Fluid intelligence, social cognition, and perspective changing abilities as pointers of psychosocial adaptation

The prefrontal cortex in human brain is the main area that is related to the capacity for establishing relationships to others and with your environment. It is also the core for the development of superior mental functions such as plan and motor outcome, cognitive, affective, and social behavior across time (Kolb et al., 2012). Some cognitive functions related to this lobule include fluid intelligence (FI), social cognition (SC), and perspective changing abilities (PCA), which are necessary for adaptation to social contexts and solving problems in new situations (Barkley, 2001; Crisp and Meleady, 2012). These abilities, in turn, appear to be dependent on contextual keys, thus requiring flexibility, which is associated with frontal lobe functioning (Nestor et al., 2013; Pfeifer and Peake, 2012), particularly, in the case of PCA some areas are specifically related to the prefrontal cortex such as Brodmann area 10 (BA10) (Buckner and Carroll, 2007). In this opinion paper, we propose a model that integrates these components (FI, SC, and PCA) as indicators of psychosocial adaptation (PSA) in contexts of social vulnerability or diminished social/cultural conditions, in contrast to contributions in neurosciences made from evidence of patients with brain damage or psychiatric disorders. PSA, defined as the quality of social life and subjective well-being of an individual in context (Bishop et al., 2008; Cox et al., 2010), is relevant for proper development. Research suggests that the prefrontal cortex plays a major role in adaptation, given its involvement in behavioral flexibility, executive functions, FI, and SC (Van Horn et al., 2012; Waters-Wood et al., 2012). Similarly, SC tasks, FI (Duncan et al., 1995; Roca et al., 2010) and cognitive flexibility have been associated with this area (Shamay-Tsoory et al., 2009; Larquet et al., 2010). Damage or alterations in the frontal lobe, have a direct impact on these functions, mainly resulting in maladaptive behaviors. Likewise, deficits in maturation or development of the cortex have been associated with social behavior disorders (Schore, 2000; Kolb et al., 2012). FI has been defined as the ability to think logically and to solve problems in new situations, regardless of the acquisition of knowledge (Cattell, 1963). This reflects the ability to reason and to think abstractly in contrast to what is called crystallized intelligence (Cattell, 1967), which depends on cultural and academic learning. From a neuroanatomical viewpoint, FI has been associated with frontal lobe functions (Duncan et al., 1995). Injuries in this area affect the performance of these cognitive abilities (Roca et al., 2010; Woolgar et al., 2010). Besides, neuroimaging studies of FI have shown activation of frontal areas (Duncan et al., 2000; Bishop et al., 2008). There is consensus that the frontal lobe represents the neural basis of FI, but its association with cognitive flexibility and social behavior has not been studied until fairly recently. Support for the association between FI and cognitive flexibility and social behavior also comes from studies on frontal lobe lesions (Hynes et al., 2006; Shamay-Tsoory et al., 2009; Larquet et al., 2010). In brief, the relationship between FI, PCA and dysfunction of executive functions, has been extensively studied (Bechara et al., 2000; Duncan, 2010; Dumontheil et al., 2011). In addition, the link between FI and abstract reasoning (Bunting, 2006; Perfetti et al., 2009) has also been established. However, research that associates this set of variables with social behavior in contexts of interaction with non-pathological samples, are very scarce, even more when it comes to PSA (Roca et al., 2010; Huepe et al., 2011). The BA10 area could have a role in the ability of self-projection and in PCA, which are needed for other social skills (Buckner and Carroll, 2007). This area plays a central role in the so-called “default network” (Default Mode Network-DMN-) (Buckner and Vincent, 2007; Chen et al., 2008; Ko et al., 2011) and there is now abundant evidence that the DMN has an atypical configuration in subjects exhibiting some form of mental or psychiatric disorder such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder-ADHD, depression, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), among others (Broyd et al., 2009; Minshew and Keller, 2010; Ongur et al., 2010; Pomarol-Clotet et al., 2011; Meda et al., 2012). Several of these disorders represent extreme points within an adaptation continuum. It is therefore possible to hypothesize that individuals belonging to vulnerable contexts, and exhibiting maladaptive behaviors, could present affectation of prefrontal cortex's (FI, SC, and PCA) main functions. In effect, the literature shows that people with problems associated to impulse control, violent behavior, decision taking, morality, empathy, FI, among others, are related with malfunction of prefrontal areas (Raine, 2002; Bechara and Van Der Linden, 2005; Seitz et al., 2006). Similarly, but more radically, we can see similar behaviors in patients with brain injuries in prefrontal cortex. In short, PCA and FI could be linked to aspects of SC such as theory of mind (ToM), handling multiple tasks (multitasking) and frontal functions (Torralva et al., 2007, 2009). Yet, the question still remains whether individuals belonging to vulnerable contexts—with maladaptive behaviors—would show decline of main prefrontal cortex functions and whether the three cognitive components discussed here can predict PSA in this population.