Recent Molecular Basis of Neurocognitive Mechanism
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 January 2025 | Viewed by 103
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Molecular biology and neuroscience have been significantly advanced by the application of high-throughput omics sequencing and mass spectrometry technologies, such as proteomics, transcriptomics, genomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, and epigenomics. These interdisciplinary research efforts have led to the development of innovative methodologies, comprehensive multi-modal datasets, and valuable genotypic and phenotypic markers. They have also provided deeper insights into treatments, particularly concerning human brain function and cognitive dynamics. A notable example is the recently developed NeuroPro searchable database by Askenazi et al. (2023), which has identified 848 proteins consistently altered in neurodegeneration. This database can distinguish changes in specific proteins associated with synapse, vesicle, and lysosomal pathways in early-stage cognitive decline, as opposed to widespread maladaptive changes in mitochondrial-associated proteins observed in late-stage Alzheimer’s Disease. Complementary to this, data from Soldan et al. (2023) indicate that baseline levels of the synaptic protein NPTX2 in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) can predict the onset of mild cognitive impairment. Another significant contribution comes from Darst et al. (2021), who presented a large longitudinal metabolomic dataset showing that specific plasma metabolites, such as the amino acid cysteine S-sulfate and the fatty acid erucate, are associated with age-related decline in executive functioning. These findings not only advance our understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying neurocognition, such as executive function, inhibitory control, language processing, learning, perception, and memory, but also highlight the translational potential for neurocognitive disorders. Identifying precursor markers of cognitive decline can inform neuroplastic interventions and precision neurorehabilitation. The evolving frontier in this field includes determining whether the most effective treatment strategies should target specific genotypes (e.g., gene therapy), underlying molecular pathways and dynamics (e.g., RNA splicing), or relevant neurocognitive functions and outcomes (e.g., neuro-training). This Special Issue invites original studies, reviews, and hypothesis/conceptual pieces that explore recent advances in human cognitive (dys)function from various neuro-molecular perspectives across clinical and/or adaptive contexts.
Dr. Poppy Schoenberg
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- cognitive functioning
- epigenomics
- high-throughput omics
- metabolomics
- molecular pathways
- multi-modal datasets
- neurocognition
- neurodegeneration
- neurorehabilitation
- proteomics
- transcriptomics
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