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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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Arévalo A, Simoes E, Petinati F, Lepski G. What Does the General Public Know (or Not) About Neuroscience? Effects of Age, Region and Profession in Brazil. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:798967. [PMID: 35308611 PMCID: PMC8930840 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.798967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of Neuroscience has experienced a growing interest in recent decades, which has led to an exponential growth in the amount of related information made available online as well as the market for Neuroscience-related courses. While this type of knowledge can be greatly beneficial to people working in science, health and education, it can also benefit individuals in other areas. For example, neuroscience knowledge can help people from all fields better understand and critique information about new discoveries or products, and even make better education- and health-related decisions. Online platforms are fertile ground for the creation and spread of fake information, including misrepresentations of scientific knowledge or new discoveries (e.g., neuromyths). These types of false information, once spread, can be difficult to tear down and may have widespread negative effects. For example, even scientists are less likely to access retractions of peer-reviewed articles than the original discredited articles. In this study we surveyed general knowledge about neuroscience and the brain among volunteers in Brazil, Latin America's largest country. We were interested in evaluating the prevalence of neuromyths in this region, and test whether knowledge/neuromyth endorsement differs by age, region, and/or profession. To that end, we created a 30-item survey that was anonymously answered online by 1128 individuals. While younger people (20-29-year-olds) generally responded more accurately than people 60 and older, people in the North responded significantly worse than those in the South and Southeast. Most interestingly, people in the biological sciences consistently responded best, but people in the health sciences responded no better than people in the exact sciences or humanities. Furthermore, years of schooling did not correlate with performance, suggesting that quantity may surpass quality when it comes to extension or graduate-level course offerings. We discuss how our findings can help guide efforts toward improving access to quality information and training in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Analía Arévalo
- Division of Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Estefania Simoes
- Cancer Metabolism Research Group, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Petinati
- Psychotherapy Department, Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Lepski
- Division of Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Neurosurgery, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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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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Manno FA. Monk on fire: The meditative mind of a burning monk. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2019.1678556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Francis A.M. Manno
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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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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Chavez RA. Imagery As a Core Process in the Creativity of Successful and Awarded Artists and Scientists and Its Neurobiological Correlates. Front Psychol 2016; 7:351. [PMID: 27014157 PMCID: PMC4786569 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This perspective paper presents an integration of neuroimaging and phenomenological data obtained in a sample that included highly creative, internationally awarded scientists and/or artists. The cerebral blood flow was evaluated during the performance of standardized creativity tasks from the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking Verbal Form. The phenomenological data comprised both, their experiences and processes related to their creative careers and their experiences during the performance of the creative thinking tasks during the acquisition of the brain imaging data. Highly creative individuals presented a significantly higher activation of areas involved in motor imagery and described that their creative process is frequently triggered by the spontaneous and often surprising emergence of what is being named here as primordial imagery: a sudden, multimodal, multiintegrative, highly condensed representation that is germinative, unleashing insight and multiple associations and possibilities for meaning. As evidenced in creativity, imagery is a process through which we perceive our own minds, allowing us further symbolization and access to our thoughts, possibly facilitating neural pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Aurora Chavez
- Washington International Center for CreativityWashington, DC, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, George Washington UniversityWashington, DC, USA; Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Dr. Ramón de la Fuente MuñizMexico City, Mexico
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Neuroimaging Modalities and Brain Technologies in the Context of Organizational Neuroscience. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1108/s1479-357120150000007003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
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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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12
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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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13
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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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Falk D, Lepore FE, Noe A. The cerebral cortex of Albert Einstein: a description and preliminary analysis of unpublished photographs. Brain 2013; 136:1304-27. [PMID: 23161163 PMCID: PMC3613708 DOI: 10.1093/brain/aws295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Revised: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon his death in 1955, Albert Einstein's brain was removed, fixed and photographed from multiple angles. It was then sectioned into 240 blocks, and histological slides were prepared. At the time, a roadmap was drawn that illustrates the location within the brain of each block and its associated slides. Here we describe the external gross neuroanatomy of Einstein's entire cerebral cortex from 14 recently discovered photographs, most of which were taken from unconventional angles. Two of the photographs reveal sulcal patterns of the medial surfaces of the hemispheres, and another shows the neuroanatomy of the right (exposed) insula. Most of Einstein's sulci are identified, and sulcal patterns in various parts of the brain are compared with those of 85 human brains that have been described in the literature. To the extent currently possible, unusual features of Einstein's brain are tentatively interpreted in light of what is known about the evolution of higher cognitive processes in humans. As an aid to future investigators, these (and other) features are correlated with blocks on the roadmap (and therefore histological slides). Einstein's brain has an extraordinary prefrontal cortex, which may have contributed to the neurological substrates for some of his remarkable cognitive abilities. The primary somatosensory and motor cortices near the regions that typically represent face and tongue are greatly expanded in the left hemisphere. Einstein's parietal lobes are also unusual and may have provided some of the neurological underpinnings for his visuospatial and mathematical skills, as others have hypothesized. Einstein's brain has typical frontal and occipital shape asymmetries (petalias) and grossly asymmetrical inferior and superior parietal lobules. Contrary to the literature, Einstein's brain is not spherical, does not lack parietal opercula and has non-confluent Sylvian and inferior postcentral sulci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Falk
- Department of Anthropology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-7772, USA.
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Koziol LF, Budding DE, Chidekel D. Adaptation, expertise, and giftedness: towards an understanding of cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar network contributions. THE CEREBELLUM 2011; 9:499-529. [PMID: 20680539 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-010-0192-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Current cortico-centric models of cognition lack a cohesive neuroanatomic framework that sufficiently considers overlapping levels of function, from "pathological" through "normal" to "gifted" or exceptional ability. While most cognitive theories presume an evolutionary context, few actively consider the process of adaptation, including concepts of neurodevelopment. Further, the frequent co-occurrence of "gifted" and "pathological" function is difficult to explain from a cortico-centric point of view. This comprehensive review paper proposes a framework that includes the brain's vertical organization and considers "giftedness" from an evolutionary and neurodevelopmental vantage point. We begin by discussing the current cortico-centric model of cognition and its relationship to intelligence. We then review an integrated, dual-tiered model of cognition that better explains the process of adaptation by simultaneously allowing for both stimulus-based processing and higher-order cognitive control. We consider the role of the basal ganglia within this model, particularly in relation to reward circuitry and instrumental learning. We review the important role of white matter tracts in relation to speed of adaptation and development of behavioral mastery. We examine the cerebellum's critical role in behavioral refinement and in cognitive and behavioral automation, particularly in relation to expertise and giftedness. We conclude this integrated model of brain function by considering the savant syndrome, which we believe is best understood within the context of a dual-tiered model of cognition that allows for automaticity in adaptation as well as higher-order executive control.
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Spicer KR, Platek SM. An old brain with new tricks. Front Neurosci 2010; 4. [PMID: 20859532 PMCID: PMC2941161 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2010.00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2010] [Accepted: 05/27/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Rae Spicer
- Department of Psychology, Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA, USA
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