European Journal of Neuroscience最新文献

{"title":"Emergence of Deviance Detection in Cortical Cultures Through Maturation, Criticality, and Early Experience","authors":"Zhuo D. Zhang,&nbsp;Amit Yaron,&nbsp;Dai Akita,&nbsp;Tomoyo Isoguchi Shiramatsu,&nbsp;Zenas C. Chao,&nbsp;Hirokazu Takahashi","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70706","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70706","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mismatch negativity (MMN) in humans is widely interpreted as reflecting deviance detection (DD) within predictive processing frameworks. However, the developmental processes by which DD emerges and matures during early cortical development remain incompletely understood. Here, we longitudinally tracked the development of DD in dissociated cortical cultures grown on high-density CMOS microelectrode arrays from Day In Vitro (DIV) 10 to DIV30 (Study 1) and compared cultures with and without early structured stimulation at DIV31–35 (Study 2). Cultures were stimulated with oddball and many-standards control paradigms while spontaneous and evoked activity were recorded. In Study 1, stimulus-evoked responses at early stages were largely confined to fast components corresponding to direct stimulation effects. From DIV15 onward, robust late responses emerged, and deviant stimuli evoked stronger responses than frequent and control stimuli, marking the emergence of DD as defined in this study. By DIV30, responses became stronger, faster, and more temporally precise. Neuronal avalanche analysis revealed a transition from subcritical to near-critical dynamics across development. Cultures exhibiting power-law–like statistics showed larger DD indices, although DD was also observed in non-critical networks. These findings indicate that critical dynamics are not required for DD, but critical-like states are associated with more robust and differentiated DD responses as networks mature. In Study 2, both groups shifted toward power-law–like avalanche distributions, with no significant difference in their developmental trajectories. At DIV31–35, stimulated cultures had earlier peak responses and lower DD indices than controls, but these group differences were not significant. Together, these findings indicate that dissociated cortical cultures can exhibit DD under simplified in vitro conditions and that its developmental trajectory is associated with network maturation and self-organization toward critical-like dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70706","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insulin Enhances Nitroglycerin-Induced Hyperalgesia Through Insulin-Responsive Receptor Signalling Involving the Trigeminovascular System and Meningeal Mast Cells","authors":"Ibrahim Ethem Torun,&nbsp;Humeyra Celik,&nbsp;Erkan Kilinc,&nbsp;Muhammet Guzel Kurtoglu","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70705","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70705","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Migraine headache prevalence is lower in patients with diabetes, but the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. This study explored the influences of hyperglycemia, insulin and insulin receptor (IR)/insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R)–related signalling on migraine-related mechanisms in in vivo and ex vivo rat models. In in vivo experiments, migraine-relevant responses were induced by systemic injection of nitroglycerin (NTG), whereas hyperglycemia was induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The effects of hyperglycemia, insulin and the dual IR/IGF-1R inhibitor BMS-754807 were investigated. In ex vivo experiments, the effects of insulin and BMS on basal and capsaicin-induced calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) releases from migraine-associated tissues (peripheral meningeal afferents and trigeminal ganglion, and central brainstem trigeminal nucleus) were directly tested. Mechanical hyperalgesia was evaluated by von-Frey, CGRP and c-Fos levels by ELISA and meningeal mast cells by toluidine-blue staining. In in vivo NTG group, insulin further lowered the pain threshold and further enhanced CGRP and c-fos concentrations in trigeminal tissues and mast cell activation in the meninges. Hyperglycemia alone or in the NTG-treated group did not change these parameters. In ex vivo experiments, direct administration of insulin stimulated CGRP release in meningeal and trigeminal ganglion, but not trigeminal nucleus, tissues and further enhanced capsaicin-stimulated CGRP release, confirming the in vivo effects. The in vivo and ex vivo effects of insulin were reversed by BMS. Hyperglycemia did not modify the NTG-induced responses. However, insulin facilitates migraine-related responses by enhancing trigeminal CGRP signalling and meningeal mast cell activation through IR and/or IGF-1R-related signalling. Modulation of insulin-responsive IR/IGF-1R–related signalling within the trigeminovascular system may represent a potential target for future therapeutic strategies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149127013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chronic Postnatal Chemogenetic Activation of Forebrain Excitatory Neurons Modulates Astrocyte-Associated Function and Metabolism in Adult Male Mice","authors":"Amartya Pradhan,&nbsp;Sthitapranjya Pati,&nbsp;Kamal Saba,&nbsp;Pratik R. Chaudhari,&nbsp;Praachi Tiwari,&nbsp;Darshana Kapri,&nbsp;Angarika Balakrishnan,&nbsp;Anant B. Patel,&nbsp;Vidita A. Vaidya","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70702","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70702","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Early adversity increases vulnerability for adult psychopathology. Across multiple preclinical models of early adversity, there are reports of astrocyte dysfunction and disrupted amino acid neurotransmission, along with maladaptive behavioral responses in adulthood. Disrupted G protein-coupled receptor signaling is known to phenocopy specific consequences of early-life adversity. Enhanced Gq signaling in the forebrain excitatory neurons in early postnatal life programs anxio-depressive behaviors in adulthood, accompanied by altered neuronal glutamate and GABA metabolism in mouse models. We hypothesized that enhancing Gq signaling in forebrain excitatory neurons in early postnatal life may also impact astrocyte function in adulthood. Our results show that postnatal hM3Dq-mediated chemogenetic activation of CaMKIIα-positive forebrain excitatory neurons not only increases anxiety-like behavior but also evokes bidirectional transcriptional regulation of multiple astrocyte-associated genes in the neocortex and hippocampi. While <i>Gfap</i>, <i>Aldh1l1</i>, <i>Eaat1</i>, and <i>Eaat3</i> mRNA levels were reduced in the neocortex, they were enhanced in the hippocampus, and a similar pattern was noted for GFAP protein levels. Chronic postnatal chemogenetic activation of CaMKIIα-positive neurons did not alter astrocyte cell density in both the neocortex and the hippocampus. Using (¹H-(¹³C)) NMR spectroscopy, we observed a significant decline in astrocyte-specific glutamate and GABA neurotransmitter turnover, and a reduction in astrocyte metabolic flux within the neocortex and hippocampus in adulthood in animals with a history of postnatal chemogenetic activation of forebrain excitatory neurons. Our findings indicate that chemogenetically driving Gq signaling chronically during the postnatal window in forebrain excitatory neurons results in persistent changes well into adulthood, with enhanced anxiety-like behaviors and disrupted astrocyte function and metabolism, phenocopying specific changes in astrocyte function noted following early adversity.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149105942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dual-Task Interference Impairs the Acquisition of Standing Balance Skills","authors":"Ömer Burak Tor,&nbsp;Utku Berberoğlu,&nbsp;Serdar Demirci","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70699","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70699","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Cortical areas, including the primary motor cortex (M1), are engaged during motor learning; however, their role in acquiring balance skills remains uncertain. By incorporating a concurrent cognitive task that demands attentional and cortical resources, this study investigated whether early balance learning depends on cortical engagement. Twenty-five healthy young adults were divided into a control group (<i>n</i> = 13; four males; age: 21.38 ± 1.98 years) and a dual-task group (<i>n</i> = 12; three males; age: 21.91 ± 2.11 years). Both groups underwent a balance training session consisting of five sets of three 40-s trials on a balance board. The dual-task group counted backward by threes from a random number during training. Throughout the training, the tilt angle of the balance board was recorded in both the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions using an accelerometer mounted on it. Balance performance was quantified using the tilt angle, standard deviation of the tilt angle, and the tilt-angle speed. Balance improved in both groups, as shown by significant reductions in standard deviation of the tilt angle in both directions, and tilt angle and tilt speed were reduced across both groups in ML. Conversely, only the control group demonstrated significant improvement in AP tilt speed between the first and third, second and third, and first and fifth sets (<i>t</i> = 3.7, <i>p</i> = 0.003, <i>d</i> = 1.45; <i>t</i> = 2.8, <i>p</i> = 0.044, <i>d</i> = 1.11; <i>t</i> = 3.2, <i>p</i> = 0.016, <i>d</i> = 1.26, respectively). Furthermore, the control group showed a significantly lower tilt speed than the dual-task group in the third set (<i>t</i> = 2.1, <i>p</i> = 0.044, <i>d</i> = 0.92). In conclusion, the present findings suggest that performing cognitive tasks concurrently with balance training may disrupt the acquisition of balance skills. This disruption cannot be attributed solely to increased cognitive demands but also to heightened attentional demands, which cause competition for shared cortical resources and potential interference with balance learning. These findings highlight the role of cortical structures in early balance learning and could inform future studies aimed at optimizing rehabilitation training protocols.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to ‘Beyond Bulk: Cell-Type-Resolved Epigenomics as the Path Forward in Alzheimer's Disease Research’","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70696","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70696","url":null,"abstract":"<p>\u0000 <span>Cañizares-Moscato, L.</span>, <span>J. Ruiz-Iglesias</span>, <span>J. Isoler-Alcaraz</span>, and <span>E. Palomer</span>. <span>2026</span>. <span>Beyond Bulk: Cell-Type-Resolved Epigenomics as the Path Forward in Alzheimer's Disease Research</span>. <i>European Journal of Neuroscience</i> <span>64</span>, no. <span>5</span>: e70683. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70683.\u0000 </p><p>The paper by Cañizares-Moscato et al. (2026) should have been published as a Trailblazer article, and the author photograph and interview were inadvertently omitted. The original article has now been updated to include these.</p><p>We apologize for this error.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70696","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149105939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Posttraining Dorsal Premotor cTBS and Devaluation-Based Action Control: No Detectable Difference From Vertex Stimulation","authors":"Guillermo Mejías Martínez,&nbsp;Ignacio Obeso Martín","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70703","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70703","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The neural basis of recently learned stimulus–response associations involves interactions between premotor, supplementary motor, sensorimotor, and striatal regions, but the causal contribution of premotor cortex to their posttraining expression remains unclear. Thirty-five right-handed volunteers learned six stimulus–response–outcome mappings in a single experimental session. Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) was then delivered over a right dorsal premotor target or a vertex active-control site before participants completed outcome-devaluation, slips-of-action, and baseline tests. The primary behavioral analyses showed no detectable group differences in reaction time or response accuracy during the outcome-devaluation or slips-of-action tests. Baseline performance was also comparable between groups, providing no evidence that stimulation affected retention of the recently learned mappings. Under the present limited-training protocol, posttraining cTBS over the right dorsal premotor target did not produce detectable behavioral differences relative to vertex cTBS. However, given the modest between-subject sample, the variability of devaluation-based measures, and the possibility that vertex stimulation affected adjacent medial motor regions, smaller or shared stimulation effects cannot be excluded.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic Phase Synchrony in Cortical Networks Underlying Conscious Awareness of Flicker","authors":"Yusuke Uchiyama,&nbsp;Toshimitsu Takahashi,&nbsp;Kensaku Nomoto,&nbsp;Soichiro Fujiki,&nbsp;Teruyuki Fukushima,&nbsp;Narumi Katsuyama,&nbsp;Toshihiro Kawase,&nbsp;Satoko Koganemaru,&nbsp;Kenji Kansaku","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70704","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70704","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Flickering light sources, such as fluorescent lamps, evoke neural oscillations in the occipital cortex aligning with the flicker frequency; however, this flicker often remains outside conscious awareness. This discrepancy suggests neural mechanisms gating flicker perception. While functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have indicated the involvement of large-scale frontal and parietal networks in conscious flicker perception, their low temporal resolution limits insights into the underlying dynamic interactions. Using electroencephalography and physically identical stimuli near the critical flicker-fusion frequency, we investigated the temporal dynamics of phase synchrony and power distribution. Flicker perception was characterized by an early increase in higher beta-band (19–28 Hz) synchrony, followed by an increase in gamma-band (29–48 Hz) synchrony between fronto-parietal and parieto-occipital regions at approximately 300 ms post-stimulus. This was accompanied by a global expansion of gamma-band power from occipital to fronto-parietal areas—effects not observed during fused perception. Conversely, alpha-band (8–14 Hz) synchrony between anterior and posterior regions showed a more pronounced reduction specifically during fusion. These findings suggest that frequency-specific coordination and global information sharing across large-scale networks may underlie conscious flicker perception. The emergence of broad gamma-band synchrony at around 300 ms may reflect the integration of local sensory signals into distributed cortical networks. Early beta-band synchrony may facilitate the initiation of this process through top-down modulation, whereas attenuated alpha-band synchrony during fusion may reflect insufficient engagement of these networks. Such dynamic interplay within distributed networks is suggested to be involved in shaping the temporal resolution of visual awareness.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TMS-Derived Neurophysiological Measures of Corticospinal Excitability, Intracortical Excitability, and Interhemispheric Interactions Associated With Post-Stroke Motor Recovery: A Systematic Review","authors":"Gabrielly Santos Pereira,&nbsp;Marcelo Lourenço da Silva,&nbsp;Abrahão Fontes Baptista,&nbsp;João Eduardo de Araujo","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70698","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70698","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Motor recovery after stroke is associated with changes in corticospinal integrity, intracortical excitability, and interhemispheric interactions. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) provides neurophysiological measures of these processes, but their relationship with motor recovery across randomized controlled trials remains uncertain. This systematic review synthesized evidence from randomized controlled trials investigating TMS-derived neurophysiological measures associated with motor recovery following TMS-based neuromodulation after stroke. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase were searched for studies published between January 1, 2016, and July 10, 2026. Eligible trials enrolled adults with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, assessed at least one TMS-derived neurophysiological measure, and reported a motor or functional outcome. Study selection followed PRISMA 2020, risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE. Owing to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively. The search identified 1441 records; after removal of 519 duplicates, 922 records were screened, 55 full-text reports were assessed, and 16 randomized controlled trials were included. Motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude, MEP status, and resting motor threshold were the most frequently reported measures. Several trials found that changes in corticospinal excitability accompanied improvements in upper-limb function, activities of daily living, gait, or balance. One trial found greater motor gains among participants with preserved baseline MEPs; however, the contemporary randomized-trial evidence is insufficient to establish MEP status as a predictor of differential response to neuromodulation. In contrast, short-interval intracortical inhibition, cortical silent period, and interhemispheric inhibition were assessed in very few trials, whereas intracortical facilitation was not directly evaluated in any eligible RCT. Most studies raised some risk-of-bias concerns, and one study had high overall risk. Certainty was moderate for clinical motor recovery, low for MEP- and motor-threshold-based measures, and very low for intracortical and interhemispheric measures. Overall, MEP-derived measures and resting motor threshold were the most frequently reported neurophysiological domains, whereas baseline MEP status was evaluated in only one stratified trial. Standardized TMS protocols are needed to clarify their monitoring, prognostic, and treatment-response value.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13634656/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advances and Applications in Population Voltage Imaging","authors":"Matthijs Dorst,&nbsp;Janos Fuzik,&nbsp;Christiane Grimm,&nbsp;Madhuvanthi Kannan,&nbsp;Kieran McCluskey,&nbsp;Livija Šarauskytė,&nbsp;Gréta Martina Szücs","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70697","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70697","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This brief review summarizes the most recent progress in in vivo voltage imaging in the neurosciences, as an extension to the work presented at the voltage imaging session of the 2025 FENS regional meeting in Oslo. First, we outline the latest advances in genetically encoded voltage indicators. Next, we examine technical innovations that have reshaped imaging platforms and lay the groundwork to investigate neural activity in real time across large fields of view and in deep tissue. Finally, we highlight a selection of compelling applications that have emerged over the past 5 years, illustrating how voltage imaging evolved from a proof of concept to being deployed to answer pending neuroscientific questions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149105956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stretch-Induced Muscle Responses Under Threat Versus Safety","authors":"Yvonne F. Visser,&nbsp;Bob Bramson,&nbsp;W. Pieter Medendorp,&nbsp;Karin Roelofs,&nbsp;Luc P. J. Selen","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70693","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70693","url":null,"abstract":"<p>When in a stressful situation, making fast and accurate decisions is crucial. Previous work has shown that sensorimotor decisions can improve under threat. However, it is unclear if these improvements are achieved by improvements in perceptual or motor performance. Here, we present two hypotheses for how threat might influence motor preparation and use muscular stretch reflexes to test both. The task-unspecific hypothesis predicts that threat promotes motor preparation irrespective of the reach target, through tonic upregulation of the short latency stretch reflex. In contrast, the task-specific hypothesis predicts that threat increases sensory processing for a specific reach target, leading to direction-selective up- and down-regulation of the long latency stretch reflex. Participants were asked to reach to one of two targets that appeared shortly before a perturbation eliciting a stretch reflex; they performed this task either under threat of an electric shock or under safe circumstances. Skin conductance and heart rate results show that the threat manipulation significantly increased sympathetic activation, but not parasympathetic activation. Supporting the task-specific hypothesis, the EMG findings demonstrate a direction-selective modulation of the long-latency response of stretch reflexes, starting ~100 ms after perturbation onset. Our results suggest that stress affects action preparation through upregulation of cortical visuomotor circuits.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"64 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13631406/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}