Journal article
Cognition disconnected: the influence of domain-general cognition (g) in lesion-deficit mapping
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. 1991), Vol.36(8), bhag120
08/20/2026
DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhag120
PMCID: PMC13490751
PMID: 42619488
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Lesion-deficit mapping is a premier technique for dissociating neural correlates of cognitive functions. However, the contribution of domain-general cognition (g) to the performance of virtually all complex behavioral tasks may encumber such efforts. This possibility has been largely unexplored. Here, we examined the influence of g in lesion-deficit mapping using a combination of structural equation modeling, lesion-behavior mapping (LBM), and structural lesion network mapping (sLNM) and functional lesion network mapping (fLNM). We modeled latent variables for visuospatial ability, processing speed, language, and anterograde memory among 473 patients with focal brain damage (age range 20 to 93, 257 men, 216 women), both with and without g-associated variance embedded within each factor. Lesion-deficit maps for domain-specific cognitive abilities were statistically significantly less spatially inter-correlated after partitioning out g (P = 0.010 for LBM; P = 0.003 for sLNM; P = 0.003 for fLNM). Lesion-deficit maps also implicated the existence of distinct neuroanatomy for specific cognitive domains that was, in many cases, only apparent and clearly distinct from lesion-deficit maps of g after partitioning out the influence of g. Overall, our findings suggest that, if left unaccounted for, domain-general cognitive variance could tangibly affect conclusions about the extent to which different cognitive functions rely on distinct neuroanatomy.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Cognition disconnected: the influence of domain-general cognition (g) in lesion-deficit mapping
- Creators
- Lara Sozer - University of IowaJoseph Griffis - University of IowaKathleen Langbehn - University of IowaJoel Bruss - University of IowaEmily Olafson - GenentechKenneth Manzel - University of IowaMaurizio Corbetta - University of PaduaDaniel Tranel - University of IowaAaron D Boes - University of IowaMark Bowren - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. 1991), Vol.36(8), bhag120
- DOI
- 10.1093/cercor/bhag120
- PMID
- 42619488
- PMCID
- PMC13490751
- NLM abbreviation
- Cereb Cortex
- ISSN
- 1460-2199
- eISSN
- 1460-2199
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Grant note
- 1S10RR028821-01 / NIH HHS 361/18 / BIAL foundation grant RF-2019-12369300 / University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, the Kiwanis Foundation, the Ministry of Health, Italy H2020 Visionary Nature Based Actions For Heath, Wellbeing & Resilience in Cities (VARCITIES) T32GM108540 / NIGMS NIH HHS NS095741 / National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke 2T32MH019113-29A1 / NIMH NIH HHS 101071900 / European Union RF-2008-12366899 / University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, the Kiwanis Foundation, the Ministry of Health, Italy H2020 European School of Network Neuroscience (euSNN)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/20/2026
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychiatry; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neurology (Pediatrics); Neurosurgery
- Record Identifier
- 9985219921802771
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