Cognitive Neuroscience papers
Pofolia’s corpus holds 95 papers from Cognitive Neuroscience (1977–2028), each with a short summary. Below, the 20 most-cited, then the most recently added.
At a glance
- Most cited: How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. (1999, 12,907 citations).
- The 20 papers listed have 125,574 citations between them.
- 14 of the 17 with a known journal quartile appeared in a Q1 journal.
- 6 have a free full text (open access).
- Most frequent journals: Annual Review of Neuroscience, MMWR Surveillance Summaries, Psychological Review.
- Published between 1977 and 2020.
Most cited
Ranked by citation count. Because citations accumulate over time, this list naturally leans towards work published a few years ago; for where the field is now, see “recently added”. How to read the signals
How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school.
1999 · 12,907 citations
This foundational work synthesizes research on learning, highlighting how expertise develops through understanding concepts, not just memorizing facts, and emphasizing the importance of active, constructive learning environments.
A Neural Substrate of Prediction and Reward
Science · 1997 · Q1 · SJR 10.00 · FWCI 45.55 · 9,786 citations
Dopaminergic neurons in primates signal prediction errors for future rewards, providing a neural basis for learning and adaptive control.
The human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anticorrelated functional networks
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2005 · Q1 · SJR 3.00 · FWCI 40.04 · 8,879 citations
The resting human brain exhibits an intrinsic organization of two dynamic, anticorrelated functional networks, mirroring task-related activation/deactivation patterns.
The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception
Psychology Press eBooks · 2014 · FWCI 198.81 · 8,835 citations
This seminal 1979 book proposes that natural vision is not solely dependent on the eye and brain, but rather on the entire visual system: the eyes, head, body, and interaction with the environment.
Emotion Circuits in the Brain
Annual Review of Neuroscience · 2000 · Q1 · SJR 7.00 · FWCI 74.20 · 8,415 citations
The amygdala is a key brain region for acquiring, storing, and expressing fear memory, with detailed mechanisms elucidated through fear conditioning studies.
The Attention System of the Human Brain
Annual Review of Neuroscience · 1990 · Q1 · SJR 7.00 · FWCI 47.52 · 7,920 citations
The brain's default mode network, comprising discrete, bilateral, and symmetrical cortical areas across medial and lateral parietal, prefrontal, and temporal cortices, is conserved across humans, nonhuman primates, cats, and rodents.
Controlled and automatic human information processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending and a general theory.
Psychological Review · 1977 · Q1 · SJR 3.00 · FWCI 29.59 · 7,163 citations
A two-process theory distinguishes between automatic detection and controlled search, demonstrating that learning categories improves controlled search, while automatic attention can disrupt controlled processing.
Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science
Behavioral and Brain Sciences · 2013 · Q3 · FWCI 116.90 · 5,941 citations · Open access
This article critically examines the 'hierarchical prediction machine' approach, arguing it represents the most promising framework yet for a unified science of mind and action.
Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014
MMWR Surveillance Summaries · 2018 · Q1 · SJR 14.00 · FWCI 346.37 · 5,528 citations · Open access
In 2014, the overall prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was 16.8 per 1,000 (1 in 59) eight-year-old children across 11 US sites, with significant variations by location, sex, and race/ethnicity.
PsychoPy2: Experiments in behavior made easy
Behavior Research Methods · 2019 · Q1 · SJR 2.00 · FWCI 185.05 · 5,453 citations · Open access
PsychoPy2 introduces a new graphical 'Builder' interface alongside its existing Python scripting, enabling researchers to create behavioral experiments with minimal or no programming.
Why there are complementary learning systems in the hippocampus and neocortex: Insights from the successes and failures of connectionist models of learning and memory.
Psychological Review · 1995 · Q1 · SJR 3.00 · FWCI 34.37 · 5,427 citations
A dual-memory system model proposes that the hippocampus rapidly learns new memories via synaptic changes, which then trigger neocortical reinstatement and slow, cumulative synaptic changes, forming stable, remote memories.
Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain
Science · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 10.00 · FWCI 90.72 · 5,344 citations
Natural sleep or anesthesia in mice increases the interstitial space in the brain by 60%, significantly enhancing the clearance of metabolic waste products like beta-amyloid.
Conn : A Functional Connectivity Toolbox for Correlated and Anticorrelated Brain Networks
Brain Connectivity · 2012 · Q2 · FWCI 29.90 · 5,082 citations
A new toolbox named Conn has been developed to improve the statistical analysis of resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fcMRI) by implementing a component-based noise correction method (CompCor). This approach allows for the interpretation of anticorrelations, which are often obscured by global signal regression methods.
EEGNet: a compact convolutional neural network for EEG-based brain–computer interfaces
Journal of Neural Engineering · 2018 · Q1 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 64.30 · 4,339 citations
A new compact convolutional neural network, EEGNet, demonstrates generalization across multiple brain-computer interface (BCI) paradigms and achieves high performance with limited training data.
BrainNet Viewer: A Network Visualization Tool for Human Brain Connectomics
PLoS ONE · 2013 · Q1 · FWCI 63.28 · 4,322 citations · Open access
A new MATLAB-based toolbox, BrainNet Viewer, has been developed to visualize complex human brain connectomes using graph-theoretical network analysis.
Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications
2014 · 4,135 citations
This work offers a systematic introduction to the theoretical and experimental underpinnings of higher mental processes, bridging neural functions with cognitive phenomena.
Dual-Process Theories of Higher Cognition
Perspectives on Psychological Science · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 4.00 · FWCI 74.62 · 4,104 citations
Dual-process theories, positing distinct rapid (Type 1) and deliberate (Type 2) cognitive systems, are defended against recent criticisms by arguing that the distinction is supported by substantial evidence, with Type 2 processing uniquely supporting hypothetical thinking and heavy working memory load.
The Brain's Default Mode Network
Annual Review of Neuroscience · 2015 · Q1 · SJR 7.00 · FWCI 79.36 · 4,087 citations
The brain's default mode network, comprising specific cortical areas, was unexpectedly discovered through brain-imaging studies comparing attention-demanding tasks with quiet repose.
MEG and EEG data analysis with MNE-Python
Frontiers in Neuroscience · 2013 · Q2 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 9.80 · 4,039 citations · Open access
MNE-Python is an open-source software package providing state-of-the-art algorithms for analyzing brain activity from M/EEG signals.
Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016
MMWR Surveillance Summaries · 2020 · Q1 · SJR 14.00 · FWCI 259.09 · 3,868 citations · Open access
In 2016, the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was 18.5 per 1,000 children aged 8 years across 11 US sites, a higher rate than previous estimates, with significant variations observed by geographic location.
Recently added
Brain-based digital twins for skilled interceptive movements: computational frameworks for neural-kinematic integration
ResearchSPAce (Bath Spa University) · 2028
A novel four-layer neuro-kinematic framework integrates EEG and kinematic data to create brain-based digital twins (BB-DTs) for modeling and predicting skilled interceptive movements, demonstrated in a cricket batting coaching interface.
Transcriptome-based classification in mice with ASD-risk mutations
Science · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 10.00 · FWCI 6.13 · 1 citations
A prefrontal RNA sequencing atlas of 1008 profiles from 17 mouse lines with ASD-risk mutations identified two opposing transcriptomic states that differ in sex bias, regional specificity, developmental stability, cell type remodeling, and responses to fluoxetine and lithium.
The Autism Mental Status Exam Indonesian Version(AMSE-INA): A Cross-Culturally Validated Pre-Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Resource-Limited Specialist Settings
F1000Research · 2026 · Q1 · FWCI 12.26 · 2 citations
The Autism Mental Status Exam Indonesian Version (AMSE-INA) is a reliable and valid pre-diagnostic tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in resource-limited settings, achieving an AUC of 0.98 with a cut-off score of ≥6 yielding 88.9% sensitivity and 94.7% specificity.
Who you are or what you have: Historical trends in identity-first and person-first language in books and news media
PLOS mental health. · 2026 · Q2 · FWCI 6.12 · 1 citations · Open access
Person-first language (e.g., "person with autism") saw a rise from 1980, but identity-first language (e.g., "autistic person") has recently surged, creating a curvilinear trend in books and news media.
Mapping Clinical Diagnoses Associated With Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence in Mental Health Research
JAMA Psychiatry · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 6.13 · 1 citations
A scoping review of 134 studies (151,134 participants) found that while neurodivergence and neurodiversity are increasingly used, they lack diagnostic specificity, with autism (68.7%) and ADHD (64.2%) being the most common associated diagnoses, but 21.6% of studies specified no diagnosis.
Before the task begins: linking resting-state gamma oscillations to face-name associative memory
Cognitive Neurodynamics · 2026 · Q2
Higher resting-state high-gamma (51–100 Hz) power in frontal and temporal regions, but lower power in posterior regions, predicts better delayed face-name recall performance, explaining 38% of the variance.
Information content and interpretation of CSD non-trivially depends on array density
Journal of Neural Engineering · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 6.13 · 1 citations · Open access
Current Source Density (CSD) estimation methods produce spurious results with high-density electrode arrays, confusing sources and sinks and diverging from ground truth.
Intracranial recordings in humans reveal differential contributions of medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex to approach–avoidance decision-making
Nature Neuroscience · 2026 · Q1 · SJR 11.00 · FWCI 12.26 · 2 citations
Intracranial recordings in humans show distinct medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) activity patterns preceding approach decisions, suggesting a new functional architecture within the OFC for handling approach-avoidance conflicts.
Journals in this field
The journals that publish most of this field’s papers. Quartile (Q1–Q4), SJR and h-index are from SCImago Journal Rank; “in this field” is how many of the journal’s pooled papers belong here. What is a Q1 journal? · What is the h-index?
| Journal | Quartile | SJR | h-index | In this field | Summaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Science | Q1 | 10.00 | 1433 | 5 | 268 |
| Annual Review of Neuroscience | Q1 | 7.00 | 278 | 5 | 6 |
| Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | Q1 | 3.00 | 929 | 5 | 110 |
| Nature Neuroscience | Q1 | 11.00 | 515 | 4 | 5 |
| Nature | Q1 | 19.00 | 1495 | 3 | 48 |
| MMWR Surveillance Summaries | Q1 | 14.00 | 121 | 3 | 5 |
| Cerebral Cortex | Q1 | 1.00 | 294 | 3 | 3 |
| Journal of Neural Engineering | Q1 | 1.00 | 151 | 3 | 3 |
Every journal in Cognitive Neuroscience (Q1–Q4) →
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Open the appOther subfields in Neuroscience
- Biological Psychiatry
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Sensory Systems
- Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Neurology (Neuroscience)