Cellular and Molecular Biology Behind Human Cognition
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology and Pathology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 21
Special Issue Editors
2. Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Interests: cognitive and affective neuroscience; neuropsychology; fear conditioning; emotional learning and memory; non-invasive brain stimulation; neuroimaging; functional connectivity; neuroplasticity; brain–heart interactions
Interests: depression; anxiety; dementia; pain; comorbidity; translational research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cognition arises from highly dynamic interactions among cellular processes, molecular signaling pathways, and large-scale neural circuits. However, the earliest biological signatures of cognitive vulnerability, particularly in neurodegenerative disorders, often remain undetected until clinical symptoms manifest. This Special Issue, titled “Cellular and Molecular Biology Behind Human Cognition”, aims to highlight innovative approaches that bridge mechanistic biology with functional cognitive outcomes while linking molecular mechanisms to circuit-level neuromodulation strategies such as deep brain, transcranial magnetic, theta burst, and vagus nerve stimulation.
We particularly encourage submissions focused on cellular and molecular research, as well as studies exploring how targeted neuromodulation of cortical–subcortical hubs, including the habenula and subcallosal cingulate, or non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can be integrated with molecular, genetic, or neurophysiological markers to detect prodromal alterations in synaptic function, neural excitability, or neuroinflammatory processes. Emerging evidence suggests that stimulation-induced circuit-level responses may serve as in vivo stress tests of neural integrity, illuminating dysfunctional neural pathways and connectome-level disconnection patterns associated with disorders such as major depression, capable of revealing subtle vulnerabilities long before structural damage becomes evident.
Relevant topics include cellular pathways contributing to cognitive resilience, molecular signatures of early-stage neurodegeneration, NIBS-induced plasticity, device-based neuromodulatory paradigms, and multimodal biomarkers that integrate brain stimulation with advanced in vivo neuroimaging. We welcome original research, methodological advances, and reviews that promote the idea that cognition can be decoded and modulated through its molecular architecture, ultimately supporting precision diagnostics and personalized circuit-guided neuromodulatory interventions across neurological, psychiatric, and age-related conditions.
Dr. Simone Battaglia
Dr. Masaru Tanaka
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- cognitive biology
- synaptic and cellular plasticity
- non-invasive brain stimulation techniques
- synaptic and circuit plasticity
- cognitive resilience
- biomarkers of cognitive function
- neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration
- translational neuroscience
- neuroplasticity
- precision medicine: biomarkers, neurochemical
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