Neurocognitive Mechanismus of Individual Differences: Genes, Brain, Personality and Cognition

尽管工作记忆是研究最多的神经认知领域之一，但工作记忆容量和高级认知能力（智力、复杂问题解决能力）的个体间差异背后的神经机制却知之甚少。三个潜在的可变性来源可能有助于这些更高的认知能力：认知组成过程的可变性，个性差异和多巴胺神经递质活性的可变性。本研究项目整合了这些目前大多不相关的研究领域，并探讨了它们之间的关系以及它们在神经认知水平上对更高认知的贡献。根据调节前额叶多巴胺浓度的基因分型，将从单个大的个体池中获得平行的fMRI和MEG/EEG数据。高智商的认知成分过程的神经认知标记（fMRI和MEG/ eeg激活，区域间功能连接，形态测定）将被分离出来，然后使用多变量统计将其与高认知、人格和COMT基因型的行为测量相关联。这种神经认知个体间差异方法将为健康成人智力正常变异的生物学机制提供重要见解。此外，这项工作将为理解导致智力障碍的大脑疾病提供更好的神经认知基础。

Even though working memory is one of the most-investigated fields of neurocognition, neural mechanisms underlying inter-individual differences in working memory capacity and higher cognitive abilities (intelligence, complex problem solving) are poorly understood. Three potential sources of variability may contribute to these higher cognitive abilities: variability in component processes of cognition, personality differences, and variability of dopamine neurotransmitter activity. This research project integrates these at present mostly unconnected research strands, and explores their relations and their contribution to higher cognition at a neurocognitive level. Parallel fMRI and MEG/EEG data will be acquired from a single large pool of individuals selected based on genotyping of a gene that modulates prefrontal dopamine concentrations. Neurocognitive markers (fMRI and MEG/EEGbrain activation, interregional functional connectivities, morphometry) of cognitive component processes underlying higher intellectual abilities will be isolated and then related to behavioral measures of higher cognition, personality, and COMT genotype using multi-variate statistics. This neurocognitive inter-individual differences approach will provide important insights into the biological mechanisms underlying normal variability in intellectual abilities in healthy adults. In addition, this work will provide a better neurocognitive basis for understanding brain disorders that lead to intellectual impairments.