Mapping the Brain: Neural Correlates of Cognition and Mental Illness
A special issue of Neurology International (ISSN 2035-8377).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 472
Special Issue Editors
Interests: psychosis; cognition; functioning; rehabilitation; autism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: imaging; diffusion tensor imaging; functional neuroimaging; neuroimaging; magnetic resonance; computed tomography; brain imaging; machine learning; fMRI; eye tracking
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The human brain operates through complex, distributed networks that support a wide range of cognitive functions, including memory, attention, executive control, and emotional regulation. Recent advances in neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and computational modeling have enabled increasingly precise mapping of these neural systems, revealing how specific brain regions and their interactions give rise to cognition. This research has also illuminated how disruptions in these networks contribute to the pathophysiology of mental illnesses.
Functional and structural connectivity analyses, including graph-theoretical and multivariate pattern approaches, have identified key hubs—such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and amygdala—whose altered dynamics are consistently associated with cognitive deficits and clinical symptoms. Moreover, longitudinal and multimodal studies suggest that aberrant neurodevelopmental trajectories and maladaptive plasticity underlie many psychiatric conditions. By integrating data across scales, this field is moving toward a systems-level understanding of brain function and dysfunction. Such insights are critical for developing mechanistically informed biomarkers and targeted interventions, ultimately bridging the gap between neuroscience and clinical psychiatry.
The main aim of this research topic is to delineate the neural circuits underlying core cognitive domains and elucidate how their dysregulation manifests in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Dr. Giacomo Deste
Dr. Daniele Corbo
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. Neurology International 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 1800 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
- cognition
- neural circuits
- neurodevelopmental disorders
- mental illness
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
