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Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter more...
Heritability01:06

Heritability

Heritability is a statistical concept that measures the degree to which genetic differences among individuals contribute to trait variations within a population. It is a fundamental idea in genetics, often prone to misinterpretation. Heritability is expressed as a percentage, reflecting the proportion of variation in a specific trait across a population that can be linked to genetic differences. However, it's important to understand that heritability does not determine how "genetic" a trait is,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
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Heritability of working memory brain activation.

Gabriëlla A M Blokland1, Katie L McMahon, Paul M Thompson

  • 1Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia. gabriella.blokland@qimr.edu.au

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|July 29, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Individual differences in working memory task brain activation are significantly heritable, influenced by genetic factors. This neuroimaging genetics study identifies specific brain regions with high heritability, aiding in understanding brain disorders.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging Genetics
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Human Genetics

Background:

  • Understanding individual variation in brain activation during cognitive tasks is crucial.
  • The genetic contribution to these individual differences in brain function is largely unknown.
  • Previous studies have not fully elucidated the heritability of task-related brain responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic heritability of brain activation patterns during a working memory task.
  • To identify specific brain regions where genetic factors significantly influence task-related activation.
  • To establish task-related brain activation as a potential endophenotype for neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Voxel-by-voxel genetic model fitting was applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data.
  • A large sample of 319 healthy, young adult, identical and fraternal twins was utilized.
  • Participants performed an n-back working memory task (2-back vs. 0-back) at 4 tesla.

Main Results:

  • Patterns of task-related brain response were significantly heritable.
  • Highest heritability estimates (40-65%) were observed in frontal, parietal, and occipital gyri, including the supplementary motor area and cingulate cortex.
  • High test-retest reliability indicated that non-genetic variance is primarily due to unique environmental influences.

Conclusions:

  • Individual variations in working memory network activation are significantly influenced by genetic factors.
  • This study provides strong evidence for the heritability of cognitive brain function.
  • The findings support considering task-related brain activation as an endophenotype and facilitate genome-wide association studies for gene discovery.