Joëlle Bagautdinova
@joelleba.bsky.social
With special thanks to my incredibly amazing PhD adviser @ted-satterthwaite.bsky.social ✨🤩🚀!!!
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
With special thanks to my incredibly amazing PhD adviser @ted-satterthwaite.bsky.social ✨🤩🚀!!!
@apmackey.bsky.social @misicbata.bsky.social Tyler M. Moore, David R. Roalf, Russell T. Shinohara @valeriejsydnor.bsky.social @tientong.bsky.social Fang-Cheng Yeh @russpoldrack.org @cieslakmatt.bsky.social
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
@apmackey.bsky.social @misicbata.bsky.social Tyler M. Moore, David R. Roalf, Russell T. Shinohara @valeriejsydnor.bsky.social @tientong.bsky.social Fang-Cheng Yeh @russpoldrack.org @cieslakmatt.bsky.social
Huge thank you to my coauthors @goliashf.bsky.social @audreycluo.bsky.social Maggie K. Pecsok @tsalo.bsky.social @aarona-b.bsky.social @danisbassett.bsky.social Margaret E. Gardner, Raquel E. Gur, Ruben C. Gur
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Huge thank you to my coauthors @goliashf.bsky.social @audreycluo.bsky.social Maggie K. Pecsok @tsalo.bsky.social @aarona-b.bsky.social @danisbassett.bsky.social Margaret E. Gardner, Raquel E. Gur, Ruben C. Gur
🧠🧐 By revealing how tracts are anchored within the cortical hierarchy and how this determines their cognitive and biological roles, we hope this work opens new paths for studying brain organization and development!
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
🧠🧐 By revealing how tracts are anchored within the cortical hierarchy and how this determines their cognitive and biological roles, we hope this work opens new paths for studying brain organization and development!
💡Overall: We propose a cortex-anchored framework for understanding canonical white matter tracts that goes beyond classic categories. A tract’s position in the cortical hierarchy shapes the functions it supports, the biology of its endpoints, and its variation across people.
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
💡Overall: We propose a cortex-anchored framework for understanding canonical white matter tracts that goes beyond classic categories. A tract’s position in the cortical hierarchy shapes the functions it supports, the biology of its endpoints, and its variation across people.
#6: A tract’s position in the hierarchy tracks real variation across people.
In a large developmental sample, tracts that span more of the hierarchy showed greater developmental changes and stronger links to executive function.
In a large developmental sample, tracts that span more of the hierarchy showed greater developmental changes and stronger links to executive function.
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
#6: A tract’s position in the hierarchy tracks real variation across people.
In a large developmental sample, tracts that span more of the hierarchy showed greater developmental changes and stronger links to executive function.
In a large developmental sample, tracts that span more of the hierarchy showed greater developmental changes and stronger links to executive function.
#5: Cortical biology shapes tract function.
Tracts staying within a hierarchical level connect regions with similar biological properties. Tracts crossing the hierarchy link biologically heterogeneous areas and support broader functions—acting as anatomical bridges across cortical environments.
Tracts staying within a hierarchical level connect regions with similar biological properties. Tracts crossing the hierarchy link biologically heterogeneous areas and support broader functions—acting as anatomical bridges across cortical environments.
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
#5: Cortical biology shapes tract function.
Tracts staying within a hierarchical level connect regions with similar biological properties. Tracts crossing the hierarchy link biologically heterogeneous areas and support broader functions—acting as anatomical bridges across cortical environments.
Tracts staying within a hierarchical level connect regions with similar biological properties. Tracts crossing the hierarchy link biologically heterogeneous areas and support broader functions—acting as anatomical bridges across cortical environments.
#4: Tracts vary in cognitive diversity.
Some are specialists (optic radiation, fornix), while others are generalists supporting many functions (hi IFOF and ILF 👋). And importantly, tracts that span more of the cortical hierarchy are more cognitively diverse.
Some are specialists (optic radiation, fornix), while others are generalists supporting many functions (hi IFOF and ILF 👋). And importantly, tracts that span more of the cortical hierarchy are more cognitively diverse.
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
#4: Tracts vary in cognitive diversity.
Some are specialists (optic radiation, fornix), while others are generalists supporting many functions (hi IFOF and ILF 👋). And importantly, tracts that span more of the cortical hierarchy are more cognitively diverse.
Some are specialists (optic radiation, fornix), while others are generalists supporting many functions (hi IFOF and ILF 👋). And importantly, tracts that span more of the cortical hierarchy are more cognitively diverse.
#3: Tracts have unique cognitive profiles.
We mapped each tract’s cognitive profile, confirming classic roles (arcuate ➡️ language; CST ➡️ movement) and revealing new ones, including empathy for the right arcuate.
We mapped each tract’s cognitive profile, confirming classic roles (arcuate ➡️ language; CST ➡️ movement) and revealing new ones, including empathy for the right arcuate.
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
#3: Tracts have unique cognitive profiles.
We mapped each tract’s cognitive profile, confirming classic roles (arcuate ➡️ language; CST ➡️ movement) and revealing new ones, including empathy for the right arcuate.
We mapped each tract’s cognitive profile, confirming classic roles (arcuate ➡️ language; CST ➡️ movement) and revealing new ones, including empathy for the right arcuate.
#2: The layout of white matter tracts aligns with the layout of cognitive functions.
Multivariate analyses showed that tracts and cognitive functions align along a shared spatial axis. Dorsolateral-connecting tracts ➡️ action functions. Ventromedial-connecting tracts ➡️ affective functions.
Multivariate analyses showed that tracts and cognitive functions align along a shared spatial axis. Dorsolateral-connecting tracts ➡️ action functions. Ventromedial-connecting tracts ➡️ affective functions.
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
#2: The layout of white matter tracts aligns with the layout of cognitive functions.
Multivariate analyses showed that tracts and cognitive functions align along a shared spatial axis. Dorsolateral-connecting tracts ➡️ action functions. Ventromedial-connecting tracts ➡️ affective functions.
Multivariate analyses showed that tracts and cognitive functions align along a shared spatial axis. Dorsolateral-connecting tracts ➡️ action functions. Ventromedial-connecting tracts ➡️ affective functions.
#1: Tracts differ a lot in how much of the cortical hierarchy they span.
Some stick to nearby, similarly ranked regions, while others stretch across long distances to link distant points on the S-A axis. So a tract’s spatial span is tightly related to how much of the hierarchy it crosses.
Some stick to nearby, similarly ranked regions, while others stretch across long distances to link distant points on the S-A axis. So a tract’s spatial span is tightly related to how much of the hierarchy it crosses.
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
#1: Tracts differ a lot in how much of the cortical hierarchy they span.
Some stick to nearby, similarly ranked regions, while others stretch across long distances to link distant points on the S-A axis. So a tract’s spatial span is tightly related to how much of the hierarchy it crosses.
Some stick to nearby, similarly ranked regions, while others stretch across long distances to link distant points on the S-A axis. So a tract’s spatial span is tightly related to how much of the hierarchy it crosses.
To do this, we used population-level maps linking 52 WM tracts to the cortical surface (bit.ly/4aNI4DJ). This mapping allowed us to place tracts within the cortical hierarchy and characterize their associated cognitive functions and neurobiological properties–leading to SIX exciting findings!
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
To do this, we used population-level maps linking 52 WM tracts to the cortical surface (bit.ly/4aNI4DJ). This mapping allowed us to place tracts within the cortical hierarchy and characterize their associated cognitive functions and neurobiological properties–leading to SIX exciting findings!
Higher-order cognitive functions rely on various brain regions spread across this S-A hierarchy.
So we asked: How are anatomical tracts positioned along this cortical hierarchy, and does this wiring shape the cognitive roles each tract plays? 🤔
So we asked: How are anatomical tracts positioned along this cortical hierarchy, and does this wiring shape the cognitive roles each tract plays? 🤔
January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Higher-order cognitive functions rely on various brain regions spread across this S-A hierarchy.
So we asked: How are anatomical tracts positioned along this cortical hierarchy, and does this wiring shape the cognitive roles each tract plays? 🤔
So we asked: How are anatomical tracts positioned along this cortical hierarchy, and does this wiring shape the cognitive roles each tract plays? 🤔
Long-range WM tracts help distant brain regions communicate, but we still don’t fully understand how their cortical connections support different aspects of cognition. A key clue is the sensorimotor-to-association (S-A) axis, a major organizing gradient of the cortex (bit.ly/48Fb7rL).
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January 5, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Long-range WM tracts help distant brain regions communicate, but we still don’t fully understand how their cortical connections support different aspects of cognition. A key clue is the sensorimotor-to-association (S-A) axis, a major organizing gradient of the cortex (bit.ly/48Fb7rL).