Abstract
Cognitive connectomics is a field of study that focuses on mapping and annotating the neural connections underlying cognitive processes. Recent progress in neuroimaging techniques has enabled researchers to investigate the neural basis of cognitive functions with greater precision. Sociomics, on the other hand, is the study of social cognition, including social perception, interaction, and decision-making. Integrating cognitive connectomics and sociomics approaches can lead to a better comprehension of the neural network of sociocognitive phenotypes. However, unifying both approaches can be challenging due to differences in theoretical frameworks and methodologies. Future trends in cognitive connectomics and sociomics research include exploring machinery for higher-order functionalities in the brain and investigating the causal relationships between brain regions. Understanding the synergies and squabbles between two notions is important for advancing translational research on clinical and subclinical pathologies of social cognition.
Top1. Outset
Cognitive connectomics is a field of study that focuses on mapping and understanding the neural connections propelling cognitive processes. Recent advancements in brain imaging techniques have enabled researchers to investigate the neural foundations of cognitive phenotypes with greater precision (Garcia-Cabello et al., 2021). Key findings from cognitive connectomics studies have shed light on the mechanisms of perception, attention, memory, and decision-making.
Sociomics is the study of social cognition, including social perception, interaction, and development of collective consciousness. Researchers in this field employ theoretical frameworks and methodologies to investigate the neural origin of social cognition (Ghoul et al., 2017). Sociomics research has emphasized the significance of social cognition in understanding human behavior in social contexts.
Integrating cognitive connectomics and sociomics approaches can lead to a more comprehensive insight into the neurosociological determinants of cognitive functions (Ghoul et al., 2017). In particular, the sociocognitive connectomic study can enhance our understanding of pivotal cognitive phenomena, such as attention and memory building. Research designs that attempt to integrate cognitive connectomics and sociomics have shown promising results (Quednow, 2022). Integrating cognitive connectomics and sociomics approaches can be challenging due to differences in conceptual frameworks and investigative methodologies. Strategies to address these challenges include fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and developing new analytical tools among others. Figure 1 illustrates the Venn diagram explicating the overlap of connectomics, sociomics, and cognitive neuroscience.
Figure 1. Three-eye depiction of tri-disciplinary topological overlap where each eye (ellipse) denotes boundaries of corresponding disciplines
Studying the synergies and squabbles between cognitive connectomics and sociomics is important for advancing the implementation of social cognition in clinical contexts.
Top2. Emergence Of Cognitive Connectomics
Cognitive Connectomics involves the complete mapping of the brain's structural and functional connectivity to gain insights into how different regions of the brain communicate and work together to drive cognitive functions such as perception, attention, memory, language, and decision-making.
One of the key factors that has facilitated the emergence of connectomics its subfield cognitive connectomics is the significant advancements in brain imaging techniques in the past decades. These techniques allow researchers to noninvasively visualize and study the structural and functional connectivity of the nervous system with unprecedented accuracy (Xue et al., 2010). Some of the prominent brain imaging techniques used in cognitive connectomics research are described below:
2.1. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI): fMRI measures changes in blood flow and oxygenation levels in the brain, providing insights into the brain regions that are active during specific cognitive tasks (Mather et al., 2013). It enables researchers to identify functional networks and understand how they are interconnected. fMRI is construed as a powerful tool for studying sociocognitive phenotypes (Berman et al., 2006). It allows researchers to localize psychological functions to specific brain regions by identifying correlations between behavior and psychological processes. By tracking blood flow rate fMRI can detect which regions of the brain are more active than others (Valk et al., 2017). This technique is particularly useful in understanding the normal organization of processing modules and predicting the nature of deficits that may arise when brain tissue is damaged (Karnath et al., 2018). Therefore, fMRI provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying various sociocognitive phenotypes.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Neuroplasticity: The ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization.
Structural Connectivity: The physical connections (white matter tracts) in the brain that link different regions.
Sociocognitive Phenotypes: Observable characteristics in social cognition that result from the interaction between an individual’s genetic makeup and their environment.
Functional Anisotropy: A measure of how information is transmitted and processed along the axonal connections between different brain regions.
Cognitive Connectomics: This refers to the study of the structural and functional connections within an individual’s brain (the “connectome”) that underlie cognitive processes.
Sociomics: This is a field of study that uses computational methods to analyze social behavior on a large scale, often using data from social media platforms or other digital traces of human activity.
Social Cognition: The mental operations that underlie social interactions, including perceiving, interpreting, and generating responses to the intentions, dispositions, and behaviors of others.
Collective Mind: Shared or group consciousness that emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals.
Theory of Mind: The ability to attribute mental states—beliefs, intents, desires, emotions, knowledge, etc.—to oneself and others and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that are different from one’s own.
Cognitive Load: The total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.
Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Neuroimaging: Techniques such as fMRI, DTI, EEG, and MEG are used to visualize the structure and function of the brain.
Neural Networks: Systems of neurons, either organic or artificial in nature. They are a series of algorithms that endeavor to recognize underlying relationships in a set of data through a process that mimics the way the human brain operates.
Cognitive Mapping: A type of mental processing, or cognition, composed of a series of psychological transformations by which an individual can acquire, code, store, recall, and decode information about the relative locations and attributes of phenomena in their everyday or metaphorical spatial environment.
Functional Connectivity: The statistical association between spatially remote neurophysiological events, often expressed as synchronized activation patterns over time.