Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Human Genetics

Human Genetics

Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...

Working Memory

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 Intelligence

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...

Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs

Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs

Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...

Introduction to Biological Bases of Psychology

Introduction to Biological Bases of Psychology

Biopsychology serves as a vital bridge connecting the intricate domains of biology and psychology, shedding light on how biological systems influence psychological phenomena. This field scrutinizes the biological substrates of behavior and mental processes, emphasizing the nervous system along with the roles of neurotransmitters, hormones, and genetics. It also incorporates evolutionary perspectives to explain the adaptive nature of mental functions.
The nervous system, the cornerstone of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Regional, functional and transcriptomic decoding of multidimensional brain structure alterations in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Brain age prediction in generalized anxiety disorder using a convolutional neural network.

Translational psychiatry·2026

Same author

The methodological foundations of lesion network mapping remain sound.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

ADHD symptom trajectories and brain morphometry: A longitudinal analysis.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Same author

Structural brain analysis in focal upper limb dystonia.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

A comprehensive framework for statistical testing of brain dynamics.

Nature protocols·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: November 14, 2017

Genetic influence on the working memory circuitry: behavior, structure, function and extensions to illness.

Katherine H Karlsgodt¹, Peter Bachman, Anderson M Winkler

¹Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. kkarlsgo@ucla.edu

Behavioural Brain Research

|September 1, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Working memory heritability is influenced by genetics affecting brain structure and function. Understanding these biological mechanisms is key to addressing working memory deficits in various disorders.

More Related Videos

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze

Published on: July 29, 2025

T-maze Forced Alternation and Left-right Discrimination Tasks for Assessing Working and Reference Memory in Mice

T-maze Forced Alternation and Left-right Discrimination Tasks for Assessing Working and Reference Memory in Mice

Published on: February 26, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: November 14, 2017

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze

An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze

Published on: July 29, 2025

T-maze Forced Alternation and Left-right Discrimination Tasks for Assessing Working and Reference Memory in Mice

T-maze Forced Alternation and Left-right Discrimination Tasks for Assessing Working and Reference Memory in Mice

Published on: February 26, 2012

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Genetics
Cognitive Psychology

Background:

Working memory is a vital cognitive function with high heritability.
The precise biological mechanisms underlying working memory variation are not fully understood.
Genetic factors significantly influence the neural substrates of working memory.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the functional and structural components of working memory circuitry.
To explore the contribution of genetic factors to these components.
To understand the inheritance of working memory deficits.

Main Methods:

Review of literature on genetic influences on working memory.
Analysis of dopaminergic and glutamatergic function.
Examination of white matter integrity and gray matter structure.

Main Results:

Genetic factors contribute to dopaminergic function, glutamatergic function, white matter integrity, and gray matter structure.
Specific genes may play a role in working memory heritability.
Disruptions in these components can lead to working memory deficits in various genetic disorders.

Conclusions:

Multiple biological pathways can lead to working memory deficits.
While working memory measures can be endophenotypes, underlying causes and treatments may vary across disorders.
Understanding genetic contributions is crucial for both healthy and disordered populations.