Multidisciplinary investigation links backward-speech trait and working memory through genetic mutation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Psychology

Background:

• Unusual human traits offer insights into cognitive and neural mechanisms.
• Studying individuals with unique abilities can reveal underlying biological processes.

Observation:

• An individual with the rare ability to speak backwards rapidly and accurately was identified in a Serbian family.
• Psychological, neural, and genetic factors associated with this backward speech ability were examined.

Findings:

• Electroencephalography (EEG) indicated that word reversal precedes semantic integration for backward words.
• Event-related potentials in the frontal lobe were influenced by word reversal and working memory maintenance.
• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) implicated the left fusiform gyrus in backward speech production.
• Exome sequencing revealed novel genetic variants in RIC3, RIPK1, and ZBED5 genes.

Implications:

• The ability to speak backwards is linked to exceptional working memory capacity.
• Cholinergic projections from the basal forebrain to the frontal cortex may support this ability.
• Neural processes could be mediated by genetic mutations, such as in the RIC3 gene, which encodes a chaperone for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.