Xian Zhang, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Spatiotemporal processing of real faces is modified by visual sensing
Kelley M, Tiede M, Zhang X, Noah J, Hirsch J. Spatiotemporal processing of real faces is modified by visual sensing. NeuroImage 2025, 312: 121219. PMID: 40252877, PMCID: PMC12140127, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121219.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman faceSensing parametersEye-tracking signalsLive human facesRobot facesLive facesTemporal featuresVisual senseStandardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomographyFNIRS signalsPatterns of neural activityInteractive gazeFace-to-face processesLow-resolution brain electromagnetic tomographySpatiotemporal processesNeural correlatesBrain electromagnetic tomographyGazeEEG analysisFixation durationFaceInferior parietal sulcusRight supramarginal gyrusSpatial bindingOscillatory activityDeep multimodal representations and classification of first-episode psychosis via live face processing
Singh R, Zhang Y, Bhaskar D, Srihari V, Tek C, Zhang X, Noah J, Krishnaswamy S, Hirsch J. Deep multimodal representations and classification of first-episode psychosis via live face processing. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2025, 16: 1518762. PMID: 40134976, PMCID: PMC11934110, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1518762.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFirst-episode psychosisPositive and Negative Syndrome ScaleFunctional Near-Infrared SpectroscopyGlobal Assessment of FunctioningEarly psychosisNeural correlates of social cognitionFirst-episode psychosis individualsNegative Syndrome ScaleBehavior recordsAssessment of functioningSevere psychiatric disordersSyndrome ScaleFace processingPsychosis symptomsNeural underpinningsSocial cognitionNeural correlatesPsychiatric disordersBrain activitySocial difficultiesNeurophysiological dysfunctionPsychosisNeural characteristicsMultimodal representationsAcquisition paradigm
2024
Support vector machine prediction of individual Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores based on neural responses during live eye-to-eye contact
Zhang X, Noah J, Singh R, McPartland J, Hirsch J. Support vector machine prediction of individual Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores based on neural responses during live eye-to-eye contact. Scientific Reports 2024, 14: 3232. PMID: 38332184, PMCID: PMC10853508, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53942-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism Diagnostic Observation ScheduleAutism spectrum disorderAutism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scoresEye-to-eye contactSocial difficultiesNeural processesNeural responsesObservation ScheduleSymptoms of autism spectrum disorderBehavioural symptoms of autism spectrum disorderNeural activity patternsLive interaction paradigmTD groupSupport vector machineNeural mechanismsSymptom severityADOS scoresBehavioral symptomsSpectrum disorderASD diagnosisNeural dataActivity patternsAutismClassification methodMultivariate classification methods
2023
Separable processes for live “in-person” and live “zoom-like” faces
Zhao N, Zhang X, Noah J, Tiede M, Hirsch J. Separable processes for live “in-person” and live “zoom-like” faces. Imaging Neuroscience 2023, 1: imag-1-00027. PMID: 40799691, PMCID: PMC12007548, DOI: 10.1162/imag_a_00027.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDorsal parietal regionsFace conditionFace processingVisual streamInteractive faceReal facesSocial contextFace processing mechanismsEye-tracking measuresVentral visual streamDorsal visual streamBehavioral findingsTheta powerNeural activityHuman faceNeural codingSeparable processesFacial featuresBehavioral differencesPupil diameterFaceProcessingCurrent modelsFNIRSArousalThe PNPLA3 I148M variant increases ketogenesis and decreases hepatic de novo lipogenesis and mitochondrial function in humans
Luukkonen P, Porthan K, Ahlholm N, Rosqvist F, Dufour S, Zhang X, Lehtimäki T, Seppänen W, Orho-Melander M, Hodson L, Petersen K, Shulman G, Yki-Järvinen H. The PNPLA3 I148M variant increases ketogenesis and decreases hepatic de novo lipogenesis and mitochondrial function in humans. Cell Metabolism 2023, 35: 1887-1896.e5. PMID: 37909034, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.10.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDe novo lipogenesisHepatic de novo lipogenesisPlasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentrationsΒ-hydroxybutyrate concentrationsLiver diseaseNovo lipogenesisPNPLA3 I148M variantHepatic mitochondrial redox stateMajor genetic risk factorI148M variantFatty liver diseaseGenetic risk factorsHepatic mitochondrial dysfunctionKetogenic dietMixed mealRisk factorsHepatic metabolismHomozygous carriersM carriersMitochondrial dysfunctionCitrate synthase fluxM variantKetogenesisMitochondrial redox stateMitochondrial functionQuantification of inter-brain coupling: A review of current methods used in haemodynamic and electrophysiological hyperscanning studies
Hakim U, De Felice S, Pinti P, Zhang X, Noah J, Ono Y, Burgess P, Hamilton A, Hirsch J, Tachtsidis I. Quantification of inter-brain coupling: A review of current methods used in haemodynamic and electrophysiological hyperscanning studies. NeuroImage 2023, 280: 120354. PMID: 37666393, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120354.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInter-brain couplingHyperscanning studyFunctional magnetic resonanceBrain imaging modalitiesSocial neuroscienceCognitive mechanismsSocial anxietyBrain couplingCognitive researchSocial interactionHyperscanningMental healthDifferent modalitiesMagnetoencephalographyDevelopmental conditionsElectroencephalographyMore participantsParticipantsAutismNeuroscienceFNIRSAnxietyBrainModalitiesSchizophreniaNeural mechanisms for emotional contagion and spontaneous mimicry of live facial expressions
Hirsch J, Zhang X, Noah J, Bhattacharya A. Neural mechanisms for emotional contagion and spontaneous mimicry of live facial expressions. Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences 2023, 378: 20210472. PMID: 36871593, PMCID: PMC9985973, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0472.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmotional contagionFacial expressionsFacial mimicryNeural correlatesAffect ratingsDyadic partnersFace processing areasRatings of emotionDistinct neural componentsShort movie clipsTwo-person paradigmFacial action unitsSpontaneous mimicryNeural underpinningsEmotional experienceNeural mechanismsSupramarginal gyrusNatural facial expressionsAction unitsRest blocksMovie clipsSocial interactionFacial classificationMovie watchersDyadic roleInhibition of HSD17B13 protects against liver fibrosis by inhibition of pyrimidine catabolism in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Luukkonen P, Sakuma I, Gaspar R, Mooring M, Nasiri A, Kahn M, Zhang X, Zhang D, Sammalkorpi H, Penttilä A, Orho-Melander M, Arola J, Juuti A, Zhang X, Yimlamai D, Yki-Järvinen H, Petersen K, Shulman G. Inhibition of HSD17B13 protects against liver fibrosis by inhibition of pyrimidine catabolism in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2023, 120: e2217543120. PMID: 36669104, PMCID: PMC9942818, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217543120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseLiver fibrosisLiver diseaseCommon chronic liver diseaseChronic liver diseaseFatty liver diseaseRisk of fibrosisDistinct mouse modelsPyrimidine catabolismNonalcoholic steatohepatitisMouse modelTherapeutic targetFibrosisDihydropyrimidine dehydrogenaseHuman liverA variantCommon variantsMetabolomics approachDiseaseMiceInhibitionCatabolismKnockdownSteatohepatitisGimeracil
2022
Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder
Hirsch J, Zhang X, Noah J, Dravida S, Naples A, Tiede M, Wolf J, McPartland J. Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder. PLOS ONE 2022, 17: e0265798. PMID: 36350848, PMCID: PMC9645655, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265798.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAutism spectrum disorderDorsal parietal regionsNeural correlatesEye contactLive eyesNeural responsesSpectrum disorderAutism Diagnostic Observation ScheduleUnderlying neural correlatesSocial Responsiveness ScaleGold standard measureCentral diagnostic criterionDiagnostic criteriaDiagnostic biomarkersSRS-2ADOS-2Responsiveness ScaleObservation ScheduleParietal regionsPupillometry dataNeural systemsEyesNatural interactionDisordersCorrelatesActivation in Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Underlies Stuttering Anticipation
Jackson E, Dravida S, Zhang X, Noah J, Gracco V, Hirsch J. Activation in Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Underlies Stuttering Anticipation. Neurobiology Of Language 2022, 3: 469-494. PMID: 37216062, PMCID: PMC10158639, DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00073.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Neural Mechanisms for Social Interactions and Eye Contact in ASD
IRB ID1512016895RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date10/15/2026Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge3 months - 25 years