Chinese researchers find genetics shapes brain’s critical balance linked to mental ability
Further research on patients with neurological or psychiatric disorders may give rise to new therapeutic approaches, team says

There is extensive evidence that brain criticality – the balance between neural excitation and inhibition – enhances its information processing capabilities.
“We demonstrate that genetic factors significantly influence brain criticality across various scales, from specific brain regions to large-scale networks,” the team said in their paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last month.
They also established a link between criticality and cognitive functions, suggesting a shared genetic foundation.
“These findings position brain criticality as a biological phenotype, opening broad avenues for exploring its implications in brain function and potential dysfunctions,” the team wrote.