title: The Social Context Network Model in Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases.
abstract: The role of contextual modulations has been extensively studied in basic sensory and cognitive processes. However, little is known about their impact on social cognition, let alone their disruption in disorders compromising such a domain. In this chapter, we flesh out the social context network model (SCNM), a neuroscientific proposal devised to address the issue. In SCNM terms, social context effects rely on a fronto-temporo-insular network in charge of (a) updating context cues to make predictions, (b) consolidating context-target associative learning, and (c) coordinating internal and external milieus. First, we characterize various social cognition domains as context-dependent phenomena. Then, we review behavioral and neural evidence of social context impairments in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), highlighting their relation with key SCNM hubs. Next, we show that other psychiatric and neurological conditions involve context-processing impairments following damage to the brain regions included in the model. Finally, we call for an ecological approach to social cognition assessment, moving beyond widespread abstract and decontextualized methods.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Translational and Cognitive Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Pacheco de Melo 1860, 1126, Buenos Aires, Argentina. sbaez@ineco.org.ar.|National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. sbaez@ineco.org.ar.|UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, Chile. sbaez@ineco.org.ar.|Grupo de Investigación Cerebro Y Cognición Social, Bogotá, Colombia. sbaez@ineco.org.ar.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Translational and Cognitive Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Pacheco de Melo 1860, 1126, Buenos Aires, Argentina.|National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.|UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University, Santiago, Chile.|Faculty of Elementary and Special Education (FEEyE), National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: Adolfo M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. aibanez@ineco.org.ar.|Institute of Translational and Cognitive Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina. aibanez@ineco.org.ar.|Universidad Autónoma Del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia. aibanez@ineco.org.ar.|Laboratory of Neuroscience, Adolfo Ibáñez University, Santiago, Chile. aibanez@ineco.org.ar.|Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Cognition and Its Disorders, Sydney, Australia. aibanez@ineco.org.ar.
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibanez
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: Context processing; Neurological disorders; Psychatric disorders; Social cognition; The social context network model