Brain and Cognition最新文献

{"title":"Informational complexity as a neural marker of cognitive reserve","authors":"Laura Stolp ,&nbsp;Kanad N Mandke ,&nbsp;Pedro AM Mediano ,&nbsp;Helena M Gellersen ,&nbsp;Alex Swartz ,&nbsp;Katarzyna Rudzka ,&nbsp;Jon Simons ,&nbsp;Tristan A Bekinschtein ,&nbsp;Daniel Bor","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a mismatch between neurological damage and cognitive functioning often is attributed to individual differences in cognitive reserve. Understanding the neural mechanisms of cognitive reserve, which may differ across individuals, could help to assess the therapeutic effectiveness of interventions in AD. Here, 38 elderly participants performed a sustained attention task during high-density EEG while alert and drowsy. We defined cognitive reserve operationally as the ability to maintain task performance under drowsiness, with less impairment indicating higher reserve. Investigating performance variations during the active management of neural challenges offers a novel approach to studying cognitive reserve, capturing dynamics that mirror everyday cognitive demand. We relate performance under neural strain to various measures, including informational complexity using the Lempel-Ziv (LZsum) algorithm. We found a significant interaction between arousal and performance: LZsum values increased in high performers when drowsy but decreased in low performers. This effect was most pronounced in the frontal and central areas. These findings suggest LZsum reflects a compensatory mechanism and has potential as a neural marker of cognitive reserve. Additional structural MRI and network analyses revealed performance-related associations in entorhinal cortex, supramarginal gyrus, and frontoparietal networks, suggesting broader neural correlates of compensatory capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"193 ","pages":"Article 106392"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145914077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reading frequency and Kawaii-Related Oshikatsu: Positive correlations with gray matter volume in Indoor lifestyles","authors":"Keisuke Kokubun ,&nbsp;Kiyotaka Nemoto ,&nbsp;Maya Okamoto ,&nbsp;Yoshinori Yamakawa","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106381","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106381","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reading and kawaii-related oshikatsu (fan support activities) are among the most widely enjoyed hobbies. Previous studies have shown that gray matter volume (GMV) of the insular cortex is associated with the degree of alexithymia, which is linked to reduced mentalizing ability and motivation, and that inter- and intra-insular networks are related to reading. Similarly, studies suggest that by stimulating motivations for protection and caregiving, the insula—associated with empathy and reward processing—plays a role in responses to infants and other kawaii objects (i.e., objects perceived as cute). Building on this evidence, it is meaningful to investigate the neural basis of reading and kawaii-related oshikatsu within the insular cortex and to clarify its relationship with brain structure from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. Therefore, the present study tested the relationship using a sample of 82 healthy adults (52 men, 30 women) aged 22 to 65 years, controlling for demographic variables. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis using insular GMV as the dependent variable revealed significant positive associations with both reading frequency and kawaii-related oshikatsu. The finding suggests that these activities are not merely cognitive functions but are closely linked to social-cognitive processes essential for human survival, such as emotional processing, mentalizing, and nurturing behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"193 ","pages":"Article 106381"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impaired temporal processing in multiple sclerosis","authors":"Szymon Pałubinski ,&nbsp;Nicholas E.V. Foster ,&nbsp;Simone Dalla Bella ,&nbsp;Aleksandra Podlecka-Piętowska ,&nbsp;Monika Nojszewska ,&nbsp;Joanna Rychter ,&nbsp;Joanna Flis ,&nbsp;Natalia Szejko ,&nbsp;Beata Zakrzewska-Pniewska ,&nbsp;Piotr Kałowski ,&nbsp;Charles-Étienne Benoit","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106384","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106384","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that damages grey and white matter and reduces neural transmission efficiency. Volumetric MRI studies indicate early neurodegeneration in subcortical structures, including the basal ganglia (BG), with microstructural damages and altered tissue anisotropy reported across all MS subtypes, affecting BG functional connectivity while also being linked to fatigue. Given the BG’s central role in temporal processing, we hypothesized that people with MS (pwMS) would show impaired perceptual and motor timing. Twenty-two pwMS (14 females) with relapsing–remitting MS completed the Battery for the Assessment of Auditory Sensorimotor and Timing Abilities (BAASTA) on a tablet, performing perceptual tasks and finger-tapping motor tasks. Compared to normative data, pwMS exhibited increased motor variability during unpaced tapping and reduced synchronization consistency to rhythmic auditory cues. Perceptual deficits included poorer detection of metronome alignment with musical beats and reduced sensitivity to deviations from a regular beat. These perceptual impairments correlated with higher patient-reported Expanded Disability Status Scale (prEDSS) scores and perceived fatigue levels, as evaluated with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI). These findings suggest timing measures as a potential candidate for behavioral biomarkers of disease progression and fatigue in MS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"193 ","pages":"Article 106384"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145716942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frontal Power Spectrum Density in Emotional Video Viewing: Associations with Depression in Healthy Elderly and Mild Cognitive Impairment","authors":"Laura Catalano ,&nbsp;Francesco Panico ,&nbsp;Antonio Maffei ,&nbsp;Sharon Mara Luciano ,&nbsp;Anna Visciglio ,&nbsp;Pasquale Russo ,&nbsp;Mario Liotti ,&nbsp;Luigi Trojano ,&nbsp;Laura Sagliano","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106382","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In neurodegenerative conditions, such as Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), emotional processing is often impaired, but analogous impairments are linked to depressive symptoms, which are particularly relevant in the elderly and could represent an independent risk factor for development of dementia. This study examined frontal Power Spectral Density (PSD) in alpha, beta, and theta frequency bands in MCI and healthy participants (HP) at rest and during emotional video-viewing (positive vs negative, as compared to neutral). Moreover, the relationships between PSD and depressive symptoms were also assessed separately within each group. The results revealed significant group differences in PSD across resting-state and video-viewing conditions. MCI patients exhibited higher beta power compared to HP, above all in Right hemisphere. HP, but not MCI patients, showed significant hemispheric asymmetries (Left &gt; Right). Notably, EEG power, specifically in theta band and particularly during emotional processing, positively correlated with depressive symptomatology in HP and MCI groups. These findings suggest a relationship between PSD and depressive symptoms in healthy ageing and neurodegenerative conditions. They also support the study of EEG biomarkers for early identification and monitoring of treatment of late-life depression and cognitive decline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 106382"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145624177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neural insights into observational drawing: A longitudinal resting state functional connectivity study using 7 t MRI","authors":"Apoorva Safai ,&nbsp;Jeffrey S. Katz ,&nbsp;Barbara Bondy ,&nbsp;Gopikrishna Deshpande","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106376","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106376","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Observational drawing is a freehand accurate depiction of directly observed three-dimensional objects, which demands fine-grained visual analysis and sensorimotor translation through engagement of complex cognitive processes like perception, attention, visuomotor coordination, and aesthetic evaluation. Trait attributes of observational drawing that can be captured through resting state functional connectivity are largely unexplored, and limited to examining specific functional networks. This reductionist approach overlooks coalesce of different brain networks at rest to support multifaceted demands of sustained artistic practice. This longitudinal exploratory study assessed whole brain resting state functional connectivity (FC) to elucidate the global functional brain changes related to training of observational drawing, in undergraduate art students (n = 32) participating in 16-week observational drawing course, compared to control group of non-art students (n = 19), using high resolution functional MRI. Our findings showed that sustained engagement in observational drawing leads to significant brain plasticity. Specifically, we observed enhanced FC within and between the cerebellar, default mode, and salience networks regions implicated in complex motor coordination, cognitive processing, and attentional control. This research provides insights into neural mechanisms that support the development of artistic abilities like observational drawing and its potential role as a low-cost, accessible intervention for therapeutic applications in neurological and behavioural disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 106376"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145580097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neural correlates of form- and meaning-based predictability during speech perception","authors":"Carine Signoret,&nbsp;Josefine Andin,&nbsp;Örjan Dahlström","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106379","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106379","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The processing of degraded speech can be facilitated by giving people access to its content beforehand, a phenomenon known as the “pop-out effect”. This study investigates the neural correlates of this effect, focusing on the distinct contributions of predictability based on the form at the word level, or based on the meaning of the sentence level. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined how these two types of predictability influence speech perception in normal-hearing listeners. Participants were exposed to noise-vocoded speech, with varying levels of intelligibility, and provided with either matching or non-matching visual text cues. Our findings reveal that form-based representations primarily engage the auditory cortex (superior temporal gyrus and sulcus), while meaning-based representations predominantly activate higher levels of language processing regions, such as the left inferior frontal gyrus. These results suggest that form- and meaning-based representations operate through additive top-down and integrative mechanisms, enhancing speech perception by leveraging top-down processes to organise auditory input. This study provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying speech perception and has implications for developing interventions to support individuals with auditory processing difficulties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 106379"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145607711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disturbing the sound of silence: Bilateral temporal cortex stimulation and auditory mental imagery","authors":"Benedetta Rollo,&nbsp;Gianluca Malatesta,&nbsp;Anita D’Anselmo,&nbsp;Chiara Lucafò,&nbsp;Luca Tommasi","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106378","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106378","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Auditory imagery depends on temporal–cortical mechanisms that generate and sustain internal sound representations. If these mechanisms are causally involved, externally perturbing temporal cortex should alter the quality of imagery. We tested whether bilateral high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (hf-tRNS) over temporal cortex alters the vividness and control of auditory imagery. Forty-nine healthy adults completed two sessions on separate days, receiving Active hf-tRNS in one session and Sham in the other (order counterbalanced). The Bucknell Auditory Imagery Scale (BAIS; Vividness and Control subscales) was administered as two parallel half-forms to avoid item repetition; across the two sessions each participant completed the full BAIS, and the half-form paired with the Active session was counterbalanced across participants. Results showed reduced Control ratings under Active hf-tRNS compared with Sham, while Vividness showed a similar but weaker pattern. The effect was independent of which half was completed during Active hf-tRNS, the day-to-half mapping, the stimulation order, or prior musical training. These findings indicate that bilateral hf-tRNS can transiently disrupt the volitional control of internally generated auditory representations, plausibly by perturbing temporal-cortical dynamics that support auditory imagery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 106378"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145529371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The neural response of the prefrontal cortex varies with the color difference in binocular rivalry: Evidence from fNIRS","authors":"Chunhua Deng ,&nbsp;Mengshi Dai ,&nbsp;Xuesong Jin ,&nbsp;Lijun Yun ,&nbsp;Zaiqing Chen Dr.","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Binocular color rivalry, a classical paradigm of visual conflict, provides a unique window into perceptual competition and cognitive control processes. In this study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate how the prefrontal cortex (PFC) dynamically responds to increasing the color difference in binocular rivalry and to determine the relationship between these neural responses and behaviors. Results revealed a nonlinear pattern of PFC activation with increasing the color difference, accompanied by posterior shifts in perceptual centroids and reductions in reaction time (RT), suggesting a tight coupling between perceptual processing and behavioral responses. Notably, centroid-based analysis proved more sensitive than traditional mean-based measures, revealing that the frontopolar area (FPA) exhibited significant differences even with small increases in dichoptic color differences, highlighting its role in finely monitoring perceptual competition. In contrast, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) showed significant engagement only when dichoptic color differences increased substantially, suggesting that it is primarily recruited for allocating attentional resources under stronger perceptual conflict. These findings illuminate how distinct PFC subregions contribute to the integration of perceptual and cognitive processes during visual conflict, offering new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying the coordination of sensory and cognitive information.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 106377"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145479357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age-related spatial discrimination: Investigating hippocampal structural foundations","authors":"Ji Wu ,&nbsp;Jia-Xin Zhang ,&nbsp;Hui-Jie Li","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106380","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106380","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spatial discrimination is a key cognitive skill for navigating everyday environments, and a decline in spatial discrimination is considered an early sign of pathological aging. The present study aimed to explore the aging mechanisms of spatial discrimination ability for overlapping and non-overlapping routes and its hippocampal structural basis. Sixty participants (30 young adults and 30 older adults) participated in this study. They performed a passive navigation task that required learning and discriminating four different partly overlapping routes, including both overlapping and non-overlapping segments. Moreover, all participants received structural MRI scans. The volumes of the hippocampus and its four subfields, CA1 (cornu ammonis 1), CA2/3 (cornu ammonis 2/3), CA4/DG (cornu ammonis 4/dentate gyrus), and subiculum, were extracted. The results showed that older adults performed worse than young adults on all behavioral measures of spatial discrimination, including reaction time and accuracy of the whole route, overlapping route, and non-overlapping route. However, both age groups showed improved performance with increased learning blocks. Hippocampal subfields volume reductions occurred in CA4/DG (<em>p</em> = 0.002, η² = 0.166), while CA1 showed a marginal trend toward atrophy (<em>p</em> = 0.053, η² = 0.065), CA2/3 (<em>p</em> = 0.363, η² = 0.015) and subiculum (<em>p</em> = 0.142, η² = 0.038) remained preserved. Smaller hippocampal volume correlated with slower overlapping route reaction time (r = −0.399) and smaller CA4/DG correlated with lower non-overlapping route accuracy (r = 0.386). Mediation analysis revealed that hippocampus volume mediated the relationship between age and the reaction time of overlapping route, and CA4/DG volume mediated the relationship between age and the accuracy of non-overlapping route. The results demonstrate a decrement in spatial discrimination in older adults, and the structural atrophy in hippocampus and subfield CA4/DG may be the underlying mechanism of this decline. These findings demonstrate subfield-specific mediation effects in a passive navigation paradigm, highlighting CA4/DG as a potential biomarker for age-related spatial discrimination deficits and advancing understanding of the hippocampal structural basis of spatial cognitive decline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 106380"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145589949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From ancient fears to airborne threats: fMRI insights into neural fear responses","authors":"Silvie Rádlová ,&nbsp;Anna Pidnebesna ,&nbsp;Aleksandra Chomik ,&nbsp;David Tomeček ,&nbsp;Jaroslav Hlinka ,&nbsp;Daniel Frynta ,&nbsp;Eva Landová","doi":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Threat perception is a fundamental aspect of human cognition, shaped by evolutionary pressures and modern environmental demands. While ancestral threats (e.g., snakes) have been shown to elicit stronger neural responses than modern threats (e.g., guns), less is known about how the brain processes airborne threats, such as depictions of individuals wearing face masks. This fMRI study investigates neural responses to ancestral, modern, and airborne threats to identify shared and distinct activation patterns.</div><div>Sixty participants viewed visual stimuli from the three categories while undergoing fMRI scanning. Results showed heightened activation in the fear-processing network for all affective stimuli. In addition, activation of the ventral attention network was found for the ancestral threats. Modern threats elicited less intense responses, primarily engaging cortical regions associated with context-specific analysis. Notably, airborne threats elicited neural responses of similar intensity to ancestral threats but activated cortical regions overlapping with those for modern threats. This dual pattern highlights the brain’s capacity to integrate evolutionary biases with socially constructed threat awareness. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing airborne threats as a unique category of threat processing, with implications for public health and mental well-being.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55331,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Cognition","volume":"191 ","pages":"Article 106371"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145446616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}