A Brain Marker for Higher Intelligence in Children

Gianina Cristian, Cece C. Kooper, Arthur-Ervin Avramiea, Jennifer R. Ramautar, Jordache Ramjith et al.

(see article e1414252026)

The brain operates in a critical state between being excessively inhibited or excessively active and disruptions to this state can hinder information processing. However, there is little evidence linking critical dynamics to cognitive development. In this issue, Cristian and colleagues explored the link between critical brain dynamics, cognition, and intelligence in a cohort of 128 children and adolescents aged 6–19 years old. The researchers created models relating intelligence quotients to EEG measures across cortical brain networks that they selected from a brain atlas (Yeo7). Association cortices were linked to higher intelligence, whereas sensorimotor cortices were not. But notably, the authors observed differences in children and adolescents regarding association-sensorimotor cortex effect size. According to the researchers, this work suggests that, particularly in children, association cortex networks in the brain are sensitive to criticality dynamics, which may influence cognitive processing and intelligence.

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Intelligence quotient (IQ) tracks proximity to critical dynamics as measured by EEG markers of excitation-inhibition balance, specifically in higher-order cortical networks. See Cristian et al. for more information.

A Subcortical Hub for Naming Objects

Oscar Woolnough, Tessy Thomas, Kathryn Snyder, Ellery Wheeler, Jay Gavvala, and Nitin Tandon

(see article e1872252025)

Woolnough et al. used an epilepsy patient population with deep brain electrodes implanted to explore the role of a subcortical brain region—the left medial pulvinar nucleus—in naming objects from visually observed pictures, auditory descriptions, and written descriptions. From eight patients, the authors discovered that this brain area displayed low-frequency activity as people used different sensory modalities to name objects. This activity did not occur during non-naming language tasks. Probing circuit mechanisms, the authors found that the pulvinar nucleus received inputs from early visual, ventral temporal, and parahippocampal cortices. Stimulating this subcortical area directly hindered naming abilities. According to the authors, their work shows that this subcortical brain area plays an important role in naming.