European Journal of Neuroscience最新文献

{"title":"miR-17-5p Regulates Astrocyte Activation Through Targeting Mfn2 to Improve Nerve Function in Rats With Spinal Cord Injury","authors":"Yan Zhao,&nbsp;Huawei Wu,&nbsp;Meixia Xu,&nbsp;Yanyan Zhong","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70257","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe and common form of central nervous system trauma, with the perilesional scar serving as a critical obstacle to SCI repair. While the role of miR-17-5p in SCI has been investigated, its influence on astrocyte activation and perilesional scar formation following SCI remains to be elucidated. In this study, we established an in vivo SCI model and an in vitro astrocyte activation model induced by mechanical injury. We explored the changes in motor function of rats and the expression levels of miR-17-5p in spinal cord tissues at multiple time points following SCI. The injury to spinal cord tissue, the distribution of astrocytes, and astrocyte proliferation following scratch injury were examined. The levels of inflammatory cytokines in both rat spinal cord tissues and astrocyte culture supernatants were quantified using ELISA. Additionally, the expression levels of miR-17-5p, mitofusin2 (Mfn2), and proteins associated with perilesional scarring in rat spinal cord tissue and astrocytes were evaluated at the molecular level. To verify the targeted regulatory relationship between miR-17-5p and Mfn2 in rat astrocytes, we employed the dual-luciferase reporter assay. The results demonstrated that the expression of miR-17-5p was significantly upregulated in the spinal cord of SCI rats, whereas the expression of Mfn2 was markedly downregulated. Upon silencing the expression of miR-17-5p in the spinal cord of SCI rats, neural function exhibited significant recovery. Furthermore, the downregulation of miR-17-5p effectively inhibited astrocyte activation, inflammatory responses, and perilesional scar formation. However, overexpression of miR-17-5p elicited opposing effects. Mfn2 was confirmed to be a downstream target gene of miR-17-5p. The upregulation of Mfn2 can partially counteract the promoting effects of miR-17-5p on astrocyte activation, proliferation, inflammatory response, and perilesional scar formation. In summary, miR-17-5p facilitates astrocyte activation and perilesional scarring through targeted suppression of Mfn2, consequently hindering the restoration of neural function in SCI rats.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145111300","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":"Electrical Stimulation-Induced Muscle Damage Alters Hippocampal BDNF Signaling","authors":"Julien Wirtz,&nbsp;Rémi Chaney,&nbsp;Marina Cefis,&nbsp;Alexandre Méloux,&nbsp;Yuan Wang,&nbsp;Stéphanie Lemaire,&nbsp;Aurore Quirié,&nbsp;Julien Delezie,&nbsp;Gilles Gouspillou,&nbsp;Anne Prigent-Tessier,&nbsp;Philippe Garnier","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70235","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejn.70235","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigates whether electrical stimulation (ES) could mimic traditional exercise in enhancing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-dependent neuroplasticity via muscle-brain communication, specifically through the fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5)/Irisin pathway. Male Wistar rats received transcutaneous ES targeting the lumbar nerve roots to induce hindlimb muscle contractions for 30 min daily over seven consecutive days. Blood and tissue samples were collected for biochemical, histological, and molecular analyses 1 day after the final session. Our findings reveal that ES disrupted BDNF signaling in the hippocampus, reducing synaptic protein expression. At the muscular level, ES caused significant damage, particularly in the soleus muscle, accompanied by muscle satellite cell (MuSC) activation, proliferation, and differentiation. Notably, ES increased FNDC5 expression in injured muscles, but this was associated with MuSC activation rather than humoral communication between muscle and brain. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between the pro-inflammatory state of the injured muscles and hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor activation, as an indicator of stress, which was linked to impaired BDNF signaling. These results suggest two key conclusions: (1) Increased FNDC5 expression in damaged muscle fibers primarily reflects local repair mechanisms rather than a beneficial humoral dialogue, and (2) ES protocols that induce muscle injury can negatively impact BDNF-dependent plasticity by triggering maladaptive muscle-brain interactions. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing muscle stimulation protocols to minimize muscle damage, particularly when applied to individuals unable to engage in conventional physical activity or suffering from muscle weakness.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12442748/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145074562","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":"Rhythmic Fluctuations in Tactile Attention","authors":"Burcu Bayram,&nbsp;Ulrich Ansorge,&nbsp;Ulrich Pomper","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70247","url":null,"abstract":"<p>There is increasing evidence that sensory information in the visual and auditory domains is processed not in a continuous but in a rather rhythmically fluctuating fashion, reflecting underlying oscillations in neural excitability. So far, little is known about whether a similar mechanism is also implemented in the somatosensory modality, which, given its importance for monitoring and protecting our bodily integrity, might sample sensory input differently. Here, we investigated (1) whether tactile detection performance fluctuates over time at the speed of somatosensory alpha- and beta-band oscillations and (2) whether attention samples two simultaneously monitored body parts at different time points, similar to previous demonstrations in the visual and auditory domains. Thirty-one human participants (female and male) performed a behavioral dense-sampling experiment, consisting of a tactile cuing task, in which they responded to tactile vibrations at detection threshold presented to the left or right index fingers. In line with our hypotheses, we observed temporal fluctuations in both hit rates and response times, at a speed of 8–16 Hz, consistent with electrophysiological alpha- and beta-band oscillations commonly observed over somatosensory areas. Further, hit rate fluctuations exhibited phase differences at ~13 Hz between the left and right hands, suggesting that somatosensory spatial attention samples cued and uncued locations at different points in time. Overall, along with recent work, which identified markers of attentional sampling also beyond sensory processing, our study provides novel evidence that cyclical information processing and alternating sampling of simultaneously attended entities might be a general mechanism in the brain.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70247","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145062647","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":"An Exploratory Study on the Regulatory Effect of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response on Anxiety: Evidence From Functional Near-Infrared Brain Imaging Technology","authors":"Huan Jiang,&nbsp;Yating Chen,&nbsp;Feng Guo,&nbsp;Binjie Yang,&nbsp;Jiani Yan,&nbsp;HuiLing Li,&nbsp;Ke Jiang,&nbsp;Qiang Zhou,&nbsp;Xianghe Zhu","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70251","url":null,"abstract":"<p>While some studies have suggested that autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) can relieve anxiety, whether ASMR relieves anxiety in trait-anxious individuals and its neural mechanisms remain a question worth exploring. We used the self-threatening <i>n</i>-back paradigm to elicit state anxiety and an ASMR video to relieve anxiety. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to monitor frontal and temporal lobe activity to explore the neurophysiological changes when watching ASMR videos and then further explore the mechanism of self-reported “feelings” of ASMR. During the anxiety arousal phase, the hemodynamic responses (HR) of the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were significantly enhanced in participants with high trait anxiety. Those with low-trait anxiety had significantly reduced HR of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Compared with the non-ASMR video, the HR of the MFG, PFC, and DLPFC were significantly lower in participants who watched the ASMR video. When the experience of ASMR was reported, the HR of the premotor and auxiliary motor cortices, middle frontal lobe, and DLPFC were significantly reduced. While watching an ASMR video, brain activity is the opposite of when anxiety is elicited in people with high trait anxiety. The activated area when the participants were watching the ASMR video, and when they reported experiencing ASMR, overlapped with the anxiety-related parts of the brain. This provides neurophysiological evidence of how an ASMR video can relieve anxiety.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70251","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145062648","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":"Mismatch Negativity in Subjects at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis: No Evidence of Progressive Decline","authors":"Jiseon Jang,&nbsp;Eugenie Choe,&nbsp;Minji Ha,&nbsp;Minah Kim,&nbsp;Jun Soo Kwon","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70256","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70256","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Duration-deviant mismatch negativity has been investigated as a potential biomarker for predicting early psychosis clinical outcomes. Although progressive mismatch negativity changes have been linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline after psychosis onset, it is unclear whether similar changes occur in patients at clinical high risk for psychosis. Therefore, we examined longitudinal mismatch negativity changes and their associations with cognition and functioning in 24 clinical high risk for psychosis individuals and 22 healthy controls. Participants underwent duration-deviant mismatch negativity recordings at baseline and the 1–2-year follow-up. Neurocognitive functioning was assessed via Trail Making Test parts A and B, and general functioning was measured with the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. Group differences in mismatch negativity amplitude change over time were evaluated using repeated-measures analysis of covariance, and its associations with cognitive and functional changes were assessed via Spearman correlations. Compared with healthy controls, individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis had significantly reduced mismatch negativity amplitudes at the FCz electrode site at baseline. However, there was no significant group-by-time interaction in mismatch negativity amplitude, nor were its changes significantly correlated with neurocognitive or general functioning changes, suggesting that progressive changes in duration-deviant mismatch negativity may not occur prior to psychosis onset in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis. Given the heterogeneous outcomes in the clinical high risk for psychosis population, larger samples and longer follow-up durations are needed to elucidate the clinical significance of duration-deviant mismatch negativity in this group.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70256","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145062646","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":"The Compensatory Role of the Hippocampus in Working Memory Among Older Adults With Low MoCA Scores","authors":"Zigmunds Freibergs,&nbsp;Natālija Hodaseviča,&nbsp;Maija Pēce,&nbsp;Kristīne Šneidere,&nbsp;Nauris Zdanovskis,&nbsp;Ainārs Stepens","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70254","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Evidence suggests that working memory (WM) capacity decreases with age, resulting in cognitive decline. Given the link between aging and reduced hippocampal volume, this study examined whether and how hippocampal volume is associated with WM. 46 participants aged 65–85 years (Mage = 71.80, SD = 5.05, 17.4% male) took part in the study. WM was assessed with the Numbers Reversed test, cognitive functioning with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and hippocampal structural data were obtained via magnetic resonance imaging. We hypothesized that hippocampal substructure volume would correlate with WM performance in older adults. Additionally, considering that the hippocampus interacts extensively with the fronto-parietal network, which is regarded as the core WM network, we hypothesized that this association would be stronger in adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), reflecting a compensatory role of the hippocampus. The results showed a statistically significant relationship between WM and hippocampus (<i>r</i>_<i>s</i> = 0.35, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) and several hippocampal subsections in right and left hemispheres; however, the associations weakened after controlling for estimated total intracranial volume and MoCA scores in a regression model (<i>R</i>² = 0.113, <i>F</i> = 5.61, <i>p</i> = 0.022). At the group level, the MCI group exhibited stronger and more widespread associations between WM and hippocampal subregions than the cognitively intact group (R² values varying from 0.25 to 0.579, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.05). The results suggest that the hippocampus may play a more direct role in WM performance in older adults, particularly in the context of cognitive impairment, pointing to a possible compensatory mechanism and the involvement of long-term memory processes in WM.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145022231","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":"Distinct Neural Mechanisms of Visual and Sound Adaptation in the Cat Visual Cortex","authors":"Yahia Yassine Belkacemi,&nbsp;Ehsan Mokhtarinejad,&nbsp;Solène Hospital,&nbsp;Nayan Chanauria,&nbsp;Oliver Flouty,&nbsp;Stéphane Molotchnikoff,&nbsp;Vishal Bharmauria","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70253","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70253","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sensory areas exhibit modular selectivity to stimuli, but they can also respond to features outside of their basic modality. Several studies have shown cross-modal plastic modifications between visual and auditory cortices; however, the exact mechanisms of these modifications are yet not completely known. To this aim, we investigated the effect of 12 min of visual versus sound adaptation (referring to forceful application of an optimal/nonoptimal stimulus to a neuron[s] under observation) on the infragranular and supragranular primary visual neurons (V1) of the cat (<i>Felis catus</i>). Previous reports showed that both protocols induced orientation tuning shifts, but sound increased the bandwidths. Here, we compared visual versus sound adaptation effects, specifically analysing the firing changes and variability (computed as Fano factor) for raw and centred (around optimal orientation) tuning curves. We report that, compared with visual adaptation, sound adaptation elicited broader tuning curves in supragranular and infragranular layers accompanied with decreased variability in both cortical layers. This decreased variability may reflect stabilization of neural responses through enhanced inhibitory control or synaptic efficacy in local circuits. These findings suggest unique modulation of neural responses by distinct adaptation protocols, resulting in disparate tunings. We suggest that broader tuning curves and decreased response variability after sound adaptation may keep the visual cortex prepared across a spectrum of abstract representations that match with visual stimuli.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145022241","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":"Kv2/Kv6.4 Heteromeric Potassium Channels Are Expressed in Spinal Motoneurons and Localized at C-Bouton Synapses","authors":"Taylor A. Lacey,&nbsp;Karl D. Murray,&nbsp;James S. Trimmer,&nbsp;Jon T. Sack,&nbsp;Michael J. Ferns","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70243","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70243","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Voltage-gated K⁺ channels of the Kv2 family coassemble with electrically silent KvS subunits in specific subpopulations of brain neurons, forming heteromeric Kv2/KvS channels with distinct functional properties. Little is known about the composition and function of Kv2 channels in spinal cord neurons, however. Here, we show that while Kv2.1 is broadly expressed in multiple classes of spinal cord neurons, the Kv6.4 “electrically silent” subunit is specifically expressed in motoneurons. In motoneurons, we find that Kv6.4 protein is coclustered with Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 subunits at endoplasmic reticulum–plasma membrane (ER-PM) junctions beneath C-bouton synapses. In Kv2.1 S590A mutant mice, in which Kv2.1 is unable to bind ER VAP proteins, Kv2.1 and Kv6.4 clustering at ER-PM junctions is severely reduced suggesting Kv2 channels are localized at ER-PM junctions by the same molecular mechanism in motoneurons and brain neurons. Moreover, clustering of Kv6.4, as well as the AMIGO-1 auxiliary subunit, are severely reduced in Kv2.1 knockout mice and moderately reduced in Kv2.2 knockout mice. Thus, expression and localization of Kv6.4 subunits is dependent on Kv2 subunits, likely through their coassembly into heteromeric channels. Finally, we find that presynaptic C-boutons and postsynaptic clusters of the ER-resident sigma-1 receptor are preserved in motoneurons of Kv2 knockout mice. Together, these findings identify a specific Kv2/KvS channel subtype expressed in motoneurons that localizes to C-bouton junctions where it could regulate neuronal excitability and/or signaling at ER-PM junctions.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70243","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145012606","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":"Maturation of Micturition-Related Neural Circuits That Control Pelvic Visceromotor Functions in Postnatal Rats","authors":"Akimi Nitabara,&nbsp;Yuta Banjo,&nbsp;Masahito Takiguchi,&nbsp;Kengo Funakoshi","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70240","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70240","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Pelvic visceromotor functions such as micturition are regulated by coordinated autonomic and somatic motor pathways from the central nervous system. The parasympathetic system induces detrusor muscle contraction while the somatic system facilitates relaxation of the external urethral sphincter, ensuring synchronized and efficient bladder emptying during the voiding process. This study explores the relationship between Barrington's nucleus corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-ergic projections and the formation of perineural nets (PNNs) among spinal motoneurons, particularly parasympathetic preganglionic neurons in the intermediolateral nucleus (IML) and Onuf's nucleus during the maturation of the neural circuitry controlling pelvic visceromotor functions. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed CRH expression commenced at postnatal Day 5 (P5) in both the IML and Onuf's nucleus, progressively increasing with age. By P60, CRH expression in Onuf's nucleus showed significant sexual dimorphism, higher in males than in females. In contrast, PNN formation exhibited distinct sex-dependent temporal patterns: Males showed earlier formation in the IML at P25, while females exhibited earlier PNN appearance in Onuf's nucleus at P25. Notably, delayed and reduced formation of PNN compared to somatic motoneurons in previous studies suggests an extended period of synaptic plasticity. This finding suggests a potentially longer and more effective recovery period for pelvic visceromotor system compared to the locomotor system. Furthermore, the observed sex difference in CRH expression and PNN formation in Onuf's nucleus may indicate the involvement of sex hormones. These results contribute to understanding the mechanism and treatment approaches tailored to age, sex, and the recovery of specific function such as micturition following spinal cord injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70240","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145012611","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":"Engrams Formed in Virtual Reality Exhibit Reduced Familiarity Upon Retrieval: Electrophysiological Correlates of Source Memory Retrieval Indicate Modality-Dependent Differences in Recognition Memory","authors":"Joanna Kisker,&nbsp;Marius Soethe,&nbsp;Jonas Sieverding,&nbsp;Leon Lange,&nbsp;Merle Sagehorn,&nbsp;Benjamin Schöne,&nbsp;Thomas Gruber","doi":"10.1111/ejn.70239","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70239","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Initial findings linking Virtual Reality (VR)-based encoding to increased recollection at retrieval remain inconclusive due to heterogeneous study designs and dependence on behavioral data. To clarify under which circumstances VR-based encoding affects or enhances episodic memory retrieval, the fundamental question remains whether the encoding modality, i.e., VR or 2D-desktops (PC), functions as a source for recollection, independent of further contextual factors. Specifically, the electrophysiological correlates (EEG) of item and source memory could objectively determine whether source retrieval fosters recollection and attenuates familiarity of VR-encoded information (i.e., VR-engrams) compared to PC-encoded information (i.e., PC-engrams).</p><p>To this end, participants incidentally encoded everyday objects in VR and on a 2D desktop in a within-subjects design, followed by unannounced old/new and source identification tasks. Our results indicate that encoding modality affects item memory only to a limited degree: Recognition memory performance, alongside the electrophysiological markers of item memory, i.e., the frontal and parietal old/new effects (FN400, LPC) and the theta band response, yielded comparable results for both engrams. Yet source memory differs depending on the encoding modality: The late posterior negativity indicated a shift towards recollection regarding the retrieval of VR-engrams compared to PC-engrams. This shift might result from attenuated familiarity with VR-engrams, particularly reflected in the alpha band and phase-amplitude coupling of theta and gamma band. In conclusion, encoding modality functions to some degree as a relevant source for recognition memory. Yet our results propose that familiarity is more strongly affected than recollection if contextual information beyond dimensionality is matched between encoding modalities.</p>","PeriodicalId":11993,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Neuroscience","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejn.70239","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145012442","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}