Experimental Brain Research最新文献

{"title":"Alpha oscillations during sunscreen application associated with willingness to pay.","authors":"Kai Yang, Dangdang Cheng, Feifei Wang","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07394-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07394-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As one of the most critical experiential attributes of cosmetics, tactile sensation directly shapes the perception of cosmetic value. To investigate its neural underpinnings, a task was designed to investigate the relationship between electroencephalographic (EEG) signal activity elicited during sunscreen application and willingness to pay (WTP). A total of 25 participants applied 6 sunscreens in a randomized order on the dorsum of the hand. EEG signals were recorded synchronously during application, and WTP was collected afterward. Linear mixed-effects models (LMM) were used to examine the association between multiple EEG features-including emotional valence, arousal, and principal components extracted from spectral power in the alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (12-27 Hz) and gamma (27-40 Hz) bands-on log-transformed WTP. Only the second principal component of alpha power during the application phase (APPLY_α_PC2) showed a significant positive association with WTP (t = 4.000, p < 0.001). This component exhibited a distinct oscillatory topography characterized by alpha synchronization over prefrontal and parietal regions and alpha desynchronization over temporoparietal areas, suggesting a neural pattern that may reflect task-relevant cortical engagement during tactile experience. The specific neural state indexed by prefrontal-parietal alpha synchronization is more directly associated with WTP than conventional emotional indicators. This neural pattern could serve as a candidate objective marker for evaluating cosmetic application experiences in product development and sensory testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148944641","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":"Increased attentional resources may be required to maintain standing balance under conditions of altered visual and somatosensory feedback among healthy adults.","authors":"Katelyn Pickunka, Stephanie L Jones","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07389-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07389-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Somatosensory feedback provides ongoing representation of the body's movements and interaction with the environment that is important for postural control. Altered somatosensory feedback may require compensation to maintain balance, which could include greater attentional resources or increased reliance on other sensory modalities to maintain posture through sensory reweighting. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been implicated in allocating attentional resources to maintain postural control, which may be associated with reweighting among sensory modalities. It is unknown whether increased PFC activity will compensate for altered sensory feedback and will be associated with sensory reweighting, demonstrated by changes in visual and somatosensory cortical activity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of attentional resources and sensory reweighting to postural control, assessed by changes in cortical activity and body sway under conditions of altered sensory feedback during standing. Fifteen healthy, neurotypical participants (ages 21-58) completed somatosensory testing and the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction in Balance whilst activity in the PFC, somatosensory, visual and motor cortices was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and an inertial sensor tracked postural sway. Increased postural sway and PFC activity were evident with vision occluded and unstable surface. Somatosensory, visual and motor cortices demonstrated chromophore and side-specific differences that may reflect the range of age and somatosensory function among the sample cohort and suggest that a threshold of sensory challenge may be necessary to evoke cortical changes. However, increased PFC activity supports increased reliance on attentional resources to maintain balance in response to sensory challenge.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148905732","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 testing in adults with persistent postconcussive symptoms: a scoping review with conceptual mapping approach.","authors":"Daniel Büchel, Stefan J Blaschke, Lisa Krampe, Victoria Prockl, Stefanie Klatt, Bettina Wollesen","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07392-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07392-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Persistent postconcussive symptoms (PPCS) affect approximately 30% of individuals following mild traumatic brain injury, resulting in prolonged sensorimotor and cognitive disruptions. While traditional assessments focus on isolated subfunctions, they often fail to capture the complex integration required for daily activities. This scoping review aimed to summarize the evidence on dual-task testing in PPCS, identify frequently used subtasks, and map these paradigms to clinical symptom clusters.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE was conducted. Studies were included if they involved adults (18-59 years) with persistent symptoms (> 14 days post-injury) performing simultaneous motor and cognitive tasks compared to single-task conditions. Methodological quality was assessed using a modified Downs and Black checklist. Conceptual mapping was employed to visualize the co-occurrence of symptoms and DT subtasks.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eight studies (N = 197) met the eligibility criteria. Seven studies reported significant cognitive-motor interference (CMI) in PPCS cohorts compared to healthy controls. Gait was the primary motor task investigated, while cognitive tasks focused on working memory (e.g., arithmetic) and inhibition (e.g., Stroop). Conceptual mapping revealed that general symptom burden and anxiety were central hubs linked to gait and executive function tasks. However, specific clusters like fatigue, headache, and ocular dysfunction were notably underrepresented.</p><p><strong>Significance: </strong>Dual-task assessments, particularly combining gait with executive function tasks, are sensitive markers for functional deficits in PPCS. Future research should standardize protocols, include cognitive response times to capture speed-accuracy trade-offs, and utilize neurophysiological applications such as electroencephalography to better understand the underlying neural resource reallocation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13547169/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148900408","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":"Force production with a subset of fingers: two aspects of unintentional finger involvement.","authors":"Valters Abolins, Edgars Bernans, Mark L Latash","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07393-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07393-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We explored the relations between unintentional finger force production (enslaving) and multi-finger force-stabilizing synergies using the framework of the uncontrolled manifold (UCM) hypothesis. In particular, we formulated three mutually exclusive hypotheses on the relations between the synergy indices for the force produced by the instructed finger, enslaved fingers, and all the fingers. The subjects performed accurate force production task with two fingers of a hand (index and ring) while the visual feedback showed the force produced by all the fingers (unknown to the subjects). Synergy index reflecting inter-trial variance analysis confirmed strongest synergies stabilizing the total force and weakest synergies stabilizing the force by the enslaved fingers. Analysis of 60-s trials with and without continuous visual feedback on total force demonstrated an increase in the enslaving index. Analysis of the diffusion plots (Hurst index) confirmed larger stability along the UCM for the enslaved finger force. Overall, our results show that the traditional view on enslaving as a robust phenomenon ensuring linear relations between the intended and unintended finger forces is likely wrong: Enslaving increases with time as reflected in the smaller indices of force-stabilizing synergies. These findings also suggest that enslaving is defined predominantly by neural factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13546314/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148896843","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":"Enhanced neuroprotective effects of combined photobiomodulation and hydrogen inhalation in a mouse model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.","authors":"Gyeong-Gyu Yu, Seong-Min Kim, Sang-Chul Kim, Gwan-Jin Park, Young-Min Kim, Hyun-Seok Chai, Hyeon-Jeong Park, Hoon Kim","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07352-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07352-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is characterized by complex pathological processes that contribute to acute neuronal damage. Photobiomodulation (PBM) and hydrogen inhalation have each demonstrated neuroprotective effects in ischemic and hypoxic models; however, the effects of their combined application in acute HIBI have not been directly evaluated. In this study, HIBI was induced in mice, followed by treatment with PBM alone, hydrogen inhalation alone, or their combination. Behavioral performance, physiological parameters, and molecular markers of neuronal survival, glial activation, neuroinflammation, apoptosis, and hypoxia signaling were evaluated at 24 h after injury. While PBM or hydrogen alone partially attenuated HIBI-induced alterations, combined treatment more effectively preserved locomotor activity, stabilized physiological parameters, and reduced neuronal loss. These effects were accompanied by decreased glial activation and inflammatory signaling, suppression of apoptotic pathways, and improved regulation of hypoxia-related signaling. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that combined PBM and hydrogen inhalation confers enhanced neuroprotection compared with monotherapies by modulating multiple pathological mechanisms in acute HIBI.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148896857","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":"Effect of gravity on temporal properties and target selection in vertical pointing movements: a comparison between objective and subjective measures.","authors":"Soma Okuuchi, Shinji Yamamoto, Keisuke Tani, Keisuke Kushiro","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07388-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07388-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated how gravity affects upper limb movements and the perception of them by evaluating and comparing objectively measured temporal properties of vertical pointing movements with subjectively perceived ones. Sixteen participants performed vertical pointing movements toward upward or downward targets at various distances (simple movement task). Subsequently, participants judged and chose which target could be reached temporally earlier, rather than at a higher movement speed, from upward and downward targets presented simultaneously at various combinations of distances by responding via pointing movements (choice movement task) or by pressing a button without pointing (choice reaction task). The results of the simple movement task showed that the movement times were longer for pointing toward downward targets than those toward upward targets when those distances were equal. In contrast, in both the choice movement and choice reaction tasks under the target conditions with the equivalent distances, participants were likely to judge the downward target as being reachable earlier than the upward one. These findings suggest a discrepancy between the objectively observed effects of gravity on pointing movements and subjectively estimated effects of gravity.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886815","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":"Six weeks of isometric resistance training led to evidence of corticospinal but not reticulospinal adaptation in previously untrained adult males.","authors":"Simon Walker, Katherine E J Keogh, Meghan Tanel, Aidan S W Baker, Anne M E Baker, Dawson J Kidgell, Stuart N Baker","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07391-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07391-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The latest hypothesis regarding the source of enhanced neural activation from resistance training is the reticulospinal rather than the corticospinal tract, based on invasive animal and emerging human data. The present study employed a six-week isometric resistance training intervention in a randomized controlled design to address this knowledge gap. Thirty-nine healthy, untrained males (age ~23 y, sustained contraction group n = 13, explosive contraction group n = 9, control group n = 17) underwent neuromuscular and electrophysiological testing and completed all study requirements. Maximal isometric torque (MVC) and rate of torque development (RTD) were measured during a familiarization session as well as before and after the six-week period. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to assess motor-evoked potential (MEP) area and silent period duration while subjects contracted to 10% of MVC. Loud sound (120 dB) was used to modulate MEP area and reaction time to visual stimuli during the StartReact test. Only the intervention groups demonstrated significant improvements in MVC (27%) and RTD (60%) (both P < 0.01), along with reduced MEP area (- 21%) and silent period duration (- 23%) (both P < 0.01). The sustained contraction group showed reduced modulation of reaction time and increased MEP suppression due to loud sound. Short-term resistance training seemed to reduce cortical inhibition and corticospinal excitability in both training groups. The study showed conflicting changes in measures purported to evaluate reticulospinal functioning. It is recommended to examine different forms of resistance training and longer training exposure in future.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541792/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886877","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":"Immediate effects of binaural beat stimulation on prefrontal cortical activation after cycling exercise: an electroencephalography-based study.","authors":"Shih-Fen Hsiao, Tzu-Ling Liu, Yu-Chen Lin, Chen-Wen Yen, Ka-Chun Siu, Jau-Hong Lin","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07387-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07387-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Binaural beat stimulation (BBS) has been shown to activate the cerebral cortex and promote physical and mental relaxation. This study investigated the immediate effects of theta-frequency BBS following cycling exercise on prefrontal cortical activation in healthy adults. Sixty healthy adults were recruited from the community using convenient sampling. Each participant completed a 20-min cycling exercise on two consecutive days. In a randomized order, one day was followed by a 20-min wide-band theta-frequency (5.5-8.5 Hz) BBS combined with pink noise and the other day by a sham BBS intervention. An eight-channel dry-electrode electroencephalography system was used to record the changes of prefrontal cortical activation at six time points before and after the cycling exercise. A total of 52 participants completed the study. Compared to the sham stimulus, the theta-frequency BBS combined with pink noise significantly enhanced the theta and alpha wave powers. Power changes in the left and right prefrontal cortices and the frontal midline regions (r=0.28-0.51, p<0.05) across multiple time points indicated an immediate enhancement of prefrontal cortical activation. This preliminary study suggests that receiving wide-band theta-frequency BBS after20 minutes of cycling exercise may modulate prefrontal cortex activity. Given its non-invasive and simple nature, BBS warrants further exploratory research to determine its potential role as a supplementary tool in post-exercise recovery strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148863807","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":"Cervicothoracic trans-spinal magnetic stimulation: effect of coil position and orientation on spinal motor evoked potentials.","authors":"Lei Zhu, Sophia G Nopoulos, Kesten M Anderson, Richard K Shields, Stacey L DeJong","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07390-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07390-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stroke is a leading cause of long-term adult disability, and over 80% of survivors have persistent upper limb motor impairment. Spinal electrical stimulation has shown therapeutic potential after neurological disorders. Post-stroke applications have largely relied on invasive implants that limit clinical adoption, and non-invasive high intensity electrical stimulation may be intolerable for those with residual sensory function. Trans-spinal magnetic stimulation offers a non-invasive alternative capable of modulating residual sensorimotor pathways. Fundamental parameters, such as coil position and orientation, remain under-investigated. Two experiments were conducted to fill this gap. Experiment 1: 19 healthy adults underwent spinal mapping involving 30 cervicothoracic sites (3×10 grid). Responses were recorded from 6 upper limb muscles bilaterally at suprathreshold intensity using a rostral-left induced current direction. Friedman ANOVAs revealed significant medial-lateral and rostral-caudal variation in amplitude of spinal motor evoked potentials (sMEPs): ipsilateral>midline>contralateral, with arm responses peaking rostrally, wrist at mid-rows, and hand caudally. Experiment 2: 20 healthy adults received stimulation at three horizontal cervicothoracic sites using eight current directions spaced 45° apart. Friedman ANOVAs indicated a bilateral mirror-symmetrical pattern. The largest responses from left-sided muscles were elicited with a rostral-left current direction achieved by rotating the coil handle 45° counterclockwise from the caudal direction. Likewise, the largest right-sided muscle responses were elicited with a rostral-right current direction achieved by rotating the coil handle 315° counterclockwise. Coil position and orientation are critical determinants of sMEP amplitude. These results provide a foundational framework to further investigate cervicothoracic magnetic stimulation as a potential non-invasive neuromodulatory intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13529895/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148863105","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":"Age-related differences in embodying a tool under visual deprivation.","authors":"Amir Jahanian Najafabadi, Bernhard Hommel","doi":"10.1007/s00221-026-07382-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00221-026-07382-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tool embodiment refers to the integration of external objects into action-related body representations. Although vision is often assumed to support this process, it remains unclear how tool use under short-term visual deprivation affects explicit ownership and agency across the adult lifespan. This study examined whether blindfolded cane use elicits subjective ownership and agency in younger and older adults, and whether these experiences are associated with forearm tactile distance perception and perceived reaching distance. Forty-three healthy right-handed adults completed two blindfolded cane-use conditions: object search training and navigation training. Tactile Distance Judgment and Reaching Distance Estimation tasks were administered before and after cane use, and participants rated ownership and agency after each condition. Across age groups and conditions, agency ratings were consistently stronger than ownership ratings. Regression analyses indicated that behavioral recalibration measures, especially Reaching Distance Estimation Error, were more consistently associated with agency than ownership, with the clearest joint-model effect observed for agency during navigation. Age Group also contributed to agency during navigation, although age-dependent interaction effects did not reach statistical significance. These findings suggest that short-term blindfolded cane use can support explicit action-based control over a tool without necessarily producing a strong conscious feeling that the tool belongs to the body. The results highlight a dissociation between explicit ownership, agency, and behavioral indices of tool-related sensorimotor updating under blindfolded tool use.</p>","PeriodicalId":12268,"journal":{"name":"Experimental Brain Research","volume":"244 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13525023/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148850126","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}