Professor Christian Montag integrated molecular genetics and personality psychology in his report and explored individuals’ cognition and emotional functions, especially cognitive disorders among elderly adults. Studies show that the APOE gene is the risk factor of Alzheimer. The onset of Alzheimer is highly dependent on the genotype of APOE, but at the same time, it also relies heavily on individual differences of cognition. Professor Montag’s team compared two groups of young, healthy subjects with risk gene and non-risk gene. The results state that both groups showed equal correct rate on the working memory task; however, subjects with risk gene faced more difficulties and made more cognitive efforts. 

    Professor Montag also mentioned oxytocin’s adjustment effect on social cognition. Studies proved that oxytocin enhanced social behaviors, such as inter-person trust and empathy. Studies of oxytocin receptor gene revealed that rs2268498 played an important role in social cognition, emotion recognition and context judgment.
    Professor Montag initiated a co-operation relationship with UESTC and worked closely with the “Neurotherapy· Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab”, advised by Professor Keith Kendrick and Professor Benjamin Becker. The institution already built a lab which studies human cognition and emotion function with the integration of genetics, brain imaging and behavior. Along with these scientific research goals, the lab furtherly seeks new treatments for psychological disorders.

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