Research from Rutgers University has unveiled how the brain’s internal timing mechanisms significantly influence cognitive abilities. The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that different brain regions operate on distinct internal clocks, affecting how efficiently the brain processes information over varying timescales. This discovery may help explain the differences in cognitive performance among individuals.
The human brain continuously manages information arriving at different speeds. Some signals require immediate reactions, while others demand slower, more reflective processing to derive meaning and context. The research team, led by Linden Parkes, an assistant professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers Health, focused on how networks of white matter connections facilitate communication between these varying brain regions.
Understanding the Brain’s Internal Clocks
Not all brain regions process information at the same rate. Each area has a unique intrinsic neural timescale (INT), determining how long it retains information before moving on. Parkes stated, “To affect our environment through action, our brains must combine information processed over different timescales.” This integration is essential for effective decision-making and behavior.
To investigate this phenomenon, Parkes and his colleagues analyzed brain imaging data from 960 individuals. They created detailed maps of each person’s brain connections, known as connectomes. The research employed mathematical models to observe how information travels through these complex networks. Parkes explained, “Our work probes the mechanisms underlying this process in humans by directly modeling regions’ INTs from their connectivity.”
Impact on Cognitive Abilities
The study found that the arrangement of neural timescales across the cerebral cortex is crucial for how the brain shifts between different patterns of activity linked to behavior. Notably, these timing patterns differ among individuals. Parkes noted, “We found that differences in how the brain processes information at different speeds help explain why people vary in their cognitive abilities.”
The researchers also discovered that these timing differences correlate with genetic, molecular, and cellular features of brain tissue, linking the findings to fundamental biological processes. Similar mechanisms were identified in mouse brains, suggesting this timing system is conserved across species. “Our work highlights a fundamental link between the brain’s white matter connectivity and its local computational properties,” Parkes added.
Individuals whose brain wiring aligns well with the varying speeds of information processing tend to exhibit higher cognitive capacities. This insight opens new avenues for understanding the biological basis of cognition.
The research team aims to apply these findings to neuropsychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. By examining how alterations in brain connectivity affect information processing over time, they hope to uncover new pathways for treatment. The study involved collaboration with Avram Holmes, an associate professor of psychiatry at Rutgers, as well as postdoctoral researchers Ahmad Beyh and Amber Howell, and Jason Z. Kim from Cornell University.
As research into the brain’s timing system continues, it promises to enrich our understanding of cognition and its potential disruptions, paving the way for advancements in mental health treatment.
