@article {2188, title = {Discovery of genomic loci of the human cerebral cortex using genetically informed brain atlases.}, journal = {Science}, volume = {375}, year = {2022}, month = {2022 02 04}, pages = {522-528}, abstract = {

To determine the impact of genetic variants on the brain, we used genetically informed brain atlases in genome-wide association studies of regional cortical surface area and thickness in 39,898 adults and 9136 children. We uncovered 440 genome-wide significant loci in the discovery cohort and 800 from a post hoc combined meta-analysis. Loci in adulthood were largely captured in childhood, showing signatures of negative selection, and were linked to early neurodevelopment and pathways associated with neuropsychiatric risk. Opposing gradations of decreased surface area and increased thickness were associated with common inversion polymorphisms. Inferior frontal regions, encompassing Broca{\textquoteright}s area, which is important for speech, were enriched for human-specific genomic elements. Thus, a mixed genetic landscape of conserved and human-specific features is concordant with brain hierarchy and morphogenetic gradients.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cerebral Cortex, Child, Chromatin, Cohort Studies, Female, Gene Ontology, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Loci, Genetic Variation, Genome, Human, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Mental Disorders, Middle Aged, Molecular Sequence Annotation, Multifactorial Inheritance, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid}, issn = {1095-9203}, doi = {10.1126/science.abe8457}, author = {Makowski, Carolina and van der Meer, Dennis and Dong, Weixiu and Wang, Hao and Wu, Yan and Zou, Jingjing and Liu, Cin and Rosenthal, Sara B and Hagler, Donald J and Fan, Chun Chieh and Kremen, William S and Andreassen, Ole A and Jernigan, Terry L and Dale, Anders M and Zhang, Kun and Visscher, Peter M and Yang, Jian and Chen, Chi-Hua} } @article {1673, title = {Distinct neural correlates of emotional and cognitive empathy in older adults.}, journal = {Psychiatry Res}, volume = {232}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr 30}, pages = {42-50}, abstract = {

Empathy is thought to be a mechanism underlying prosocial behavior across the lifespan, yet little is known about how levels of empathy relate to individual differences in brain functioning among older adults. In this exploratory study, we examined the neural correlates of affective and cognitive empathy in older adults. Thirty older adults (M=79 years) underwent fMRI scanning and neuropsychological testing and completed a test of affective and cognitive empathy. Brain response during processing of cognitive and emotional stimuli was measured by fMRI in a priori and task-related regions and was correlated with levels of empathy. Older adults with higher levels of affective empathy showed more deactivation in the amygdala and insula during a working memory task, whereas those with higher cognitive empathy showed greater insula activation during a response inhibition task. Our preliminary findings suggest that brain systems linked to emotional and social processing respond differently among older adults with more or less affective and cognitive empathy. That these relationships can be seen both during affective and non-emotional tasks of "cold" cognitive abilities suggests that empathy may impact social behavior through both emotional and cognitive mechanisms.

}, keywords = {Affect, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cognition, Emotions, Empathy, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Social Behavior, Social Perception}, issn = {1872-7123}, doi = {10.1016/j.pscychresns.2014.10.016}, author = {Moore, Raeanne C and Dev, Sheena I and Jeste, Dilip V and Dziobek, Isabel and Eyler, Lisa T} } @article {199, title = {From suffering to caring: a model of differences among older adults in levels of compassion.}, journal = {Int J Geriatr Psychiatry}, volume = {30}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Feb}, pages = {185-91}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Compassion is an important contributor to pro-social behavior and maintenance of interpersonal relationships, yet little is known about what factors influence compassion in late life. The aim of this study was to test theories about how past and current stressors and emotional functioning, resilience, and demographic indicators of life experiences are related to compassion among older adults.

METHODS: One thousand and six older adults (50-99 years) completed a comprehensive survey including self-report measures of compassion, resilience, past and present stress, and emotional functioning (i.e., stressful life events, perceived stress, and current and prior depression and anxiety), and demographic information. The sample was randomly split, and exploratory and confirmatory regression analyses were conducted testing hypothesized relationships with compassion.

RESULTS: Exploratory stepwise regression analysis (n = 650) indicated that participants who reported higher levels of compassion were more likely to be female, not currently in a married/married-like relationship, reported higher resilience levels, and had experienced more significant life events. Age, income level, past and current mental distress, and interactions between resilience and other predictors were not significantly related to compassion. The associations between greater self-reported compassion and being female, having greater resilience, and having experienced more significant life events were supported by a confirmatory stepwise regression analysis (n = 356).

CONCLUSIONS: Older women report more compassion than older men. Resilience and significant life events, independently, also appear to facilitate a desire to help others, while current stress and past and present emotional functioning are less relevant. Specificity of findings to older adults is not yet known.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Empathy, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Marital Status, Middle Aged, Regression Analysis, Resilience, Psychological, Sex Factors, Socioeconomic Factors}, issn = {1099-1166}, doi = {10.1002/gps.4123}, author = {Moore, Raeanne C and Martin, A{\textquoteright}verria Sirkin and Kaup, Allison R and Thompson, Wesley K and Peters, Matthew E and Jeste, Dilip V and Golshan, Shahrokh and Eyler, Lisa T} }