Though schizophrenia is associated with disturbances in processing auditory and visual stimuli, it is unclear whether these anomalies reflect a shared abnormality in neural functions or modality-specific sensory impairments. It is also unclear to what degree these anomalies are associated with psychotic symptomatology or genetic risk for schizophrenia. We examined electrophysiological responses during auditory and visual target-detection tasks in probands with schizophrenia (SCZ, n = 107) and bipolar disorder (n = 62), first-degree biological relatives of SCZ (n = 62), and controls (n = 85). Principal components analyses of event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to evaluate (a) the covariation of ERPs across sensory modalities, (b) relationships with clinical and cognitive symptoms, and (c) associations with polygenic risk for schizophrenia. The covariance structure among ERPs for auditory and visual stimuli in controls revealed early, midlatency, and late components that were associated across sensory modalities. In SCZ, this covariation was disrupted with only midlatency components consistently covarying across modalities. SCZ also showed reduced ERP amplitudes across stages of visual processing and in late auditory processing. Reduced early and midlatency visual ERP components were associated with psychotic symptoms and polygenic risk, whereas reduced late auditory components were associated with lower cognitive performance. Neural responses reflecting separable stages of processing sensory stimuli covary across visual and auditory modalities. In schizophrenia, early sensory and late neural responses are independently disrupted within auditory and visual modalities, whereas reductions in midlatency neural responses are shared across modalities. Targeting midlatency neural responses may be advantageous in generalizing beneficial treatment effects across sensory modalities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Bubble dynamic control and potential applications based on wettability.

Examining excitation-inhibition modulation during social processing using functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

This study examined hospital preparedness and radiation risk perception among nurses in Iran, uniquely applying the Transtheoretical Model to identify behavioral predictors of emergency readiness. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 152 health care workers in three teaching hospitals. Four validated tools assessed hospital preparedness, knowledge, risk perception, and stages of change. Linear regression identified predictors of behavioral progression. While the hospital equipment domain scored highest (mean 18.3/21), the education domain scored lowest (mean 2.3/4). Notably, 85.5% of nurses remained in the passive stages of change, with only moderate levels of risk perception. Cognitive (β = 0.937) and behavioral processes (β = 0.763) strongly predicted stage advancement, extending previous findings on behavioral determinants of disaster preparedness. This study suggests that psychological readiness may play an important role in radiation emergency preparedness. Stimulus control and reinforcement management represent critical behavioral targets that are often overlooked in traditional training. Policymakers should consider shifting from awareness-only approaches to stage-matched, behaviorally driven interventions that address nurses' emotional barriers and support sustained readiness.

ABSTRACT Service research faces a temporal paradox: the futures most needing investigation often emerge faster than the methods available to study them. A central constraint is methodological lag, reflected in the limited capacity to create controlled variation in rapidly evolving service contexts. This paper treats Generative AI (GenAI) as a governed infrastructure for stimulus design in causal service research. It introduces CAUSAL (Conceptualize, Align, Utilize, Scrutinize, Assure, Legitimize), a six-phase protocol specifying how GenAI can responsibly generate, verify, and disclose research stimuli under controlled variation. CAUSAL distinguishes two pathways aligned with causal identification logic. In experimental designs, GenAI supports identification by generating parameterized, multimodal stimuli that vary only in focal elements while minimizing and empirically assessing non-focal variation. In quasi-experimental and observational designs, GenAI supports measurement and stimulus standardization, reducing noise without creating identification, which remains a function of research design and random assignment. The paper integrates GenAI into stimulus design while preserving the distinction between stimulus control and causal identification. The protocol provides actionable guidance, reporting standards, and decision rules that lower barriers to multimodal stimulus construction. Finally, the paper clarifies the inferential boundaries of anticipatory service research, identifying when stimulus sophistication enhances behavioral realism and when it amplifies speculative responding.

Cerebral glucose utilisation during musical emotions: A multimodal functional PET/MRI study.

Introduction Gamma entrainment using sensory stimuli (GENUS) uses 40Hz-pulsed sensory stimuli to entrain neural activity in the gamma band (30-150Hz). However, the effect of GENUS on low-frequency vascular oscillations has not been fully explored. Objectives The objective of this study is to elucidate the effect of GENUS on vasomotion in healthy mice and potential confounds for future application in disease studies. Methods Head-fixed, awake C57Bl/6 mice (n=18; 9M 9F) aged between 18 to 60 weeks were subjected to white light of either 40Hz visual flicker (GENUS), or constant stimulus (control). Blood flow was imaged using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) before, during, immediately after 1 hour of stimulus, and 30min after the stimulus termination. Results A linear mixed-effects model showed that GENUS enhanced the magnitude of 0.2-0.4Hz blood flow oscillations by 38% during stimulation and by 30% at 30 minutes after stimulation compared to control when controlled for age, sex, and other factors. The effect on vasomotion was distributed across many cortical regions not limited to visual areas and lasted beyond 24 hours post-stimulus. Conclusion These results support the exploration of GENUS for increasing vasomotion in therapeutic contexts.

Exercise reshapes gut microbiota function to enhance cancer therapy.

Hyper-palatable foods (HPF) contain pairs of ingredients (e.g., fat and sodium) at thresholds not found in nature. The ingredient pairs in hyper-palatable foods are hypothesized to drive their reinforcing properties; however, this premise has not been tested using abuse liability assessment methodology. This proof-of-concept pilot used an acute dose-effects paradigm to evaluate the reinforcing effects of full-dose hyper-palatable foods (potato chips) versus negative control and modified-dose stimuli. This within-subjects, double-blind, crossover-design study was conducted with N = 20 participants in a laboratory setting. Food stimuli consisted of regular potato chips; a negative control low in fat, sodium, and carbohydrates (Jicama vegetable chip, baked); and modified-dose potato chips (either no fat or no sodium). In each of four sessions, participants completed an acute subjective effects test, a food purchase task to evaluate demand elasticity for each chip condition (sensitivity to escalating prices), and a self-administration task, which characterized break point, the highest level at which participants worked to self-administer chips with escalating response requirements. Full-dose chips were rated significantly higher on liking, wanting, craving, and willingness to eat again, versus negative control (p = .011-.0001). Participants exhibited lower demand elasticity for the full-dose chips (p < .0001), and higher break point (p < .0001), suggesting they valued full-dose chips more as reinforcers versus negative control. A similar pattern was observed for the modified-dose chips versus negative control, with smaller differences. Findings overall indicated dose-response effects across the stimuli, supporting the premise that abuse liability assessment methodology can be applied to test the addictive properties of hyper-palatable foods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

BackgroundInsomnia during pregnancy is a modifiable risk factor for depression. Research in nonpregnant populations and preliminary findings in a pregnant population suggest that targeting insomnia with digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) may prevent depression.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy of digital CBT-I for the prevention of depression through 12 months post partum compared to that of a credible, clinically relevant comparator intervention, sleep hygiene education (SHE). This project will also provide valuable information about how and for whom CBT-I prevents perinatal depression.MethodsThe Perinatal Research for Improving Sleep and Mental Health study is a fully remote, 2-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial designed to test the superiority of digital CBT-I versus SHE for the prevention of perinatal depression. We aimed to randomize a target sample of at least 443 pregnant participants with insomnia disorder to digital CBT-I or SHE at a 1:1 ratio. Participants randomized to digital CBT-I received SleepioRx (Big Health, Inc), which uses sleep consolidation, stimulus control, cognitive therapy, relaxation techniques, and SHE in 6 interactive modules (5‐15 min each). Participants randomized to SHE received information about sleep hygiene, the impact of sleep on performance, healthy sleep habits, lifestyle influences on sleep, and creating a sleep-friendly bedroom in 6 weekly digital handouts. Data are collected at baseline, 5 weeks after randomization, 10 weeks after randomization, 36 weeks’ gestation, and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post partum. The primary outcome is depression incidence, measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [Fifth Edition]) Disorders, Research Version. Other outcome measures include the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and a birth outcomes questionnaire. Mediator measures include the Insomnia Severity Index, Consensus Sleep Diary, Structured Clinical Interview for Sleep Disorders, Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire, Dysfunctional Beliefs about Sleep Scale, Pre-sleep Arousal Scale, and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation-Short Form.ResultsData collection began in November 2022 and is projected to end in December 2026.ConclusionsIf study hypotheses are supported, then this project will provide a new, scalable approach for preventing perinatal depression.

Attentional bias toward emotional and cigarette cues: Insights from a computer mouse-tracking task in adults who smoke and adults who do not smoke.

Understanding how the brain transforms sensory input and internal state into coordinated action requires behavioral paradigms that provide precise, multimodal measurements of movement and arousal while remaining compatible with neural recording techniques. Here we present a modular behavioral platform that enables stimulus-evoked locomotion in head-fixed mice using a transparent running wheel combined with air-stream stimulation. The design provides direct ventral access for imaging paw movements while simultaneously capturing body kinematics, facial motion, and eye-related signals from multiple camera views. The system integrates Arduino-based stimulus control, rotary encoder measurements, Raspberry Pi-based videography, and LED-based visual markers for event-level alignment across independently acquired data streams. Using a proof-of-principle dataset from well-trained animals, we show that brief air delivery reliably induces structured locomotion with reproducible trial timing. Optical-flow-based motion metrics and DeepLabCut pose estimation reveal robust, stimulus-locked increases in paw, limb, and facial movements during air-on epochs relative to air-off periods. LED-based event markers enable consistent event-level identification of air-on and air-off epochs across video streams despite differences in sampling rates. Together, these features provide a flexible framework for studying stimulus-driven locomotion and multi-view behavioral dynamics under head fixation, with straightforward compatibility for integration with neural imaging and electrophysiology recording approaches.

In this study, we investigated the impact of tempi variations (60, 100, 120, and 150 beats per minute) and major and minor modes on the perceived emotional content of music. To explore this, we created eight versions of five original compositions, resulting in 40 musical stimuli. Control stimuli included variants of white, brown, and pink noise, as well as six human voice recordings. A total of 1280 participants took part in an online survey. Participants were diverse, comprising 262 musicians (defined as individuals with over six years of instrument-playing experience who identified as amateur, semi-professional, or professional). Participants were asked to rate the perceived emotional content of the stimuli, using the second-order factors of the GEMS-9 framework: ‘sublimity’, ‘unease’, and ‘vitality’. We employed a mixed between-within-subjects analysis of variance to analyse the data. Specifically examining the influence of the four tempi, the two modes, while controlling for musicianship, gender, age, and education level. Results showed that as tempi increased, compositions were consistently rated as less sublimity and more vitality, in both major and minor modes. A higher tempi in the major mode resulted in lower ratings of uneasiness. There were also several significant findings for musicianship, gender, and education level, although these mostly had small effect sizes. For age groups, there were two substantial differences between the groups with larger effect sizes. Overall, our findings suggest that tempi and mode significantly influence how compositions are rated for sublimity, unease, and vitality, as they interact.

Abstract Introduction Insomnia contributes to the development and course of suicidal thought and behavior and is a component in some suicide prevention programming. One such multicomponent intervention is Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (BCBT). BCBT is a 10-12 session suicide prevention intervention that incorporates a sleep module consisting of stimulus control and sleep hygiene into the behavioral elements of its protocol. Our team recently undertook a study to identify BCBT’s most potent components and whether the sequencing of behavioral or cognitive facets of treatment impacted treatment outcomes. Methods Veterans with recent suicidal ideation (SI) or behavior (N = 49) were enrolled in a pilot study that utilized a randomized counterbalance design. All participants received BCBT and were randomized (balanced on sex and history of suicide attempts) to receive one of two sequences: Behavioral before Cognitive (Beh+Cog) or Cognitive before Behavioral (Cog+Beh). To maintain participant safety, in all instances of treatment, the first module consisted of suicide risk assessment, crisis response planning, and means safety counseling. Participants completed weekly assessments prior to each intervention session, collecting data on suicidal thought and behavior, insomnia severity, and depression. Results A piecewise regression was used to examine changes in insomnia, suicidal ideation, suicide cognitions, and depressive symptomatology across groups. The introduction of behavioral components first was associated with more rapid decreases in insomnia severity (Est=-9.93, SE=6.09, p=.027) and SI (Est=11.55, SE=4.93, p=.018) compared to the Cog+Beh group. Severity of depression and suicide cognitions were observed to significantly decrease for both groups in sessions 1-5, but between group differences were not observed. Conclusion Preliminary findings from this ongoing trial suggest that participants that who receive behavioral treatment components first (including stimulus control) report more rapid reductions in both insomnia severity and SI. Findings support a growing literature highlighting the importance of addressing insomnia as part of a broader suicide prevention strategy. Support (if any) This work was supported, in part, by the Innovations Hub, Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VHA Office of Suicide Prevention. Authors’ views do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Abstract Introduction Insomnia is a common sleep disorder with multifactorial origins. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) is the first-line treatment, yet adherence remains challenging. Physical activity may enhance engagement and outcomes. This study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary results of a multidisciplinary program integrating CBTi with home-based resistance exercise (RE). Methods Between April–October 2025, 77 participants (mean age 58.6 ± 12.9 years; 71.4% female) at Samsung Medical Center were randomized to CBTi + RE, CBTi only, or RE only. The CBTi program comprised four structured sessions over 1.5–2 months, including cognitive restructuring, anxiety reduction, and behavioral techniques (stimulus control, sleep restriction, relaxation, sleep hygiene). The RE program spanned 9 months in three phases, each with outpatient evaluations, remote guidance, and video-based progressive resistance training with stretching. Participants tracked progress via sleep and exercise diaries. Results Completion rates were highest in CBTi + RE (55%), followed by CBTi (53%) and RE (47%). Dropout was lowest in the integrated group (10%) compared to CBTi (42%) and RE (26%). While no participants in single-modality groups remained active, 29% of the integrated group continued participation. Because CBTi ended within 2.5 months and RE extended over 9 months, direct comparisons between CBTi + RE and CBTi alone were limited. Preliminary findings showed significant improvements in sleep efficiency (actigraphy/diaries), rising from 78.27 ± 11.08% to 86.24 ± 6.74% (t = 2.51, p = 0.023). PSQI scores improved significantly (t = –4.46, p &amp;lt; 0.001), while ISI scores showed a non-significant reduction (t = –1.62, p = 0.126). Chair stand performance (30 sec) improved from 22.67 ± 5.28 to 26.33 ± 7.05 (t = 3.39, p = 0.006), indicating enhanced lower-body endurance. Conclusion The integrated CBTi + RE program demonstrated higher retention and completion rates than single-modality interventions, with significant gains in sleep quality and physical function. A combined cognitive-behavioral and physical approach may improve adherence and outcomes in insomnia treatment. Further results are expected upon completion of the 9-month RE schedule, particularly regarding sleep and mood. Support (if any)

Psychophysiological Evidence of Mental Imagery-Based Fear Conditioning in Individuals With Social Anxiety.

Augmented Reality can induce illusory perceptions of heat when users experience virtual flames rendered on their hands. In this exploratory study, we used high-density electroencephalography to investigate the neural correlates associated with this experience. We recorded neural activity in a within-subjects design during three key audiovisual conditions: (A) lifelike virtual flames on the hand paired with a burning sound; (B) a non-fire-like control stimulus (green, downward-flowing visuals with a synthetic sound) on the hand; and (C) realistic flames presented between the hands. Our preliminary analyses revealed distinct electroencephalography signatures between the Fire-on-Hand condition and both control conditions. Our findings suggest that AR-induced thermal illusions may engage brain networks involved in somatosensation, multisensory body representation, and spatial attention. This top-down, predictive mechanism appears to recruit neural systems that overlap with those involved in the higher-order cortical processing of actual thermal stimuli.

The P100/P100m component of auditory event-related potentials/fields is considered a potential biomarker of atypical arousal and language difficulties in children with ASD. When elicited by complex speech-like sounds with regular temporal or frequency structure, P100/P100m may be influenced by sustained negativity (SN), which can reduce its amplitude due to opposing current polarity and contribute to ASD-related differences. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we examined P100m responses to acoustic regularities in the left and right auditory cortices in 35 ASD and 39 TD boys (7-12 years). Stimuli included (1) temporally and spectrally regular sounds (periodic vowels), (2) temporally regular sounds (periodic non-vowels), (3) spectrally regular sounds (non-periodic vowels), as well as (4) non-regular control stimuli (non-periodic, non-vowels). P100m was estimated using distributed source localization. Both groups showed decreased P100m amplitude and latency with acoustic regularities, accompanied by proportional SN increases, suggesting P100m modulation primarily reflects early SN enhancement. No group differences were observed in P100m latency or amplitude, and their modulation by stimulus type was also normal in ASD, indicating spared processing of acoustic regularities in the P100m time range. However, P100m latencies variability was increased in boys with ASD, and their left P100m amplitudes to both non-regular and regular sounds were negatively associated with cumulative language and intellectual abilities. These findings suggest that while most children with ASD show typical P100m responses, individual variations in P100m amplitude may reflect neurodevelopmental differences in cortical maturation and/or sensory habituation processes that contribute to the heterogeneity of cognitive and language abilities in ASD.

Face-like holistic processing in non-face stimuli.

Visual spatial attention deployed in advance of sensory stimulation enhances the processing of the stimuli at an attended location. While it is understood that the attention control signals are established even before the stimulus occurs, how these signals help achieve stimulus selection is still not clear. Here, we investigated the neural mechanisms of spatial attention control and subsequent stimulus selection by recording fMRI data from participants performing a cued visual spatial attention task. At the beginning of each trial, participants were cued to covertly attend either the left or the right visual field. Following a random cue-target period, a target stimulus appeared either at the attended location or at the unattended location. Participants discriminated the stimulus appearing at the attended location and ignored the stimulus appearing at the unattended location. Using MVPA decoding and multivariate functional connectivity techniques, we investigated the nature of the information in visual cortex during both the cue and target periods, and further probed how cue-related information was related to target-related sensory processing. The following results were found: (1) attend-left vs. attend-right conditions could be decoded from the cue-period neural activity in visual cortex, (2) target position (target-left vs. target-right) could also be decoded from the target-evoked activity in visual cortex, (3) classifiers built on cue-period neural activity could cross-decode attended target-evoked neural activity in visual cortex and vice versa, (4) higher pattern similarity across cue and target periods, as indexed by cross-decoding accuracy, was correlated with better behavioral performance, (5) the strength of cue-evoked multivariate functional connectivity patterns in visual cortex was positively correlated with behavioral performance, and (6) cue-evoked multivariate functional connectivity patterns were similar to those evoked by the attended targets, and higher connectivity pattern similarity across cue and target periods was correlated with better behavioral performance. These results suggest that top-down attention control enables the formation of (1) a spatial attention template at the level of individual visual cortical areas and (2) an attention network template across visual areas, and these neural patterns support stimulus selection likely via a template matching mechanism at both area and pathway levels.