{"title":"Precision TMS through the integration of neuroimaging and machine learning: optimizing stimulation targets for personalized treatment.","authors":"Bing Liu, Chunyun Hu, Panxiao Bao","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1682852","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1682852","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique based on electromagnetic induction, modulates cortical excitability by inducing currents with a magnetic field. TMS has demonstrated significant clinical potential in the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and Parkinson's disease. However, conventional TMS targeting methods that rely on anatomical landmarks do not adequately account for individual differences in brain structure and functional networks, leading to considerable variability in treatment responses. In recent years, advances in neuroimaging techniques-such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-together with the application of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in big data analysis, have provided novel approaches for precise TMS targeting and individualized treatment. This review summarizes the latest developments in the integration of multimodal neuroimaging and AI technologies for precision neuromodulation with TMS. It focuses on critical issues such as imaging resolution, AI model generalizability, real-time feedback modulation, as well as data privacy and ethical considerations. Future prospects including closed-loop TMS control systems, cross-modal data fusion, and AI-assisted brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are also discussed. Overall, AI-driven personalized TMS strategies hold promise for markedly enhancing treatment precision and clinical efficacy, thereby offering new theoretical and practical guidance for individualized treatment in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1682852"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12515893/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145291892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Veronika Abzalova, Sholpan Kauynbekova, Gabit Makhambayev, Aleksandr Dmitriev, Berik Tuleubayev
{"title":"Case Report: Implementation of stereoelectroencephalography in Kazakhstan: early experience in surgical planning for drug-resistant epilepsy.","authors":"Veronika Abzalova, Sholpan Kauynbekova, Gabit Makhambayev, Aleksandr Dmitriev, Berik Tuleubayev","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1666735","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1666735","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This clinical report describes the management of a 32-year-old patient with a long-standing history of drug-resistant epilepsy. It uniquely illustrates how stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) played a significant role in the presurgical evaluation of a multifocal epileptic disorder which, despite a long history of no changes on MRI, was ultimately found to be associated with bilateral hippocampal sclerosis. This is one of the first documented cases of SEEG application in Kazakhstan, where the method was introduced in 2024.</p><p><strong>Clinical presentation and diagnostic findings: </strong>The patient suffered from debilitating seizures (4-6 times/week, often in series of 3-4/day) refractory to combined antiepileptic therapy. Scalp EEG revealed the first originating from the right frontotemporal leads with subsequent diffuse, predominantly right-sided, propagation. The second seizure, however, showed onset from the left temporal leads; notably, only left-onset seizures culminated in bilateral synchronization. Financial constraints precluding PET-CT and the diagnostic ambiguity of routine methods necessitated invasive SEEG.</p><p><strong>Seeg results and therapeutic strategy: </strong>SEEG monitoring unequivocally identified three independent epileptogenic foci: in the right hippocampus, left hippocampus, and left orbitofrontal region. Such multifocal pathology significantly reduces the likelihood of successful focal resection. Despite this inherent complexity, a crucial clinical outcome was achieved: the patient has remained completely seizure-free for 7 months following the ANT-DBS procedure.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This report underscores the critical role of SEEG in the precise localization and characterization of complex, multifocal epileptogenic networks, often elusive to non-invasive modalities. It convincingly demonstrates that a comprehensive invasive approach can lead to successful seizure control even in cases previously considered inoperable. It also reflects the challenges and advancements in developing high-tech epileptological care in regions where advanced methods like SEEG have only recently been introduced.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1666735"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12517177/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145291880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniela Esteves, Katarina Vagaja, Alexandre Andrade, Athanasios Vourvopoulos
{"title":"When embodiment matters most: a confirmatory study on VR priming in motor imagery brain-computer interfaces training.","authors":"Daniela Esteves, Katarina Vagaja, Alexandre Andrade, Athanasios Vourvopoulos","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1681538","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1681538","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Virtual Reality (VR) feedback is increasingly integrated into Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) applications, enhancing the Sense of Embodiment (SoE) toward virtual avatars and fostering more vivid motor imagery (MI). VR-based MI-BCIs hold promise for motor rehabilitation, but their effectiveness depends on neurofeedback quality. Although SoE may enhance MI training, its role as a priming strategy prior to VR-BCI has not been systematically examined, as prior work assessed embodiment only after interaction. This study investigates whether embodiment priming influences MI-BCI outcomes, focusing on event-related desynchronization (ERD) and BCI performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a within-subject design, we combined data from a pilot study with an extended experiment, yielding 39 participants. Each completed an embodiment induction phase followed by MI training with EEG recordings. ERD and lateralization indices were analyzed across conditions to test the effect of prior embodiment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Embodiment induction reliably increased SoE, yet no significant ERD differences were found between embodied and control conditions. However, lateralization indices showed greater variability in the embodied condition, suggesting individual differences in integrating embodied feedback.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, findings indicate that real-time VR-based feedback during training, rather than prior embodiment, is the main driver of MI-BCI performance improvements. These results corroborate earlier findings that real-time rendering of embodied feedback during MI-BCI training constitutes the primary mechanism supporting performance gains, while highlighting the complex role of embodiment in VR-based MI-BCIs.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1681538"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507712/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rong Gao, Cong Liu, Yuyang Nie, Wentao Qiu, Xiaotian Wang, Wenxue Ma
{"title":"Association between neuroticism and physical activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Rong Gao, Cong Liu, Yuyang Nie, Wentao Qiu, Xiaotian Wang, Wenxue Ma","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1557739","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1557739","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physical activity has been shown to be associated with neuroticism, a personality trait reflecting emotional instability and a tendency toward negative emotions. Understanding this relationship is crucial for developing effective mental health interventions. However, the underlying mechanisms and the strength of this association remain insufficiently understood.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to examine the current research on the relationship between neuroticism and physical activity, analyze their correlations and moderating factors, and investigate the potential bidirectional mechanisms linking these two factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search of Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and EBSCOhost for studies published between January 2000 and November 2024. We included English-language studies across all age groups that employed cross-sectional, longitudinal, or cohort designs. Studies focusing on special populations, non-peer-reviewed works, samples with fewer than 50 participants, non-empirical studies, and reviews were excluded. Data extraction was performed using standardized forms, and a meta-analysis was conducted in Stata 18 to assess heterogeneity and publication bias.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After screening, 25 studies were included, comprising 15 Pearson correlation analyses and 12 multiple regression analyses. The meta-analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between physical activity and neuroticism, with an average correlation coefficient <i>r</i> = -0.141. This suggests that higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower levels of neuroticism. Specifically, the average standardized coefficient β for neuroticism inhibiting physical activity was -0.150, indicating that for every one standard deviation increase in neuroticism, physical activity decreases by approximately 0.150 standard deviation units. Conversely, the average standardized coefficient β for physical activity affecting neuroticism was -0.113, suggesting a potential reduction in neuroticism with increased physical activity, although this effect was not statistically significant across the limited number of studies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings confirm a significant negative association between physical activity and neuroticism, highlighting the potential of physical activity as a strategy for improving mental health. However, establishing causality requires further verification through longitudinal and experimental designs. The results emphasize the need for personalized interventions targeting individuals with high neuroticism. Future research should prioritize diverse cultural samples, standardized measurement protocols, and mechanistic investigations of this bidirectional relationship to better understand the underlying processes and develop effective intervent","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1557739"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507748/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeremy Pouliot, Janie Provencher, Amira Cherif, Mikaël Desmons, Andréanne Sharp, Philippe Fournier, Edith Elgueta Cancino, Shin-Yi Chiou, Hugo Massé-Alarie
{"title":"Comparison of the reticulospinal drive to lumbar erector spinae muscles in postural and voluntary tasks using the StartReact paradigm.","authors":"Jeremy Pouliot, Janie Provencher, Amira Cherif, Mikaël Desmons, Andréanne Sharp, Philippe Fournier, Edith Elgueta Cancino, Shin-Yi Chiou, Hugo Massé-Alarie","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1648245","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1648245","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>While lesion and neurophysiological animal studies point toward a notable involvement of subcortical pathways in the control of low back muscles, little attention has been dedicated to the subject in humans. The StartReact paradigm may allow to indirectly test the potential contribution of the reticulospinal system during motor control, thus addressing this gap of knowledge. In this study, we aimed to compare the potential contribution of the reticulospinal system in the control of low back muscles during voluntary (lumbar spine extension) and postural (upper limb movement eliciting anticipatory postural adjustment) tasks using the StartReact paradigm.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The reaction time (RT) of the <i>lumbar erector spinae</i> was measured within a simple precued RT task while conditioned by startling (SAS-116 dB) or non-startling (NSAS-80 dB) acoustic stimuli.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The reduction in RT was similar during the postural and voluntary tasks. However, RT was more shortened with the SAS condition compared to the NSAS condition in both tasks. This finding was replicated using a cumulative distribution functions analysis.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>For the first time, a StartReact effect of back muscles was demonstrated during a voluntary task and was shown to be similar to that observed in a postural task. Therefore, these results suggest a contribution of the reticulospinal tract in the postural and voluntary control of back muscles in humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1648245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507832/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anke Hua, Kelly P Westlake, Cédrick T Bonnet, Jian Wang
{"title":"Sensorimotor mismatch disrupts motor automaticity and increases anxiety during a goal-directed balance task.","authors":"Anke Hua, Kelly P Westlake, Cédrick T Bonnet, Jian Wang","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1632265","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1632265","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Sensorimotor integration is crucial role for goal-directed tasks, with sensorimotor mismatch impairing movement execution and potentially evoking anxiety. However, the relationship between mismatch-induced anxiety, movement precision, and automaticity remains unexplored. This study investigated the effect of sensorimotor mismatch on voluntary postural control during goal-directed tasks and the relationship between sensorimotor mismatch-induced anxiety and motor performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-three young, injury-free adults performed a precision task requiring center of pressure (COP) control within a limited screen area under congruent (aligned visual inputs and motor outputs) and incongruent (180-degree mismatch between visual feedback and motor actions) conditions. Self-reported anxiety was assessed using a seven-point Likert scale. Motor performance was quantified using COP area, total path length and sample entropy of COP trajectory for movement precision and automaticity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sensorimotor mismatch significantly increased self-reported anxiety (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and reduced movement automaticity, evidenced by lower sample entropy values (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Higher anxiety scores were correlated with decreased movement automaticity in the medio-lateral direction (lower sample entropy) under the mismatch condition (<i>r</i> = -0.33, <i>p</i> = 0.008).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These findings suggest that sensorimotor mismatch induces self-perceived anxiety and disrupts automatic motor control processes.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1632265"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507862/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chin-Hsuan Sophie Lin, Tim M Tierney, Stephanie Mellor, George C O'Neill, Sven Bestmann, Gareth R Barnes, R Chris Miall
{"title":"Early insights into eyeblink conditioning using optically pumped magnetometer-based MEG.","authors":"Chin-Hsuan Sophie Lin, Tim M Tierney, Stephanie Mellor, George C O'Neill, Sven Bestmann, Gareth R Barnes, R Chris Miall","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1638751","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1638751","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>There is a profound lack of electrophysiological data from the cerebellum in humans, as compared to animals, because it is difficult to record cerebellar activity non-invasively using magnetoencephalography (MEG) or electroencephalography (EEG). Recent developments in wearable MEG sensors hold potential to overcome this limitation, as they allow the placement of sensors closer to the cerebellum.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We leveraged the development of wearable optically pumped magnetometers to record on-scalp MEG (OP-MEG) during an established cerebellar learning paradigm-eyeblink conditioning. In four healthy human adults, we first validated that OP-MEG can reliably detect cerebellar responses by examining responses to an air puff stimulus.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant responses were observed in sensors positioned over the cerebellar region in all four adults in response to the air puff. We then indirectly tested the hypothesis that these responses reflect the population-level spiking activity of Purkinje cells. The air-puff-evoked responses diminished during the acquisition of conditioned responses, corresponding with previously observed changes in Purkinje cell activity in animals. Additionally, in three out of four participants, we observed a cerebellar evoked response just prior to the peak of the conditioned blink, resembling learning-associated shifts in Purkinje cell response latencies.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This study demonstrates that OP-MEG is a viable method for recording cerebellar activity in humans. By bridging invasive animal recordings with non-invasive human neuroimaging, these findings provide further evidence of the cerebellum's role in human learning.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1638751"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12504232/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yu Li, Lei Zhu, Aiai Huang, Jianhai Zhang, Peng Yuan
{"title":"Multimodal MBC-ATT: cross-modality attentional fusion of EEG-fNIRS for cognitive state decoding.","authors":"Yu Li, Lei Zhu, Aiai Huang, Jianhai Zhang, Peng Yuan","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1660532","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1660532","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With the rapid development of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, the effective integration of multimodal biological signals to improve classification accuracy has become a research hotspot. However, existing methods often fail to fully exploit cross-modality correlations in complex cognitive tasks. To address this, this paper proposes a Multi-Branch Convolutional Neural Network with Attention (MBC-ATT) for BCI based cognitive tasks classification. MBC-ATT employs independent branch structures to process electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) signals separately, thereby leveraging the advantages of each modality. To further enhance the fusion of multimodal features, we introduce a cross-modal attention mechanism to discriminate features, strengthening the model's ability to focus on relevant signals and thereby improving classification accuracy. We conducted experiments on the n-back and WG datasets. The results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms conventional approaches in classification performance, further validating the effectiveness of MBC-ATT in brain-computer interfaces. This study not only provides novel insights for multimodal BCI systems but also holds great potential for various applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1660532"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12504385/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Task-specific cortical mechanisms of taVNS-paired task-oriented training for post-stroke upper extremity dysfunction under cognitive load: an fNIRS study.","authors":"Shi-Yi Li, Ke Xu, Yi-Xiu Wang, Meng-Huan Wang, Shu-Shan Li, Feng Lin, Zhong-Li Jiang","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1652612","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1652612","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the cortical task-specific response patterns underlying the improvement of upper limb dysfunction in stroke patients using transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) paired with task-oriented training (TOT) under varying cognitive loads.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled trial, 30 patients with subacute stroke were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the taVNS group or the Sham group. Both groups received 3 weeks of TOT. The taVNS group received concurrent active taVNS, while the Sham group received concurrent sham stimulation. Assessments were performed pre- and post-intervention. Clinical function was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Neurophysiological measures included heart rate variability (HRV) to assess taVNS efficacy and motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) to assess cortical excitability changes. Brain functional imaging was conducted using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during motor tasks with different cognitive loads (low-load: continuous horizontal movement; high-load: goal-directed movement) to analyze changes in spontaneous neural activity, task-related regional brain activation characteristics, and brain functional network alterations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>(1) Post-intervention, the taVNS group showed significantly greater improvements in all HRV indices compared to the Sham group (<i>P</i> < 0.05). (2) Both groups exhibited significant improvements from baseline in FMA-UE, MoCA, MBI, and FSS scores (<i>P</i> < 0.05), with the taVNS group demonstrating significantly greater improvement than the Sham group (<i>P</i> < 0.05). (3) MEP results indicated significant improvements in the elicitation rate of ipsilesional MEPs within the taVNS group post-intervention (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to the Sham group, the taVNS group showed significantly greater improvements in the ipsilesional MEP elicitation rate and a significant reduction in contralesional MEP latency (<i>P</i> < 0.05). (4) Regarding resting-state fNIRS, the taVNS group exhibited higher Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation (ALFF) values post-intervention in the ipsilesional prefrontal cortex (PFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and sensorimotor cortex (SMC) compared to the Sham group (<i>P</i> < 0.05), but these differences were not significant after correction. In task-state fNIR under the low-cognitive-load condition, activation levels in the ipsilesionalS primary motor cortex (M1) and premotor and supplementary motor areas (pSMA) were significantly higher in the taVNS group compared to the Sham group post-intervention (<i>P</i> <sub>FDR</sub> < 0.05). During the high-cognitive-load task, activation levels in the ipsilesional PFC and DLPFC were significantly highe","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1652612"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12504255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Negative expectations and measurable movement mechanics: a scoping review of the nocebo effect on motor performance.","authors":"Jennifer Burgos-Tirado, Guillaume Léonard, Adrien Hakimi, Deborah Vancraeynest, Thierry Lelard, Maryne Cozette","doi":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1666804","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnhum.2025.1666804","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The nocebo effect, where negative responses can occur as a result of negative expectations, has gained increasing attention in motor control research, with growing evidence highlighting its impact on both athletic and everyday movements. However, the specific methodologies used to induce nocebo effects on motor outcomes remain unexplored. This scoping review aimed to address three key questions: (1) What experimental protocols have been developed and used to elicit nocebo effects in motor performance in healthy individuals? (2) How are these effects assessed and measured? (3) What are the observed effects on motor outcomes?</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA framework, searching PubMed, EBSCO, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar from inception to March 2025. Eighteen studies were included.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>Verbal instruction was the most common induction method (94.4 %), often combined with conditioning or visual cues. Motor tasks assessed gross skills, such as sprinting and cycling), with limited attention given to fine motor control. Outcomes were more frequently centered on performance measures (e.g., strength, endurance), with less emphasis on movement quality (e.g., coordination). Nocebo effects were observed in half of the studies impairing motor performance, including reduced force production, diminished endurance, disrupted postural stability and slower movement speed. The findings highlight methodological diversity in induction protocols and measurement methods. Future research should expand participant diversity, investigate fine motor tasks, and further explore the interplay between induction methods and motor outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":12536,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1666804"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12504500/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}