Differences in regional brain structure in toddlers with autism are related to future language outcomes

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: June 13, 2024

Language and social symptoms improve with age in some autistic toddlers, but not others, such outcome differences are clearly predictable from clinical scores alone. Here we aim to identify early-age brain alterations autism that prognostic of future language ability. Leveraging 372 longitudinal structural MRI scans 166 toddlers 109 typical controlling for size, find that, compared show differentially larger or thicker temporal fusiform regions; smaller thinner inferior frontal lobe midline structures; callosal subregion volume; cerebellum. Most replicated an independent cohort 75 toddlers. These accuracy predicting at 6-month follow-up beyond intake demographic variables. Temporal, fusiform, related symptom severity cognitive impairments early ages. Among social, face processing areas enhance the prediction child's

Language: Английский

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Cognitive maps of social features enable flexible inference in social networks

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 118(39)

Published: Sept. 13, 2021

In order to navigate a complex web of relationships, an individual must learn and represent the connections between people in social network. However, sheer size complexity world makes it impossible acquire firsthand knowledge all relations within network, suggesting that make inferences about unobserved relationships fill gaps. Across three studies (n = 328), we show can encode information features (e.g., hobbies, clubs) subsequently deploy this infer existence friendships Using computational models, test various feature-based mechanisms could support such inferences. We find people's ability successfully generalize depends on two representational strategies: simple but inflexible similarity heuristic leverages homophily, flexible cognitive map encodes statistical friendships. Together, our reveal build maps encoding arbitrary patterns latent many abstract feature spaces, allowing networks be represented format. Moreover, these findings shed light open questions across disciplines how may have implications for generating more human-like link prediction machine learning algorithms.

Language: Английский

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The human brain uses spatial schemas to represent segmented environments

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 31(21), P. 4677 - 4688.e8

Published: Sept. 1, 2021

Language: Английский

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What Makes Us Social?

The MIT Press eBooks, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 29, 2023

A deep dive into the social mind-brain, examining processes we share with other animals and illuminating those that are uniquely human. What Makes Us Social? is a scholarly but accessible exploration of underlying make humans most species on planet. Chris Uta Frith, pioneers in field cognitive neuroscience, review many forms behavior examine special form only possess, including its dark side. These human abilities allow us to reflect our these reflections people, which turn enables reason why do things exert some control over automatic behaviors. As result, can learn cooperatively others create value cultural artifacts survive through generations. Going beyond how come know ourselves understand minds others, Frith investigate adapt mutually interactions work. This book stands out application computational framework—one lies at intersection psychology artificial intelligence—to key concepts cognition, such as empathy, trust, group identity, reputation management. Ultimately, profound examination ways communicate, cooperate, share, compete capabilities define species.

Language: Английский

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Neural signatures of social inferences predict the number of real-life social contacts and autism severity

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: July 20, 2023

We regularly infer other people's thoughts and feelings from observing their actions, but how this ability contributes to successful social behavior interactions remains unknown. show that neural activation patterns during inferences obtained in the laboratory predict number of contacts real world, as measured by network index, three neurotypical samples (total n = 126) one sample autistic adults (n 23). also brain inference generalize across individuals these groups. Cross-validated associations between activations localize selectively right posterior superior temporal sulcus were specific for social, not nonsocial, inference. Activation within same region predicts autism-like trait scores questionnaires autism symptom severity. Thus, produced while thinking about mental states variance multiple indices functioning world.

Language: Английский

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Social knowledge about others is anchored to self-knowledge in the hippocampal formation

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 23(4), P. e3003050 - e3003050

Published: April 2, 2025

Mounting evidence suggests the human hippocampal formation (HF) maps how different people’s attributes relate to each other. Yet, it’s unclear if map-like knowledge representations of other people are shaped by self-knowledge. Here, we test a prominent heuristic involving an implicit reliance on self-knowledge when rating others, egocentric anchoring-and-adjustment, is present in HF relational information about social entities retrieved. Participants first provided likelihood ratings partaking everyday activities for themselves, fictitious individuals, and familiar groups. During neuroimaging task that doesn’t require using self-knowledge, participants then learned stranger’s preference activity relative one individuals inferred related groups’ preferences. Isolating neural representation anchoring retrieving knowledge, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) represented group entities’ preferences self. Furthermore, selectively identity over entities, confirming was primarily engaged comparisons more ample reference frame. Taken together, these results imply implicitly influences learns others.

Language: Английский

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The neural correlates of perceived social support and its relationship to psychological well-being

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17

Published: Jan. 8, 2024

Perceived social support is considered to play a significant role in promoting individuals' health and well-being, yet the neural correlates of perceived were not fully understood. An exploration individual differences SPS can help us gain more comprehensive understanding about support. What's more, our study will explore relationship among support, brain regions, psychological which may provide new insights into underlying between well-being from perspective cognitive neuroscience. Herein, we used Social Provisions Scale assess magnetic resonance imaging was measure gray matter (GM) volume whole brain. also measured using Psychological Well-Being Scale, mediation analysis well-being. The voxel-based morphometry revealed that positively correlated with GM left middle temporal gyrus (MTG). finding indicated person greater MTG More importantly, observed above associated link two mediated by These results importance for suggested might explain

Language: Английский

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Processing of social closeness in the human brain

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: Oct. 10, 2024

Healthy social life requires relationships in different levels of personal closeness. Based on ethological, sociological, and psychological evidence, networks have been divided into five layers, gradually increasing size decreasing Is this division also reflected brain processing networks? During functional MRI, 21 participants compared their closeness to individuals. We examined the volume showing differential activation for varying layers found that a disproportionately large portion (80%) exhibited preference individuals closest participants, while separate regions showed all other layers. Moreover, bipartition cortical sizes physical spaces, as well distinct subsystems default mode network. Our results support neurocognitive two patterns depending closeness, reflecting unique role intimately close play our lives. Most effort is dedicated small group very This study reveals these people differs from broader network, paralleling versus distant places.

Language: Английский

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Mental travel in the person domain

Journal of Neurophysiology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 126(2), P. 464 - 476

Published: June 16, 2021

"Mental travel" is a cognitive concept embodying the human capacity to intentionally disengage from here and now, mentally experience world different perspectives. We explored how individuals "travel" point of view (POV) other people in varying levels personal closeness these perspectives process people's social network. Under fMRI, participants were asked "project" themselves POVs four people: close other, nonclose famous-person, their own-self, rate level affiliation (closeness) respective Participants always faster making judgments own POV compared with (self-projection effect) for who personally closer adopted (social-distance effect). Brain activity at medial prefrontal anterior cingulate cortex self-POV was higher, all conditions. Activity right temporoparietal junction parietal found distinguish between related (self, close, others) unrelated (famous-person) people. No difference mental travel others. Regardless POV, precuneus, cortex, distinguished distant within networks. Representational similarity analysis implicated left retrosplenial as crucial distance processing across POVs. These distinctions suggest several constraints regarding our ability adopt others' not only ours but also networks stress importance proximity cognition.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Mental-travel, imagine oneself place time, fundamental concept. Investigation mental-travel domain under fMRI revealed that network brain regions, largely overlapping default-mode-network, responsible "traveling" points others; moreover, this distinguishes less-close others, suggesting rich dynamical process, encompassing proximities individuals'

Language: Английский

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Transforming social perspectives with cognitive maps

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 17(10), P. 939 - 955

Published: March 7, 2022

Abstract Growing evidence suggests that cognitive maps represent relations between social knowledge similar to how spatial locations are represented in an environment. Notably, the extant human medial temporal lobe literature assumes associations stimuli follow a linear associative mapping from egocentric viewpoint map. Yet, this form of memory does not account for core phenomenon interactions which learned via comparisons self, other individuals or networks assimilated within single frame reference. We argue hippocampal–entorhinal coordinate transformations, known integrate and allocentric cues, inform perspective switching self others. present hippocampal formation helps by relating vs attribute society general, can afford rapid flexible assimilation about relationship varying proximities. conclude discussing ramifications aiding transformation process states health disease.

Language: Английский

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