Modulation Of Brain Activity Research Articles

Daily high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (hf-tRNS) for sleep disturbances and cognitive dysfunction in patients with mild vascular cognitive impairments: A study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Poor sleep quality is increasingly considered to be an underlying cause of cerebrovascular diseases. This is a slowly progressing condition that gradually leads to vascular cognitive impairment and stroke during ageing. At present, randomized clinical trials examining the non-pharmacological therapies in the management of this comorbidity are very limited. Transcranial current stimulation (tCS) is a non-invasive technology for promoting cognitive function and treating brain disorders. As advanced modalities of tCS, transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), could deliver frequency-specific waveforms of currents that can modulate brain activities in a more specific manner. Chinese individuals between the ages of 60 and 90 years, who are right-handed and have mild vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) with sleep disturbances, will participate in a randomized study. They will undergo a 2-week intervention period where they will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: high-frequency (hf)-tRNS, 40 Hz tACS, or sham tCS. Each group will consist of 15 participants. Before the intervention, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data will be used to create a computational head model for each participant. This will help identify the treatment target of left inferior parietal lobe (IPL). Throughout the study, comprehensive assessments will be conducted at multiple time points, including baseline, 2nd week, 6th week, and 12th week. These assessments will evaluate various factors such as sleep quality, domain-specific cognitive performance, and actigraphic records. In addition, the participants' adherence to the program and any potential adverse effects will be closely monitored throughout the duration of the intervention. The primary objective of this study is to examine the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of hf-tRNS and 40 Hz tACS interventions targeting left IPL in individuals with mild vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) who experience sleep disturbances and cognitive dysfunction. Additionally, the study seeks to evaluate the program's adherence, tolerability, and any potential adverse effects associated with frequency-specific transcranial current stimulation (tCS). The findings from this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between oscillation, sleep, and cognition. Furthermore, the results will provide valuable insights to guide future investigations in the field of sleep medicine and neurodegenerative diseases. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06169254.

Theta oscillations in observers’ temporal cortex index postural instability of point-light displays

This study investigates whether postural equilibration follows the same principles of motor resonance as goal-oriented actions, namely, whether an individual activates the same neuronal substrates when experiencing postural perturbation as when observing another individual in this condition. To address this question, we examined electroencephalographic dynamics while subjects observed point-light displays featuring an unstable human display, a stable human display, and their respective scrambled counterparts lacking shape information and biological motion. We focused on theta band (4–7 Hz), which is a fundamental frequency for modulating brain activity during challenging balance tasks and reflects postural stability monitoring. Rather than mirroring activity, our findings suggest an inhibitory response to postural instability. Theta event-related synchronization in the left temporal cortex was dampened for the unstable display as compared to its scramble counterpart and to the stable display. This low theta response coincided with an increase in left temporal-prefrontal connectivity, compatible with top-down inhibitory mechanisms. By contrast, the stronger theta response to the stable display as compared to the unstable one could be due to the difficulty of recognizing low-motion biological stimuli, or alternatively, to a facilitation of stimulus processing and strengthening of the mirroring response. The response facilitation for stable posture, coupled with a diminished response to the unstable display, could contribute to a broader mechanism mitigating postural threats and ensuring stable balance. Future investigations should leverage these findings to explore how posture-related responses correlate with perceptual and motor expertise, and to more clearly define these mechanisms during dynamic social interactions.

Patients with temporomandibular disorders and chronic pain of myofascial origin display reduced alpha power density and altered small-world properties of brain networks

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is one of the most common symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Although its pathophysiology is still a challenge, TMD has been associated with changes in central nervous system activity related to pain modulatory capacity. OBJECTIVE: To assess the cortical activity of patients with temporomandibular disorders and chronic pain of myofascial origin using quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) in different mental states. METHOD: This study consists of a cross-sectional study. Individuals with TMD and chronic pain and healthy controls were evaluated using qEEG in four consecutive conditions, all with closed eyes: 1) initial resting condition; 2) non-painful motor imagery task of hand movement; 3) painful motor imagery task of clenching the teeth; 4) final resting condition. RESULTS: Participants with TMD and chronic pain overall presented decreased alpha power density during baseline at rest, non-painful and painful motor imagery tasks when compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, functional brain connectivity was distinct between groups, with TMD and chronic pain showing lower small-world values for the delta (all conditions), theta (painful and non-painful motor imagery task), and alpha bands (painful motor imagery task), and an increase in the beta band (all conditions). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TMD and chronic pain could be associated with maladaptive plasticity in the brain, which may correspond to a reduced ability to modify brain activity during different mental tasks, including painful and non-painful motor imagery.

The alterations of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the energy landscape of resting-state networks differ across the human cortex.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising intervention tool for the noninvasive modulation of brain activity and behavior in neuroscience research and clinical settings. However, the resting-state dynamic evolution of large-scale functional brain networks following rTMS has rarely been investigated. Here, using resting-state fMRI images collected from 23 healthy individuals before (baseline) and after 1 Hz rTMS of the left frontal (FRO) and occipital (OCC) lobes, we examined the different effects of rTMS on brain dynamics across the human cortex. By fitting a pairwise maximum entropy model (pMEM), we constructed an energy landscape for the baseline and poststimulus conditions by fitting a pMEM. We defined dominant brain states (local minima) in the energy landscape with synergistic activation and deactivation patterns of large-scale functional networks. We calculated state dynamics including appearance probability, transitions and duration. The results showed that 1 Hz rTMS induced increased and decreased state probability, transitions and duration when delivered to the FRO and OCC targets, respectively. Most importantly, the shortest path and minimum cost between dominant brain states were altered after stimulation. The absolute sum of the costs from the source states to the destinations was lower after OCC stimulation than after FRO stimulation. In conclusion, our study characterized the dynamic trajectory of state transitions in the energy landscape and suggested that local rTMS can induce significant dynamic perturbation involving stimulated and distant functional networks, which aligns with the modern view of the dynamic and complex brain. Our results suggest low-dimensional mapping of rTMS-induced brain adaption, which will contribute to a broader and more effective application of rTMS in clinical settings.

Modulation of Brain Activities in Healthy Individuals by Acupuncture at Quchi (LI11).

This research investigated the modulation of acupuncture at Quchi (LI11) on the brain activities in healthy individuals. Sub-bands power and EEG microstate analysis were carried out at pre-acupuncture, acupuncture, needle retaining and post-acupuncture periods in both the acupuncture group (n = 16) and control group (n = 18). Four microstate classes (A-D) were derived from the clustering procedure. Regression analysis was conducted, together with a two-way repeated measures ANOVA, which was then followed by Bonferroni correction. In the acupuncture group, we found the beta power during the acupuncture periods was significantly reduced. The channel-by-channel analysis revealed that acupuncture at LI11 mainly altered the power of delta, theta, and alpha waves in specific brain regions. The delta power increased predominantly in parietal, occipital, and central lobes, while theta and alpha power decreased predominantly in temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes. During the acupuncture period, participants in the acupuncture group showed a significant increase in both duration and contribution of microstate A, as well as the bidirectional transition probabilities A and B/D. Microstate analysis showed that acupuncture at LI11 significantly enhances the activity of microstate A and potentially strengthens the functional connectivity between the auditory network and either the visual network or the dorsal attention network. These correlational results indicate that acupuncture at LI11 mainly affects activities of the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes. These findings highlight the potential of microstate as neuroimaging evidence and a specific index for elucidating the neuromodulatory effects of acupuncture at LI11.

Mapping the electric field of high-definition transcranial electrical stimulation across the lifespan

Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is a non-invasive technique widely used in modulating brain activity and behavior, but its effects differ across individuals and are influenced by head anatomy. In this study, we investigated how the electric field (EF) generated by high-definition tES varies across the lifespan among different demographic groups and its relationship with neural responses measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We employed an MRI-guided finite element method to simulate the EF for the two most common tES montages (i.e., targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and motor cortex, respectively) in two large cohorts of white and Asian participants aged 12 to 100 years. We found that the EF intensity decreased with age, particularly in individuals under 25 years of age, and was influenced by gender and ethnicity. We identified skull thickness, scalp thickness, and epidural cerebrospinal fluid thickness, as the primary anatomical factors accounting for the inter-individual EF variability. Using a concurrent tES-fMRI approach, we observed a spatial consistency between the simulated EF and the brain activity changes induced by tES in the target region. Finally, we developed an open-source toolbox incorporating age-stratified head models to facilitate efficient EF calculations. These findings characterize and quantify the individual differences in tES-induced EF, offering a reference for implementing personalized neuromodulation strategies.

Improving working memory by electrical stimulation and cross-frequency coupling

Working memory (WM) is essential for the temporary storage and processing of information required for complex cognitive tasks and relies on neuronal theta and gamma oscillations. Given the limited capacity of WM, researchers have investigated various methods to improve it, including transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), which modulates brain activity at specific frequencies. One particularly promising approach is theta-gamma peak-coupled-tACS (TGCp-tACS), which simulates the natural interaction between theta and gamma oscillations that occurs during cognitive control in the brain. The aim of this study was to improve WM in healthy young adults with TGCp-tACS, focusing on both behavioral and neurophysiological outcomes. Thirty-one participants completed five WM tasks under both sham and verum stimulation conditions. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings before and after stimulation showed that TGCp-tACS increased power spectral density (PSD) in the high-gamma region at the stimulation site, while PSD decreased in the theta and delta regions throughout the cortex. From a behavioral perspective, although no significant changes were observed in most tasks, there was a significant improvement in accuracy in the 14-item Sternberg task, indicating an improvement in phonological WM. In conclusion, TGCp-tACS has the potential to promote and improve the phonological component of WM. To fully realize the cognitive benefits, further research is needed to refine the stimulation parameters and account for individual differences, such as baseline cognitive status and hormonal factors.

Unveiling the neural mechanisms of acute aerobic exercise on inhibitory control among young adults with obesity: Insights from an ERP study

Obesity has become a prominent public health concern worldwide and is associated with adverse cognitive function. Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, is known to benefit for weight loss and cognitive function. However, whether acute aerobic exercise could yield benefits to obese individuals and the precise brain mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. The study aimed to investigate whether acute aerobic exercise could improve inhibitory control among obese individuals and what neuroelectric mechanisms are implicated. A 3 (session: control, low-intensity exercise, moderate-intensity exercise) × 2 (congruency: congruent, incongruent) within-subject design was conducted. 18 obese young male adults underwent three sessions of 30-min interventions in a counterbalanced order seperated by five days: moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (MIE), low-intensity aerobic exercise (LIE) and a control session (a sedentary period of seated rest). The Flanker task and EEG recordings (N2 and P3 amplitude) were investigated following exercise and the control treatment. Results showed that the N2 amplitude following MIE was larger than the control session, whereas a larger N2 and reduced congruent P3 amplitude was observed following MIE than LIE. However, no main effect of the session was found for reaction time and accuracy, but a significant main effect of congruency was observed. These findings suggest acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may modulate brain activity through enhanced recruitment of attentional resources for cognitive control and conflict monitoring in adults with obesity.

From gut to brain: unveiling probiotic effects through a neuroimaging perspective-A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

The gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication network between the gastrointestinal system and the brain, significantly influences mental health and behavior. Probiotics, live microorganisms conferring health benefits, have garnered attention for their potential to modulate this axis. However, their effects on brain function through gut microbiota modulation remain controversial. This systematic review examines the effects of probiotics on brain activity and functioning, focusing on randomized controlled trials using both resting-state and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methodologies. Studies investigating probiotic effects on brain activity in healthy individuals and clinical populations (i.e., major depressive disorder and irritable bowel syndrome) were identified. In healthy individuals, task-based fMRI studies indicated that probiotics modulate brain activity related to emotional regulation and cognitive processing, particularly in high-order areas such as the amygdala, precuneus, and orbitofrontal cortex. Resting-state fMRI studies revealed changes in connectivity patterns, such as increased activation in the Salience Network and reduced activity in the Default Mode Network. In clinical populations, task-based fMRI studies showed that probiotics could normalize brain function in patients with major depressive disorder and irritable bowel syndrome. Resting-state fMRI studies further suggested improved connectivity in mood-regulating networks, specifically in the subcallosal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus. Despite promising findings, methodological variability and limited sample sizes emphasize the need for rigorous, longitudinal research to clarify the beneficial effects of probiotics on the gut-brain axis and mental health.

Tramadol Effects on Brain Activity During Cognitive and Emotional Empathy for Pain: A Randomized Controlled Study

Pain is perceived not only by personal experience but also vicariously. Pain empathy is the ability to share and understand other’s intentions and emotions in their painful conditions, which can be divided into cognitive and emotional empathy. It remains unclear how centrally acting analgesics would modulate brain activity related to pain empathy and which component of pain empathy would be altered by analgesics. In this study, we examined the effects of the analgesic tramadol on the brain activity for pain empathy in healthy adults. We used 2 tasks to assess brain activity for pain empathy. In experiment 1, we used a well-established picture-based pain empathy task involving passive observation of other’s pain. In experiment 2, we developed a novel pain empathy task to assess brain activity during cognitive and emotional empathy for pain separately in a single task. We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled within-subject crossover study with functional magnetic resonance imaging for 33 participants in experiment 1 and 31 participants in experiment 2, respectively. In experiment 1, we found that tramadol decreased activation in the supramarginal gyrus during observation of other's pain compared with placebo. Supramarginal gyrus activation correlated negatively with the thermal pain threshold. In experiment 2, we found that tramadol decreased activation in angular gyrus in cognitive empathy for pain compared with placebo but did not change brain activity in emotional empathy for pain. PerspectiveCentrally acting analgesics such as tramadol may have not only analgesic effects on self-experienced pain but also on the complex neural processing of pain empathy.

Brain-wide mapping of c-Fos expression in nitroglycerin-induced models of migraine

BackgroundMigraine is a neurological disorder characterized by complex, widespread, and sudden attacks with an unclear pathogenesis, particularly in chronic migraine (CM). Specific brain regions, including the insula, amygdala, thalamus, and cingulate, medial prefrontal, and anterior cingulate cortex, are commonly activated by pain stimuli in patients with CM and animal models. This study employs fluorescence microscopy optical sectioning tomography (fMOST) technology and AAV-PHP.eB whole-brain expression to map activation patterns of brain regions in CM mice, thus enhancing the understanding of CM pathogenesis and suggesting potential treatment targets.MethodsBy repeatedly administering nitroglycerin (NTG) to induce migraine-like pain in mice, a chronic migraine model (CMM) was established. Olcegepant (OLC) was then used as treatment and its effects on mechanical pain hypersensitivity and brain region activation were observed. All mice underwent mechanical withdrawal threshold, light-aversive, and elevated plus maze tests. Viral injections were administered to the mice one month prior to modelling, and brain samples were collected 2 h after the final NTG/vehicle control injection for whole-brain imaging using fMOST.ResultsIn the NTG-induced CMM, mechanical pain threshold decreased, photophobia, and anxiety-like behavior were observed, and OLC was found to improve these manifestations. fMOST whole-brain imaging results suggest that the isocortex-cerebral cortex plate region, including somatomotor areas (MO), somatosensory areas (SS), and main olfactory bulb (MOB), appears to be the most sensitive area of activation in CM (P < 0.05). Other brain regions such as the inferior colliculus (IC) and intermediate reticular nucleus (IRN) were also exhibited significant activation (P < 0.05). The improvement in migraine-like symptoms observed with OLC treatment may be related to its effects on these brain regions, particularly SS, MO, ansiform lobule (AN), IC, spinal nucleus of the trigeminal, caudal part (Sp5c), IRN, and parvicellular reticular nucleus (PARN) (P < 0.05).ConclusionsfMOST whole-brain imaging reveals c-Fos + cells in numerous brain regions. OLC improves migraine-like symptoms by modulating brain activity in some brain regions. This study demonstrates the activation of the specific brain areas in NTG-induced CMM and suggests some regions as a potential treatment mechanism according to OLC.Graphical

Neuromodulation using transcranial focused ultrasonography in neonates with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is the most common cause of neonatal encephalopathy, accounting for over half of all cases and the consequences of HIE can be devastating, making it one of the most severe perinatal complications. Therapeutic hypothermia has been shown to offer neuroprotection by reducing metabolic demand and slowing the cascade of injury processes. However, despite its benefits, therapeutic hypothermia has only modestly improved neurodevelopmental outcomes, indicating a major need for additional therapeutic approaches. Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is an emerging non-invasive brain stimulation technique for focally modulating specific brain regions that has recently drawn attention for its potential to modulate brain activity and promote neuroplasticity. The capacity of TUS to induce neuroplasticity through specific sonication parameters has been demonstrated in adult patients. Leveraging TUS to enhance functional connectivity and inhibit GABAergic systems within the injured thalami holds promise for inducing neuroplasticity in neonates with HIE. We hypothesize that enhancing thalamocortical functional connectivity and reducing local GABA levels through the use of TUS could potentially improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonates with HIE who have sustained thalamic injury and aim to test this hypothesis. Testing of the hypothesis will be conducted with a comprehensive assessment of safety and feasibility in neonates through a Phase I study, followed by further clinical studies to evaluate efficacy.

(Invited) Deep-Brain Imaging and Modulation with Carbon and Polymeric Nanomaterials

Optical approaches to image and modulate brain activity are limited in their penetration depth in live animals, owing to the strong scattering and absorption of photons in the visible spectrum. Carbon nanotubes and carbon-based polymers, in contrast, afford unique optical properties in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II window, 1000-1700 nm) with reduced scattering and absorption by the brain. In this talk, I will present my lab’s latest work on the imaging and modulation of brain activity with carbon nanotubes and carbon-based polymeric nanoparticles in the live mouse brain. Specifically, the NIR-II window enables through-scalp imaging of cerebrovasculature and modulation of deep-brain neural activity in freely behaving animals via a minimally invasive, implant-free, and tether-free optical interface. Our development of carbon- and polymer-based deep-brain imaging and neuromodulation has been published in Nature Photonics (2014), Nature Biomedical Engineering (2017), Nature Biomedical Engineering (2022), and ACS Nano (2023).

Brain correlates of attentional load processing reflect degree of bilingual engagement: Evidence from EEG

The present study uses electroencephalography (EEG) with an N-back task (0-, 1-, and 2-back) to investigate if and how individual bilingual experiences modulate brain activity and cognitive processes. The N-back is an especially appropriate task given recent proposals situating bilingual effects on neurocognition within the broader attentional control system (Bialystok and Craik, 2022). Beyond its working memory component, the N-Back task builds in complexity incrementally, progressively taxing the attentional system. EEG, behavioral and language/social background data were collected from 60 bilinguals. Two cognitive loads were calculated: low (1-back minus 0-back) and high (2-back minus 0-back). Behavioral performance and brain recruitment were modeled as a function of individual differences in bilingual engagement. We predicted task performance as modulated by bilingual engagement would reflect cognitive demands of increased complexity: slower reaction times and lower accuracy, and increase in theta, decrease in alpha and modulated N2/P3 amplitudes. The data show no modulation of the expected behavioral effects by degree of bilingual engagement. However, individual differences analyses reveal significant correlations between non-societal language use in Social contexts and alpha in the low cognitive load condition and age of acquisition of the L2/2L1 with theta in the high cognitive load. These findings lend some initial support to Bialystok and Craik (2022), showing how certain adaptations at the brain level take place in order to deal with the cognitive demands associated with variations in bilingual language experience and increases in attentional load. Furthermore, the present data highlight how these effects can play out differentially depending on cognitive testing/modalities – that is, effects were found at the TFR level but not behaviorally or in the ERPs, showing how the choice of analysis can be deterministic when investigating bilingual effects.

Brain Activity in Visual-Motor Illusions With Enhanced Joint Motion Intensity.

Background Visual-motor illusion (VMI) is a cognitive approach used to evoke kinesthetic sensations. Research suggests that VMI can modulate brain activity depending on the specific joint movement observed. This study aimed to identify differences in brain activity when observing video images of joint movements at different intensities of movement in VMI. Methodology The study included 14 healthy adult participants. Two types of video images were used: pure ankle dorsiflexion movements (Standard-VMI) and ankle dorsiflexion movements with added resistance (Power-VMI). The brain activity measurement protocol employed a block design with one set of 15 seconds rest, 30 seconds VMI task, and 30 seconds follow-up. Each participant performed the VMI task twice, alternating between Standard-VMI and Power-VMI. Brain activity was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, focusing on motor-related regions. Subjective impressions were assessed using visual analog scales (VAS) for kinesthetic illusions. Results The results revealed that Power-VMI stimulated significantly greater brain activity in the premotor and supplementary motor cortex, supramarginal gyrus, and superior parietal lobule compared with Standard-VMI. Power-VMI resulted in higher VAS values for kinesthetic illusion than Standard-VMI. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between brain activity in the superior parietal lobule and the degree of kinesthetic illusion. Conclusions These findings indicate that Power-VMI enhances both motor-related brain areas and motor-sensory illusions, potentially having a greater impact on improving motor function. This study provides valuable insights for developing VMI interventions for rehabilitation, particularly for individuals with paralysis or movement impairments.

Baseline brain volume predicts home-based transcranial direct current stimulation effects on inattention in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

BackgroundHome-based transcranial direct current stimulation (Hb-tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that utilizes low-intensity electric currents delivered via scalp electrodes to modulate brain activity. It holds significant promise for addressing inattention in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, its effectiveness varies among individuals, and predicting outcomes remains uncertain, partially due to the influence of individual differences in ADHD-related brain anatomy. MethodsWe analyzed data from a subsample, composed by twenty-nine adult patients with ADHD, of the Treatment of Inattention Symptoms in Adult Patients with ADHD (TUNED) trial. Fourteen patients underwent active anodal right cathodal left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) Hb-tDCS for 4 weeks and fifteen received sham-related tDCS intervention. Inattention outcome was evaluated at both baseline and endpoint (4th week). Baseline structural measures of the DLPFC, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and subcortical structures, previously associated with ADHD, were quantified. Several linear mixed models, with a three-way interaction between the fixed predictors brain volume or thickness, time, and treatment were calculated. Multiple comparison corrections were applied using the Benjamini-Hochberg method. ResultsBaseline volume of the left DLPFC regions middle frontal gyrus (t (25) = 3.33, p-adjusted = 0.045, Cohen's d = 1.33, 95% CI = [0.45, 2.19]), inferior frontal gyrus (orbital part) (t (25) = 3.10, p-adjusted = 0.045, Cohen's d = 1.24, 95% CI = [0.37, 2.08]), and of the left ACC supragenual (t (25) = 3.15, p-adjusted = 0.045, Cohen's d = 1.26, 95% CI = [0.39, 2.11]) presented significant association with the inattentive score improvement only in the active tDCS group. More specifically, the smaller these regions were, the more the symptoms improved following anodal right cathodal left DLPFC Hb-tDCS. ConclusionHb-tDCS was associated with greater improvement in brain areas related to attention regulation. Brain MRI can be potentially used to predict clinical response to tDCS in ADHD adults.

Understanding the Effect of Listening to Music, Playing Music, and Singing on Brain Function: A Scoping Review of fNIRS Studies.

Music is integrated into daily life when listening to it, playing it, and singing, uniquely modulating brain activity. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), celebrated for its ecological validity, has been used to elucidate this music-brain interaction. This scoping review synthesizes 22 empirical studies using fNIRS to explore the intricate relationship between music and brain function. This synthesis of existing evidence reveals that diverse musical activities, such as listening to music, singing, and playing instruments, evoke unique brain responses influenced by individual traits and musical attributes. A further analysis identifies five key themes, including the effect of passive and active music experiences on relevant human brain areas, lateralization in music perception, individual variations in neural responses, neural synchronization in musical performance, and new insights fNIRS has revealed in these lines of research. While this review highlights the limited focus on specific brain regions and the lack of comparative analyses between musicians and non-musicians, it emphasizes the need for future research to investigate the complex interplay between music and the human brain.

Mechanism of Action of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Pain Relief-A Systematic Review.

Background: Currently, no systematic evidence synthesis of the mechanism of action of mindfulness-based approaches exists for pain conditions. Aim: To identify and synthesize experimental and clinical studies examining aspects of the mechanism of action of mindfulness for pain relief. Methods: The following databases and search interfaces were searched: Embase (via Embase.com) and Medline (via PubMed). Additional references were identified via bibliographies of included studies. The following were the inclusion criteria applied: (1) original studies published in peer-reviewed journals, (2) in adult populations that (3) examined the mechanism of action of mindfulness meditation on pain outcomes or (4) provided conclusions regarding the potential mechanism of action of mindfulness meditation. The studies were selected by two independent reviewers. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion. Results: A total of 21 studies published in English met the inclusion criteria, of which 5 studies were clinical studies, which included patients with chronic pain, and 16 studies used experimental pain induction. The investigation into brain mechanisms through functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging revealed mindfulness meditation's ability to modulate brain activity, particularly in the anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, and orbitofrontal cortex, and to enhance structural and functional connectivity in regions associated with pain perception. Regarding the role of opioids, findings across five studies indicated that the analgesic effects of mindfulness are maintained even when opioid receptors are blocked, suggesting a nonopioidergic pathway for pain modulation. Pain perception studies highlighted that mindfulness practices foster pain acceptance and modify pain control beliefs, serving as key mediators in improving pain outcomes. For experienced versus novice mindfulness practitioners, results demonstrated that long-term practice enhances pain threshold and reduces pain unpleasantness through increased activity in salience and attentional control regions. Conclusion: This systematic review highlights mindfulness meditation as a multifaceted approach to pain management, utilizing mechanisms such as cognitive and emotional reappraisal, nonopioidergic pathways, and enhanced attention in control regions. It emphasizes the role of mindfulness in fostering pain acceptance and altering pain control perceptions, showcasing its broad impact on the neurological and experiential dimensions of pain. However, the predominance of studies on healthy subjects and methodological variations across experiments necessitates careful interpretation of the findings. The review calls for further research to explore the mechanisms of mindfulness in chronic pain populations more deeply, distinguishing the specific effects of mindfulness from nonspecific effects and expanding its applicability in clinical settings for chronic pain management.

Modulation of alpha oscillations by attention is predicted by hemispheric asymmetry of subcortical regions.

Evidence suggests that subcortical structures play a role in high-level cognitive functions such as the allocation of spatial attention. While there is abundant evidence in humans for posterior alpha band oscillations being modulated by spatial attention, little is known about how subcortical regions contribute to these oscillatory modulations, particularly under varying conditions of cognitive challenge. In this study, we combined MEG and structural MRI data to investigate the role of subcortical structures in controlling the allocation of attentional resources by employing a cued spatial attention paradigm with varying levels of perceptual load. We asked whether hemispheric lateralization of volumetric measures of the thalamus and basal ganglia predicted the hemispheric modulation of alpha-band power. Lateral asymmetry of the globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, and thalamus predicted attention-related modulations of posterior alpha oscillations. When the perceptual load was applied to the target and the distractor was salient caudate nucleus asymmetry predicted alpha-band modulations. Globus pallidus was predictive of alpha-band modulations when either the target had a high load, or the distractor was salient, but not both. Finally, the asymmetry of the thalamus predicted alpha band modulation when neither component of the task was perceptually demanding. In addition to delivering new insight into the subcortical circuity controlling alpha oscillations with spatial attention, our finding might also have clinical applications. We provide a framework that could be followed for detecting how structural changes in subcortical regions that are associated with neurological disorders can be reflected in the modulation of oscillatory brain activity.

Modulation of alpha oscillations by attention is predicted by hemispheric asymmetry of subcortical regions

Evidence suggests that subcortical structures play a role in high-level cognitive functions such as the allocation of spatial attention. While there is abundant evidence in humans for posterior alpha band oscillations being modulated by spatial attention, little is known about how subcortical regions contribute to these oscillatory modulations, particularly under varying conditions of cognitive challenge. In this study, we combined MEG and structural MRI data to investigate the role of subcortical structures in controlling the allocation of attentional resources by employing a cued spatial attention paradigm with varying levels of perceptual load. We asked whether hemispheric lateralization of volumetric measures of the thalamus and basal ganglia predicted the hemispheric modulation of alpha-band power. Lateral asymmetry of the globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, and thalamus predicted attention-related modulations of posterior alpha oscillations. When the perceptual load was applied to the target and the distractor was salient caudate nucleus asymmetry predicted alpha-band modulations. Globus pallidus was predictive of alpha-band modulations when either the target had a high load, or the distractor was salient, but not both. Finally, the asymmetry of the thalamus predicted alpha band modulation when neither component of the task was perceptually demanding. In addition to delivering new insight into the subcortical circuity controlling alpha oscillations with spatial attention, our finding might also have clinical applications. We provide a framework that could be followed for detecting how structural changes in subcortical regions that are associated with neurological disorders can be reflected in the modulation of oscillatory brain activity.