neuroscience specialists and the general public. However, without records of advanced neuro-imaging of his brain, conclusions regarding Einstein's extraordinary cognitive capabilities can only be drawn based on the unique external features of his brain and through comparison of the external features with those of other human brain samples. The recent discovery of 14 previously unpublished photographs of Einstein's brain taken at unconventional angles by Dr. Thomas Stoltz Harvey, the pathologist, ignited a renewed frenzy about clues to explain Einstein's genius. Dr. Dean Falk and her colleagues, in their landmark paper published in Brain (2013; 136:1304-1327), described in such details about the unusual features of Einstein's brain, which shed new light on Einstein's intelligence. In this article, we ask what are the unique structures of his brain? What can we learn from this new information? Can we really explain his extraordinary cognitive capabilities based on these unique brain structures? We conclude that studying the brain of a remarkable person like Albert Einstein indeed provides us a better example to comprehensively appreciate the relationship between brain structures and advanced cognitive functions. However, caution must be exercised so as not to over-interpret his intelligence solely based on the understanding of the surface structures of his brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chen
- Department of Biology, South University of Science and Technology of China
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Hines T. Neuromythology of Einstein’s brain. Brain Cogn 2014; 88:21-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2014.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Revised: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Schweizer R, Helms G, Frahm J. Revisiting a historic human brain with magnetic resonance imaging - the first description of a divided central sulcus. Front Neuroanat 2014; 8:35. [PMID: 24904304 PMCID: PMC4032999 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2014.00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1860 and 1862, the German physiologist Wagner published two studies, in which he compared the cortical surfaces of brain specimens. This provided the first account of a rare anatomical variation - bridges across the central sulci in both hemispheres connecting the forward and backward facing central convolutions in one of the brains. The serendipitous rediscovery of the preserved historic brain specimen in the collections at Göttingen University, being mistaken as the brain of the mathematician C.F. Gauss, allowed us to further investigate the morphology of the bridges Wagner had described with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). On the historic lithograph, current photographs and MRI surface reconstructions of the brain, a connection across the central sulcus can only be seen in the left hemisphere. In the right hemisphere, contrary to the description of Wagner, a connecting structure is only present across the post-central sulcus. MRI reveals that the left-hemispheric bridge extends into the depth of the sulcus, forming a transverse connection between the two opposing gyri. This rare anatomical variation, generally not associated with neurological symptoms, would nowadays be categorized as a divided central sulcus. The left-hemispheric connection seen across the post-central sulcus, represents the very common case of a segmented post-central sulcus. MRI further disclosed a connection across the right-hemispheric central sulcus, which terminates just below the surface of the brain and is therefore not depicted on the historical lithography. This explains the apparent inconsistency between the bilateral description of bridges across the central sulci and the unilateral appearance on the brain surface. The results are discussed based on the detailed knowledge of anatomists of the late 19th century, who already recognized the divided central sulcus as an extreme variation of a deep convolution within the central sulcus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renate Schweizer
- Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gunther Helms
- MR Forschung in der Neurologie und Psychiatrie, Abteilung Kognitive Neurologie, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jens Frahm
- Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie Göttingen, Germany
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Sun T, Hevner RF. Growth and folding of the mammalian cerebral cortex: from molecules to malformations. Nat Rev Neurosci 2014; 15:217-32. [PMID: 24646670 DOI: 10.1038/nrn3707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 338] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The size and extent of folding of the mammalian cerebral cortex are important factors that influence a species' cognitive abilities and sensorimotor skills. Studies in various animal models and in humans have provided insight into the mechanisms that regulate cortical growth and folding. Both protein-coding genes and microRNAs control cortical size, and recent progress in characterizing basal progenitor cells and the genes that regulate their proliferation has contributed to our understanding of cortical folding. Neurological disorders linked to disruptions in cortical growth and folding have been associated with novel neurogenetic mechanisms and aberrant signalling pathways, and these findings have changed concepts of brain evolution and may lead to new medical treatments for certain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Sun
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, BOX 60, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Robert F Hevner
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98101, USA
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Kenakin T, Bylund DB, Toews ML, Mullane K, Winquist RJ, Williams M. Replicated, replicable and relevant-target engagement and pharmacological experimentation in the 21st century. Biochem Pharmacol 2013; 87:64-77. [PMID: 24269285 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A pharmacological experiment is typically conducted to: i) test or expand a hypothesis regarding the potential role of a target in the mechanism(s) underlying a disease state using an existing drug or tool compound in normal and/or diseased tissue or animals; or ii) characterize and optimize a new chemical entity (NCE) targeted to modulate a specific disease-associated target to restore homeostasis as a potential drug candidate. Hypothesis testing necessitates an intellectually rigorous, null hypothesis approach that is distinct from a high throughput fishing expedition in search of a hypothesis. In conducting an experiment, the protocol should be transparently defined along with its powering, design, appropriate statistical analysis and consideration of the anticipated outcome (s) before it is initiated. Compound-target interactions often involve the direct study of phenotype(s) unique to the target at the cell, tissue or animal/human level. However, in vivo studies are often compromised by a lack of sufficient information on the compound pharmacokinetics necessary to ensure target engagement and also by the context-free analysis of ubiquitous cellular signaling pathways downstream from the target. The use of single tool compounds/drugs at one concentration in engineered cell lines frequently results in reductionistic data that have no physiologically relevance. This overview, focused on trends in the peer-reviewed literature, discusses the execution and reporting of experiments and the criteria recommended for the physiologically-relevant assessment of target engagement to identify viable new drug targets and facilitate the advancement of translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry Kenakin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - David B Bylund
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Myron L Toews
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Raymond J Winquist
- Department of Integrated Biology, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael Williams
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Benson TL, Park S. Exceptional visuospatial imagery in schizophrenia; implications for madness and creativity. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:756. [PMID: 24273503 PMCID: PMC3822289 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biographical and historical accounts suggest a link between scientific creativity and schizophrenia. Longitudinal studies of gifted children indicate that visuospatial imagery plays a pivotal role in exceptional achievements in science and mathematics. We asked whether visuospatial imagery is enhanced in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). We compared SZ and matched healthy controls (HC) on five visuospatial tasks tapping parietal and frontoparietal functions. Two aspects of visuospatial transformation, spatial location and mental imagery manipulation were examined with Paper Folding Test (PFT) and jigsaw puzzle task (JPT), respectively. Visuospatial intelligence was assessed with Ravens Progressive Matrices, which is associated with frontoparietal network activity. Hemispatial inattention implicating parietal function was assessed with line bisection (LB) task. Mediated by prefrontal cortex, spatial delayed response task (DRT) was used to index working memory maintenance, which was impaired in SZ compared to HC. In contrast, SZ showed intact visuospatial intelligence and transformation of location. Further, SZ performed significantly better than HC on JPT indicating enhanced mental imagery manipulation. Spatial working memory (SWM) maintenance and mental imagery manipulation were strongly associated in HC but dissociated in SZ. Thus, we observed enhanced mental imagery manipulation in SZ but the dissociation of mental imagery from working memory suggests a disrupted frontoparietal network. Finally, while HC showed the expected leftward pseudoneglect, SZ showed increased rightward LB bias implicating left hemispatial inattention and impaired right parietal control of spatial attention. The current results chart a unique profile of impaired, spared and enhanced parietal-mediated visuospatial functions implicating parietal abnormalities as a biobehavioral marker for SZ. We discuss these results in relation to creative cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor L. Benson
- Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN, USA
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Schweizer R, Wittmann A, Frahm J. A rare anatomical variation newly identifies the brains of C.F. Gauss and C.H. Fuchs in a collection at the University of Gottingen. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 137:e269. [PMID: 24163274 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awt296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Renate Schweizer
- 1 Biomedizinische NMR Forschung GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
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Men W, Falk D, Sun T, Chen W, Li J, Yin D, Zang L, Fan M. The corpus callosum of Albert Einstein's brain: another clue to his high intelligence? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 137:e268. [PMID: 24065724 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awt252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Men
- 1 Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Shanghai, China
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Snapshots explore Einstein’s unusual brain. Nature 2012. [DOI: 10.1038/nature.2012.11836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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