Morese, Rosalba

Palermo, Sara

English

Institutional Research Information System University of Turin

TYPE EditorialPUBLISHED 06 March 2024DOI 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1388801OPEN ACCESSEDITED AND REVIEWED BYLeonhard Schilbach,Ludwig Maximilian University ofMunich, Germany*CORRESPONDENCESara Palermosara.palermo@unito.itRECEIVED 20 February 2024ACCEPTED 21 February 2024PUBLISHED 06 March 2024CITATIONMorese R, Elliott E, Bilek E and Palermo S(2024) Editorial: Women in brain health andclinical neuroscience.Front. Hum. Neurosci. 18:1388801.doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1388801COPYRIGHT© 2024 Morese, Elliott, Bilek and Palermo.This is an open-access article distributedunder the terms of the Creative CommonsAttribution License (CC BY). The use,distribution or reproduction in other forums ispermitted, provided the original author(s) andthe copyright owner(s) are credited and thatthe original publication in this journal is cited,in accordance with accepted academicpractice. No use, distribution or reproductionis permitted which does not comply withthese terms.Editorial: Women in brain healthand clinical neuroscienceRosalba Morese1, Elizabeth Elliott2, Edda Bilek3,4 andSara Palermo5,6*1Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, USI Università dellaSvizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland, 2Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh,Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 3Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London,London, United Kingdom, 4Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany, 5Department ofPsychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, 6Neuroradiology Unit, Diagnostic and TechnologyDepartment, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Istituto Neurologico CarloBesta, Milan, ItalyKEYWORDSgender gap, brain science, clinical neuroscience, depression, language, inter-group,sensory-processing sensitivityEditorial on the Research TopicWomen in brain health and clinical neuroscienceIn the vast realm of scientific inquiry, women have played a pivotal yet oftenunacknowledged role in shaping our understanding of the intricate workings of thehuman nervous system. The research landscape, however, remains a challenging terrainfor women, with <30% of researchers worldwide being female (https://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/women-science). Long-standing biases and gender stereotypes persist, casting ashadow over the potential of countless girls and women who could contribute significantlyto science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research.As UNESCO underlines, science and gender equality are indispensable for achievingsustainable development. Breaking free from the chains of stereotypes and biases isimperative to pave the way for a future where talent knows no gender boundaries. It isin this context that Brain Health and Clinical Neuroscience proudly presents an editorialinitiative aimed at spotlighting the remarkable contributions of female researchers inthe field.This initiative recognizes that gender equality is not just a moral imperative but astrategic necessity. The RT seeks to challenge the status quo and amplify the voices ofwomen who have been instrumental in driving scientific advancements. The editorial isnot just an acknowledgment of the achievements of these remarkable researchers but a callto action to transform traditional mindsets, promote gender equality, and inspire the nextgeneration of women to pursue careers in STEM.The Research Topic comprises six contributions represented by three original researcharticles, one brief research report, one systematic review, and one hypothesis andtheory article.The long-term potentiation (LTP) study by Rygvold et al. reveals reduced LTP-like synaptic plasticity in neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorderand schizophrenia. With a large cohort of healthy adults, the research confirms thatmodulations in visually evoked potentials (VEP) are associated with depressive symptomsand stress, suggesting that LTP-like plasticity may serve as a vulnerability marker for thedevelopment of depressive symptoms.Frontiers inHumanNeuroscience 01 frontiersin.orgMorese et al. 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1388801Key et al. explore the iSPOT-D clinical trial database to uncoveran association between auditory event-related potential responses,clinical symptoms, and also demographic features in majordepressive disorder (MDD). The findings replicate an alteration ofsensory, and also an alteration of attentional processes in MDDpatients, with age influencing both the topographic distribution ofresponses and stimuli sensitivity, suggesting potential biomarkersfor patient stratification in clinical trial design.In prior research, Lock and Keong proposed a novel taxonomicframework for interpreting white matter tract profiles usingdiffusion tensor imaging (DTI), validated in Classic NormalPressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). In this study, they apply thePeriodic Table algorithm to analyze Complex NPH and observewidespread reductions in subcortical deep gray matter structures,supporting the retention of Classic NPH-associated imagingfeatures and emphasizing injury patterns over individual measuresin DTI interpretation.Farshchi et al. address the limited understanding of theneurophysiological processing of negation in natural language,particularly in the context of spoken language. While previousresearch based on written stimuli suggested processing costs relatedto negation, the study developed an auditory paradigm replicatingthese costs but revealing distinct patterns of ERP effects. Thefindings suggest that processing negation in spoken language maybe less effortful, possibly due to the natural flow of speech reducingvariability in neural responses, as opposed to the written word-by-word paradigm.Saarinen et al. investigate whether there is a neural inter-group bias between minority and majority members based onethnicity and explored differential neural processing of variousethnic groups. The results indicate that ethnic minority membersdid not exhibit the bias, while ethnic majority members displayedbiased responses toward minority members in brain regionsassociated with several neural processes such as facial elaboration,and attention.Morellini et al. propose that highly sensitive people may beparticularly susceptible to social exclusion conditions beyondthe physical pain, offering insights for developing interventionsto support their wellbeing. While not pathological, sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) may increase vulnerability torisk conditions during vulnerable life periods ad childhoodand adolescence.In celebrating the achievements of Women in brain healthand clinical neuroscience, we not only honor their individualcontributions but also challenge the prevailing norms thathinder the full realization of their potential. Our continuallyevolving neurocognitive model, grounded in advancementsconcerning social cognition (Morese and Palermo, 2020, 2022),metacognitive-executive functions and their intricate interactionswith neurodegenerative diseases (Morese et al., 2018; Palermoet al., 2018), acquired brain injuries and pathologies (Palermo et al.,2014, 2019), represents a step toward creating a future where talentis recognized and celebrated regardless of gender. This approachfosters an environment where the scientific community thriveson the diverse perspectives and experiences that women bring tothe table, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and equity inadvancing research and innovation.Author contributionsRM: Writing – review & editing. EE: Writing – review &editing. EB: Writing – review & editing. SP: Conceptualization,Supervision, Writing – original draft.FundingThe author(s) declare that no financial support was received forthe research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.Conflict of interestThe authors declare that the research was conducted in theabsence of any commercial or financial relationships that could beconstrued as a potential conflict of interest.The author(s) declared that they were an editorial boardmember of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impacton the peer review process and the final decision.Publisher’s noteAll claims expressed in this article are solely those of theauthors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliatedorganizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and thereviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, orclaim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed orendorsed by the publisher.ReferencesMorese, R., and Palermo, S. (2020). Altruistic punishment and impulsivity inParkinson’s disease: a social neuroscience perspective. Front. Behav. Neurosci. 14:102.doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00102Morese, R., and Palermo, S. (2022). Feelings of loneliness and isolation: social brainand social cognition in the elderly and Alzheimer’s disease. Front. Aging Neurosci.14:896218. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.896218Morese, R., Stanziano, M., and Palermo, S. (2018). Commentary: metacognitionand perspective-taking in Alzheimer’s disease: a mini-review. Front. Psychol. 9:2010.doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02010Palermo, S., And,ò, A., Salatino, A., Sirgiovanni, S., De Faveri, L., Carassa,A., et al. (2019). Selective emotional dysregulation in splenium agenesis. Acase report of a patient with normal cognitive profile. Front. Psychol. 10:631.doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00631Palermo, S., Leotta, D., Bongioanni, M. R., and Amanzio, M. (2014). Unawarenessof deficits in ischemic injury: role of the cingulate cortex. Neurocase. 5, 540–555.doi: 10.1080/13554794.2013.826686Palermo, S., Stanziano, M., and Morese, R. (2018). Commentary: anterior cingulatecortex and response conflict: effects of frequency, inhibition and errors. Front. Behav.Neurosci. 12:171. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00171Frontiers inHumanNeuroscience 02 frontiersin.org

Editorial: Women in brain health and clinical neuroscience

https://iris.unito.it/bitstream/2318/2037054/1/fnhum-18-1388801%20%281%29.pdf

Editorial: Women in brain health and clinical neuroscience

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Institutional Research Information System University of Turin