Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Neuroplasticity01:01

Neuroplasticity

319
Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
319
Neuronal Communication01:28

Neuronal Communication

818
Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
818
Introduction to Biological Bases of Psychology01:30

Introduction to Biological Bases of Psychology

3.2K
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...
3.2K
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia01:29

Biological Causes of Schizophrenia

51
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
51
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders01:27

Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

541
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose origins are rooted in complex genetic components. Despite our burgeoning understanding, the pathophysiology of this disorder remains incompletely deciphered.
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within...
541
Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

39.2K
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
39.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Practice and challenges of newborn hearing screening: analysis of a five-year database in Italy.

Italian journal of pediatrics·2026
Same author

Neurofunctional Correlates of Emotional Dysregulation: Systematic Review and ALE Meta-Analysis.

Brain and behavior·2026
Same author

What leads to vaccine compliance? Evidence from healthcare workers.

Journal of public health research·2026
Same author

Scrolling to wisdom: The impact of social media news exposure on knowledge perception.

Psychonomic bulletin & review·2025
Same author

Conceptual Spaces for Conceptual Engineering? Feminism as a Case Study.

Review of philosophy and psychology·2025
Same author

I want to be safe: understanding the main drivers behind vaccination choice throughout the pandemic.

BMC public health·2024
Same journal

Transferring ways of thinking and mathematizing: The statistical approach between physics and biology.

Studies in history and philosophy of science·2026
Same journal

The Dynamics of Quantum Gravity: The Missing Piece in the Spacetime Emergentist Account.

Studies in history and philosophy of science·2026
Same journal

A frame-based approach for reconstructing theories.

Studies in history and philosophy of science·2026
Same journal

Strategic ignorance, and the management of performative effects: Lessons from climate economics.

Studies in history and philosophy of science·2026
Same journal

Fictionalism and scientific realism: A response to ungrounded criticism.

Studies in history and philosophy of science·2026
Same journal

Is Emergy really a theory of value ?

Studies in history and philosophy of science·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2025

Perspectives on Neuroscience
00:26

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

4.9K

Inference to the best neuroscientific explanation.

Davide Coraci1, Igor Douven2, Gustavo Cevolani1

  • 1IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Italy.

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
|August 11, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Reverse inference (RI) in neuroscience, used to infer cognitive processes from brain activity, is controversial. This study argues RI is a valid form of inference to the best explanation (IBE), but its justification depends on specific case-by-case analysis.

Keywords:
AbductionExplanationFunctional magnetic resonance imagingInference to the best explanationNeuroscienceReverse inference

More Related Videos

Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains
05:17

Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains

Published on: March 31, 2022

2.5K
A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training
07:05

A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training

Published on: August 24, 2017

11.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2025

Perspectives on Neuroscience
00:26

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

4.9K
Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains
05:17

Investigation of Spatial Interaction Between Astrocytes and Neurons in Cleared Brains

Published on: March 31, 2022

2.5K
A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training
07:05

A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training

Published on: August 24, 2017

11.0K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Philosophy of Science

Background:

  • Reverse inference (RI) is commonly used by neuroscientists to link neural activation patterns to cognitive processes.
  • The methodological validity of RI is debated, with criticisms focusing on its deductive invalidity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To defend reverse inference (RI) by framing it as inference to the best explanation (IBE).
  • To analyze the criteria determining the quality of RI when viewed as an IBE.
  • To establish a case-by-case approach for evaluating the warrant of RI in cognitive neuroscience.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of reverse inference (RI) within the framework of inference to the best explanation (IBE).
  • Examination of methodological critiques of RI in cognitive neuroscience.
  • Application of recent literature on IBE quality indicators to RI.

Main Results:

  • Reverse inference (RI) can be defended as a form of inference to the best explanation (IBE).
  • The quality and warrant of RI are contingent upon specific factors and require individual assessment.
  • Established quality indicators for IBEs provide a framework for evaluating RI.

Conclusions:

  • Reverse inference (RI) is methodologically defensible as inference to the best explanation (IBE).
  • A case-by-case evaluation, guided by IBE quality indicators, is necessary to determine the validity of RI.
  • This approach offers a nuanced perspective on the use of RI in cognitive neuroscience research.