Neural Correlates of Cognitive and Affective Processing

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Cognition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 3010

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Suor Orsola Benincasa University, 80135 Naples, Italy
2. IRCCS SYNLAB SDN S.p.A., 80143 Naples, Italy
3. Department of Psychology, Luigi Vanvitelli University of Campania, 81100 Caserta, Italy
Interests: cognitive neuroscience; experimental psychology; neuropsychology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cognitive Neuroscience has emerged as a multidisciplinary field at the intersection of experimental psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and neuropsychology, aiming to unravel how the human mind works and its relationship with brain function. The neural basis of cognitive processes such as attention, perception, memory, action, and reasoning has been a central research focus in this domain. Additionally, recent years have witnessed growing interest in understanding the neural underpinnings of affective processes, encompassing emotions, feelings, and social cognition.

This Special Issue of Behavioural Sciences, titled "Neural Correlates of Cognitive and Affective Processing", strives to delve into the latest advancements in the field of Cognitive Neuroscience, shedding insights into the neural mechanisms underlying both cognitive and affective processes. Our intention is to curate a collection of cutting-edge research that investigates cognition and emotion, utilizing diverse methodologies such as neuroimaging and behavioral studies.

This issue's primary aim is to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of how cognitive and affective functions find representation and integration within the human brain. Therefore, we welcome original research articles, reviews, and theoretical papers that delve into cognitive and affective processing. Researchers and scholars from diverse backgrounds are invited to contribute their work, as this integration of perspectives will foster a more holistic understanding of the mind–brain relationship. We aim to encourage a lively and constructive scientific debate to advance our knowledge of the human brain's functioning.

We invite submissions on a range of compelling topics, including:

  • Neural mechanisms underlying attention, perception, and object recognition.
  • Neurocognitive foundations of memory and semantic cognition.
  • Action understanding, goal-oriented behavior, and sensorimotor processing.
  • Neurocognitive dimensions of tool use and human technological evolution.
  • Executive function, complex behaviors, controlled processing, and decision making.
  • Emotion processing, emotion–cognition interactions, and the cognitive control of emotion.

Prof. Dr. Giovanni Federico
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • cognitive neuroscience
  • neuroimaging
  • neuropsychology
  • experimental psychology
  • cognitive psychology
  • neurophysiology
  • cognitive science

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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15 pages, 518 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Executive Functions and Body Weight: Sex as a Moderating Variable
by Ciro Rosario Ilardi, Antonietta Monda, Alessandro Iavarone, Sergio Chieffi, Maria Casillo, Antonietta Messina, Ines Villano, Giovanni Federico, Vincenzo Alfano, Marco Salvatore, Walter Sapuppo, Vincenzo Monda, Marcellino Monda, Girolamo Di Maio and Marco La Marra
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 258; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14030258 - 21 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1440
Abstract
This study explores the interplay between executive functions and body weight, examining both the influence of biological factors, specifically sex, and methodological issues, such as the choice between Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) as the primary anthropometric measure. A total [...] Read more.
This study explores the interplay between executive functions and body weight, examining both the influence of biological factors, specifically sex, and methodological issues, such as the choice between Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) as the primary anthropometric measure. A total of 386 participants (222 females, mean age = 45.98 years, SD = 17.70) were enrolled, from whom sociodemographic (sex, age, years of formal education) and anthropometric (BMI and WC) data were collected. Executive functions were evaluated using the Frontal Assessment Battery–15 (FAB15). The results showed the increased effectiveness of WC over BMI in examining the relationships between executive functions, sex differences, and body weight. In particular, this study revealed that there was a significant moderating effect of sex at comparable levels of executive functioning. Specifically, women with higher executive performance had lower WCs than their male counterparts, suggesting that executive function has a greater impact on WC in women than in men. Our findings highlight the importance of conducting more in-depth investigations of the complex relationship between cognitive deficits and weight gain, considering confounding variables of behavioral, psychobiological, and neurophysiological origin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neural Correlates of Cognitive and Affective Processing)
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Systematic Review
The Complex Role Played by the Default Mode Network during Sexual Stimulation: A Cluster-Based fMRI Meta-Analysis
by Joana Pinto, Camila Comprido, Vanessa Moreira, Marica Tina Maccarone, Carlotta Cogoni, Ricardo Faustino, Duarte Pignatelli and Nicoletta Cera
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14070570 - 5 Jul 2024
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Abstract
The default mode network (DMN) is a complex network that plays a significant and active role during naturalistic stimulation. Previous studies that have used naturalistic stimuli, such as real-life stories or silent or sonorous films, have found that the information processing involved a [...] Read more.
The default mode network (DMN) is a complex network that plays a significant and active role during naturalistic stimulation. Previous studies that have used naturalistic stimuli, such as real-life stories or silent or sonorous films, have found that the information processing involved a complex hierarchical set of brain regions, including the DMN nodes. The DMN is not involved in low-level features and is only associated with high-level content-related incoming information. The human sexual experience involves a complex set of processes related to both external context and inner processes. Since the DMN plays an active role in the integration of naturalistic stimuli and aesthetic perception with beliefs, thoughts, and episodic autobiographical memories, we aimed at quantifying the involvement of the nodes of the DMN during visual sexual stimulation. After a systematic search in the principal electronic databases, we selected 83 fMRI studies, and an ALE meta-analysis was calculated. We performed conjunction analyses to assess differences in the DMN related to stimulus modalities, sex differences, and sexual orientation. The results show that sexual stimulation alters the topography of the DMN and highlights the DMN’s active role in the integration of sexual stimuli with sexual schemas and beliefs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neural Correlates of Cognitive and Affective Processing)
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