Autism Spectrum Disorder in DSM-5: What the Research Shows and Recommendations for Change Steven Kapp Over the course of the last several months, considerable discussion has centered around the issue of how to appropriately structure the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder within the DSM-5. The Neurodevelopmental Disorders Workgroup charged with this task possesses a […]
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STUDY ALERT: A Large-Scale Model of the Functioning Brain
A Large-Scale Model of the Functioning Brain Chris Eliasmith, Terrence C. Stewart, Xuan Choo, Trevor Bekolay, Travis DeWolf, Yichuan Tang, Daniel Rasmussen A central challenge for cognitive and systems neuroscience is to relate the incredibly complex behavior of animals to the equally complex activity of their brains. Recently described, large-scale neural models have not bridged […]
STUDY ALERT: What is the most interesting part of the brain?
What is the most interesting part of the brain? Timothy E.J. Behrens, Peter Fox, Angie Laird, and Stephen M. Smith Creative ideas and rigorous analysis are the hallmarks of much impactful science. However, there is an oft-aired suspicion in the neuroscience community that some scientists start with an advantage, simply because of the brain […]
STUDY ALERT: Nature or Nurture? Determining the Heritability of Human Striatal Dopamine Function
Nature or Nurture? Determining the Heritability of Human Striatal Dopamine Function: an [18F]-DOPA PET Study Paul RA Stokes, Paul Shotbolt, Mitul A Mehta, Eric Turkheimer, Aaf Benecke, Caroline Copeland, Federico E Turkheimer, Anne R Lingford-Hughes and Oliver D Howes Striatal dopamine function is important for normal personality, cognitive processes and behavior, and abnormalities are linked […]
STUDY ALERT: Predicting Long-Term Growth in Math: Unique Contributions of Motivation and Cognitive Strategies
Predicting Long-Term Growth in Students’ Mathematics Achievement: The Unique Contributions of Motivation and Cognitive Strategies Kou Murayama, Reinhard Pekrun, Rudolf vom Hofe and Stephanie Lichtenfeld This research examined how motivation (perceived control, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation), cognitive learning strategies (deep and surface strategies), and intelligence jointly predict long-term growth in students’ mathematics achievement over […]
STUDY ALERT: Fractionating Human Intelligence
Fractionating Human Intelligence Adam Hampshire, Roger R. Highfield, Beth L. Parkin, and Adrian M. Owen What makes one person more intellectually able than another? Can the entire distribution of human intelligence be accounted for by just one general factor? Is intelligence supported by a single neural system? Here, we provide a perspective on human intelligence […]
STUDY ALERT: Exploring school rampage shootings: Research, theory, and policy
Exploring school rampage shootings: Research, theory, and policy Michael Rocque This paper examines US school rampage shootings, focusing on the period from the late 20th century to the present. School rampage shootings are thought to be distinct from other forms of violence because of the relatively safe rural setting in which most of these events […]
STUDY ALERT: A novel differential susceptibility gene: CHRNA4 and moderation of the effect of maltreatment on child personality
A novel differential susceptibility gene: CHRNA4 and moderation of the effect of maltreatment on child personality Rachael G. Grazioplene, Colin G. DeYoung, Fred A. Rogosch, and Dante Cicchetti Background: The differential susceptibility hypothesis states that some genetic variants that confer risk in adverse environments are beneficial in normal or nurturing environments. The cholinergic system […]
STUDY ALERT: Creative Activity, Personality, Mental Illness, and Short-Term Mating Success
Creative Activity, Personality, Mental Illness, and Short-Term Mating Success Melanie L. Beaussart, Scott Barry Kaufman, and James C. Kaufman It has been argued that creativity evolved, at least in part, through sexual selection to attract mates. Recent research lends support to this view and has also demonstrated a link between certain dimensions of schizotypy, creativity, and short-term […]
STUDY ALERT: Attentional Modulation of Primary Interoceptive and Exteroceptive Cortices
Attentional Modulation of Primary Interoceptive and Exteroceptive Cortices Norman A. S. Farb, Zindel V. Segal and Adam K. Anderson How exteroceptive attention (EA) alters neural representations of the external world is well characterized, yet little is known about how interoceptive attention (IA) alters neural representations of the body’s internal state. We contrasted visual EA against […]
STUDY ALERT: Homosexuality as a consequence of epigenetically canalized sexual development
HOMOSEXUALITY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF EPIGENETICALLY CANALIZED SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT William R. Rice, Urban Friberg, and Sergey Gavrilets Male and female homosexuality have substantial prevalence in humans. Pedigree and twin studies indicate that homosexuality has substantial heritability in both sexes, yet concordance between identical twins is low and molecular studies have failed to find associated […]
STUDY ALERT: Brain Development During the Preschool Years
Brain Development During the Preschool Years Timothy T. Brown & Terry L. Jernigan The preschool years represent a time of expansive mental growth, with the initial expression of many psychological abilities that will continue to be refined into young adulthood. Likewise, brain development during this age is characterized by its “blossoming” nature, showing some of […]